Pedal Feel

Excessive Pedal Travel

Air in the brake system.

Bleed the brake system.

Front or rear brakes not adjusting to lining wear.

Check the adjuster mechanism and replace or repair as needed.

Excessive brake system heat.

Refer to "Brakes Drag."

Excessive wheel bearing end play.

Replace the wheel bearing.

Excessive wheel hub runout.

Replace the wheel hub.

Caliper not sliding freely.

Repair or replace the caliper/mounting pins.

Leaking wheel cylinder or caliper piston seal.

Replace the wheel cylinder or overhaul caliper.

Leak at the brake pipe or hose connections.

Tighten the connection. Replace the pipe or hose.

Internal master cylinder seal leak.

Overhaul or replace the master cylinder.

Uneven lining wear or damaged lining.

Replace the linings.

Rotor or drum out of specification, e.g. rotor thickness variation, lateral runout, etc.

Refinish or replace the rotor or drum.

Improper vacuum booster to master cylinder pushrod length.

Adjust the pushrod length.

Pedal Creeps Down

Internal master cylinder seal leak or damaged master cylinder bore.

Replace the master cylinder.

Leaking wheel cylinder or caliper piston seal.

Replace the wheel cylinder or overhaul caliper.

Leak at the brake pipe or hose connections.

Tighten the connection. Replace the pipe or hose.

Pedal Pulses

Excessive brake system heat.

Refer to "Brakes Drag."

Rotor or drum out of specifications, e.g. lateral runout, parallelism, out of round, etc.

Replace or refinish the rotor or drum.

Excessive front hub lateral runout.

Replace the front hub.

Worn out linings or linings wearing unevenly.

Replace the linings.

Wheel bearings worn.

Replace the wheel bearing.

Damaged suspension, knuckle or axle.

Replace the damaged parts.

Excessive Pedal Effort

Low vacuum to booster.

Check and repair the engine vacuum, booster check valve or hose.

Leaking or damaged vacuum booster, e.g. cut diaphragm, cracked power piston, restricted air passages.

Replace the booster.

Worn out brake linings, glazed.

Replace the linings.

Damage to the braking surface of the rotor or drum.

Replace the rotor or drum.

Crimped brake pipe or collapsed brake hose.

Replace the pipe or hose.

Noise

Squeal/Scrape While Not Braking

Worn linings, sensor scraping on rotor, normal.

Replace the linings.

Loose drum brake component, spring, lever, adjuster, etc.

Check the drum brake and repair.

Loose front suspension attachments.

Tighten the attachments or replace.

Caliper interference with the rotor.

Check the clearance and repair.

Bent or cracked suspension parts.

Replace the components.

Drum or rotor contacting the backing plate or dust shield.

Check the clearance and repair.

Squeal/Scrape While Braking

Worn linings, sensor scraping on the rotor, normal.

Replace the linings.

Linings worn out, shoe contacting the drum or rotor.

Replace the linings.

Lack of lubrication on the backing plate or on the adjuster screw.

Lubricate the backing plate or the adjuster screw.

Lack of lubrication on caliper sliding surfaces.

Lubricate.

Lack of lubrication on brake pedal attachments.

Lubricate.

Damage to the insulator between the disc brake shoe and the caliper piston.

Replace the shoe and the linings as needed.

Hot spots or worn surface on the drum or rotor.

Replace the rotor or drum.

Weak hold down springs or worn drum brake components.

Replace the drum brake springs.

Chatters/Rattles

Hot spots or worn surface on the drum or rotor.

Replace the drum or rotor.

Rotor or drum out of specifications, e.g. lateral runout, parallelism, out of round, etc.

Replace or refinish the rotor or drum.

Lining contaminated with foreign substances.

Replace the linings.

Linings wearing unevenly.

Replace the linings.

Bent or loose brake shoes.

Replace the shoes and linings.

Weak or broken retractor springs.

Replace the drum brake springs.

Loose brake cable, brake pipe, or ABS wiring.

Check the cable or pipe connection and tighten or replace as needed.

Groans (at Near Stop)

Linings worn out.

Replace the linings.

Incorrect or damaged lining material.

Replace the linings.

Hot spots or worn surface on the drum or rotor.

Replace the drum or rotor.

Cracked or bent knuckle or suspension parts.

Replace the suspension component.

Loose suspension.

Tighten the suspension or replace.

Performance

Brake Pull Left/Right

Caliper pistons sticking.

