Brakes to the floor

[sadsm]

Ok so my sister in law just bought her car about 3 months ago it is a 1998. The guy that she bought the car from said that the he replaced the brakes.

The problem is that when you step on the brakes you almost have to hit the floor befor the car stops and if you slam on the brakes they will not stop like every other car out there. I did a visual check and the pads are good with a lot left on them. The calipers seem to be good, due to even wear on the pads.

I do not know what was changed when the person that sold it to her "fixed" the brakes but what do you think could be the problem?

 

[Defiant]

Check the brake fluid? There's a rubber follower in the cap that will disguise the actual fluid level if you're only looking through the translucent side of the resevoir. You have to take off the cap to check it.

 

[sadsm]

I have checked that. That is the first thing that I checked. The only thing that I think that it may be would be the brake hose. Not sure if the calipers are new, but the hose are probably the originals. I had to order them, so I will change them on Thurs. or Friday when they come in, and I will bleed the system myself.

How do you check to see if the booster is good, and the master cylinder?

 

[sadsm]

Check the brake fluid? There's a rubber follower in the cap that will disguise the actual fluid level if you're only looking through the translucent side of the resevoir. You have to take off the cap to check it.

After three months would the brake fluid already look old? New brake fluid is like a gold color, and the fluid in there looks like tea.

 

[malern28us]

Just a suggestion.... Try bleeding the brakes completely. With a vacuum bleeder and rule things out one at a time. Brake fluid is pretty cheap and you would be surprised how a little moisture that boils off can leave so much air in the lines