Brake lite on console comes on/off. fluid levels look good. brakes get spongy go to floor, but pump them up and they work and light goes off.

Hello puskarj:



I trust you won't take offense, but I have exceptions with your analysis. Worn pads don't cause "calipers to travel further". Actually, it's not the caliper, it's the piston in the caliper assembly, and it retracts the same distance regardless of how thin the pads are (due to a very simple, ingenious O-ring design which pulls the piston back after the brakes have been applied).



Worn pads don't normally cause the brake warning light to come on, nor do they cause a a spongey brake pedal, nor do they cause the pedal to go to the floor. Low fluid pressure activates the brake warning light. Spongey pedal and pedal going to the floor are caused by a loss of pressure in the brake lines, which can be caused by fluid leaking by a worn piston seal or just plain leaks.



I agree if there is no sign of a leak, then there probably isn't one, but that does not exclude the possibility of fluid leaking internally by a seal.



If worn pads caused the symptoms described above by sthacker, statistically, half the vehicles on the road would have these symptoms at any one time -- which I don't believe is the case.



Charlie



Hello puskarj:

I trust you won't take offense, but I have exceptions with your analysis. Worn pads don't cause "calipers to travel further". Actually, it's not the caliper, it's the piston in the caliper assembly, and it retracts the same distance regardless of how thin the pads are (due to a very simple, ingenious O-ring design which pulls the piston back after the brakes have been applied).

Worn pads don't normally cause the brake warning light to come on, nor do they cause a a spongey brake pedal, nor do they cause the pedal to go to the floor. Low fluid pressure activates the brake warning light. Spongey pedal and pedal going to the floor are caused by a loss of pressure in the brake lines, which can be caused by fluid leaking by a worn piston seal or just plain leaks.

I agree if there is no sign of a leak, then there probably isn't one, but that does not exclude the possibility of fluid leaking internally by a seal.

If worn pads caused the symptoms described above by sthacker, statistically, half the vehicles on the road would have these symptoms at any one time -- which I don't believe is the case.

Charlie

I agree with your comments....I generalized when I said the calipers travel further when actually it is the piston within the caliper assembly that travels further. This expels more fluid from the master cylinder causing the brake pedal to possibly travel closer to the floor. Upon further thought, a spongy feeling would most likely be caused by air in the system since air is compressible and fluid is not. The only true way would be to inspect the entire system. That would include removal of the rear drums where you are most likely to find a leaking wheel cylinder. I've experienced leaks in this location that have been small enough to stay contained due to mixing with brake dust causing it not to drip and become obviously visible. I agree with your comments....I generalized when I said the calipers travel further when actually it is the piston within the caliper assembly that travels further. This expels more fluid from the master cylinder causing the brake pedal to possibly travel closer to the floor. Upon further thought, a spongy feeling would most likely be caused by air in the system since air is compressible and fluid is not. The only true way would be to inspect the entire system. That would include removal of the rear drums where you are most likely to find a leaking wheel cylinder. I've experienced leaks in this location that have been small enough to stay contained due to mixing with brake dust causing it not to drip and become obviously visible.