Overhaul the caliper and replace the piston.

Loose wheel bearings or suspension attachments.

Replace the wheel bearings or tighten the suspension attachments.

Worn suspension components.

Replace the suspension components.

Loose steering or steering gear.

Repair or replace the steering components.

Uneven wear on the tires, tires not properly inflated or incorrect tires for the vehicle.

Check the tires and replace if necessary.

Uneven worn linings.

Replace the linings.

Front suspension out of alignment.

Align the suspension.

Restricted brake pipe or hose.

Replace the pipe or hose.

Brakes Grab

Contaminated brake linings.

Replace the linings.

Damage to braking surface of the rotors or drums.

Replace the rotors or drums.

Rotor or drum out of specifications, e.g. lateral runout, parallelism, out of round, etc.

Replace or refinish the rotor or drum.

Damaged vacuum booster.

Replace the booster.

Brakes Drag

Caliper pistons stuck.

Overhaul the caliper and replace the piston.

Corroded caliper bolts. Caliper will not retract.

Replace the bolts and the bolt boots.

Compensating port or bypass hole in the master cylinder clogged.

Replace the master cylinder.

Worn or damaged drum brake return springs.

Replace the drum brake springs.

Contaminated or improper brake fluid, rubber seals are swollen.

Flush the brake system and replace all the rubber parts including hoses.

Parking brake not releasing.

Check the parking brake adjustment and cables.

Self-adjusters over adjusting for lining wear.

Overhaul or replace the adjusters.

Improper vacuum booster push rod length.

Adjust the push rod length.

Brake Action Uneven

(Front - Rear)

Uneven wear on the tires, tires improperly inflated or incorrect tires installed.

Check the tires and replace if needed.

Proportioning valve not functioning properly.

Replace the proportioning valve.

Linings wearing unevenly front to rear.

Replace the linings.

Fluid leak in system.

Check the system for leaks and repair or replace the components.

Hot spots or worn surface on the drum or rotor.

Replace the drum or rotor.

Brakes Slow to Release

Caliper piston sticking.

Overhaul the caliper and replace the piston.

Corroded caliper bolts. Caliper will not retract.

Replace the bolts and the bolt boots.

Contaminated or improper brake fluid, rubber seals are swollen.

Flush the brake system and replace all the rubber parts including hoses.

Worn caliper piston seals.

Overhaul the calipers.

Worn or damaged drum brake return springs.

Replace the drum brake springs.

Worn or damaged master cylinder seals.

Replace the master cylinder.

Damage to the mechanical action of the brake pedal.

Check the pedal and repair or replace.

Slow Response/Excessive Stopping Distance

Improper rotor surface finish.

Refinish or replace the rotor.

Linings not adjusting properly, damaged self-adjusters or worn piston seal.

Overhaul drum brake or caliper.

Caliper pistons sticking.

Overhaul the caliper and replace the piston.

Worn or glazed linings.

Replace the linings.

Proportioning valve not functioning properly.

Replace the proportioning valve.

Odor

Linings overheated.

Refer to "Brakes Drag."

Lining contaminated with a foreign substances.

Replace the lining.

Poor Fuel Economy

Linings over-heated.

Refer to "Brakes Drag."

Telltale Lamps

Red Brake Warning Lamp On

Park brake on.

Release the park brake.

Low brake fluid level in master cylinder, check for leaks.

Fill the reservoir. Check for leaks.

Improperly adjusted park brake switch.

Check the park brake switch connection and the adjustment.

Damaged park brake switch or switch circuit.

Replace the switch or repair the circuit.

Damaged low brake fluid switch or switch circuit.

Replace the switch or repair the circuit.

ABS System.

Refer to ABS diagnosis.

Amber (ABS) Telltale Lamp On

ABS System.

Refer to ABS diagnosis.

Parking Brake

Does Not Hold

Park brake not adjusted properly.

Adjust the park brake.

Brakes not adjusting properly.

Check the brake adjusters and repair or replace as needed.

Linings worn out.

Replace the linings.

Linings contaminated with foreign material.

Replace the linings.

Cable disconnected from lever.

Connect the cable.

Lever bent or loose.

Replace the lever.

Does Not Release

Park brake cables binding.

Check the cable and cable attachments.

Release lever broken or binding.

Replace the park brake lever.

Parking Brake Lever Hard to Apply

Lack of lubrication on the apply mechanism.

Lubricate the apply mechanism.

Park brake cables binding.

Check the cables and cable attachments.