I had my 2008 MC in for regular service with 19000km on the clock and one of the items was to have the brake fluid flushed. (Also had the window fix applied to the car - new software update) When I picked up the car the brakes were mushy and if I held down the pedal, it would slowly sink to the floor. So took it back, and they bled the system again.. better, but still not like it was before taking it in. The brakes don't come on until about 1-1.5 inch of travel on the pedal and it still would sink to the floor if I pushed and held. Back time #3, another bleed job, and same problem. To me it feels like some air in the system, as pumping the pedal a few times hardens up the feel. I sat in the car with the mechanic who watched as the pedal slowly sunk to the floor and he concluded it's a master cylinder problem? Now a two plus week delay to get the part as they said they have never replaced one before. Has anyone else experienced this problem. To make sure it was not my imagination, I swapped cars for a test drive with my buddy who also has a 2008 MC, and he came back compaining how bad my brakes were, and I nearly threw myself through his windshield, when I stomped on the brakes.

 

Sounds fishy. Incredible coincidence if your brakes were fine when it went in, and mushy coming out.. what are the odds that the master cylinder just happened to die simultaneously? Sounds more like the system wasn't bled properly, despite their 2nd effort.

 

That was my thoughts as well, but after the 3rd bleeding either something else is wrong, or they are not bleeding properly. I asked if they had a specific process for bleeding the ABS, and the response was they hook up a pressure bleeder to the master and then open up the bleed nipples at each wheel, and that's it. Is it possible with too much pressure from the bleeder, they damaged a seal?

 

I may or may not be having a similiar problem. I had the Front Brakes replaced in Oct., and thought I had felt a solid pedal right after, but now I'm having a mushy pedal, until a certain point, then it 'grabs' very hard. I also have a terrible pull to the left, I'm having to keep a steady hand on the wheel when I brake.

The pedal feel is what really concerns me, once it gets to that 'hard' brake feel, the pedal continues to travel if I push it not necessarily to the floor like you are experiencing, but close. I'll be going back in in April, but if things get worse before then I'll definitely take it in.

I just remembered that my Husband took Molly in and they did a Brake Flush on Nov. 11th. I just looked at my receipt. I'm guessing this is the cause of the problem. I'll make sure and take notes on how the brakes are feeling between now and April.

 

RJ, why are you waiting until April? If you have mushy brakes will your dealer not do something about it now?

 

Molly has been to the Dealer a total of 4 times since Oct. 19th (1.5yr Anniversary), I have to incovenience Hubby to get her there, he works a couple of miles from the Dealership and I work approx. 6 miles, but on the opposite side of the river and in Construction Nightmare. At the moment I don't think it's a safety issue so I'll wait until I can take some time off and take her in. Another reason...my Dealer is always swampped and it takes at least a couple of weeks just to get an appointment.

 

I hear you, it's a bit of a pain to have to take the car in.. Drive Safe!

 

Still waiting for the part to arrive.. I think it'll be Christmas before it get's here!

 

Sounds like its the master cylinder. My friend and I were working on his Subaru, changing his brake calipers. The brakes were fine before and when we changed them it would sink to the floor. We bled and bled and bled and still nothing. Called up a mechanic and he said sounds like the master cylinder. They changed it and everything was bake to normal =D

 

Well the master cylinder finally arrived, and I have an appointment to get it installed. Hopefully this fixes the soggy brake pedal. Will update in a few days with the results. I am tired of the pedal slowly sinking to the floor, although the car stops ok, it does not really seem to grab until the pedal is pushed down 1.5 inhces or so, so that is also what I want to get rid of.

 

Master did not fix the problem, so now have a loaner car while they hang onto mine and try to find out what the problem really is.

 

So I think the problem is now resolved.. pedal no longer goes to the floor with steady pressure, and it feels a lot firmer. The only thing I could get as to what they did was a proper bleed procedure with the car hooked up to the system to open up the ABS.. so I can only assume they were not doing it this way previously, but just forcing the fluid through the master and there was air in the ABS? They probably did not have to replace the master cylinder.It's speculation my part, but I am happy to have the brakes back to normal.

 

I had a similar problem on my Honda a few years back, after having my brake fluid flushed. When I was at a stop light, the brake pedal would slowly sink all the way to the floor (no issues before I had this done). I took it back to the service department, and the culprit, according to them, was one of the bleeder valves was not tightened properly by the service technician. This could have been the case, but I think the procedure was not done correctly. Anyways, they rebled the brakes, and the problem went away. Coincidentally, before they rebled the brakes they tried to blame it on the master cylinder.