Brake Pedal Travels to Floor

[Owl]

Hope someone can help me with a difficult brake problem. It started when I was turning around a couple weeks ago and went over a little bump and the ABS kicked in very rapidly. After about 2 or 3 seconds of that the brake pedal was engaging lower on the car. Everything else was ok, stopped fine and all. Fluid level was good so I took it to my local garage. First they said it was the rear brakes becasue one caliper was seized. $800 later and all new brakes in the back (front were good) the problem was still there. The pedal was low but did not go to the floor yet. Mechanic then said he checked my master cylinder and found it leaking, he said it needed to be changed and then it would be ok, problem would be solved. $500 later and problem not solved. The pedal will now go all the way to the floor on stopping at least 50% of the time. It still engages lower than it should. My question is what else could it be, there are no leaks and all brakes are good or new. The only thing I can think of is that the master cylinder is bad or its that ABS. Please help.
Thanks.

[peterm15]

Find a new mechanic. Hes ripping you off. $800 for rear brakes only is obsurde.

Sounds like your brakes just need to be properly bled.

[Kiyomi]

change mechanic asap. you are definitely getting ripped off and possibly sabotaged.
you spent $1300 and nothing is fixed.

[XTOTHEL]

Lamb to the slaughter.

[silverstarmazda]

air might be trapped in the abs module which is a biiiiiiitch to get out...

[Booter22]

sounds like its the module to me. wouldnt be the first one i have seen a shop replace a master cylinder in mistake of the module failing. mind you.. its the cheaper option for the master as the module is some more.. heavy $$. but i would for sure ask for a refund thus far. as nothing done has fixed your inital issue. which gives you the $ to put towards the module replacement and then for it to be sent to the dealer for re programming.

[Owl]

As an update, the garage bled the brakes and checked everything else out and its all ok. Brake pedal still goes to the floor (30% of the time). The only option left the mechanic said is that the ABS pump is leaking because the fluid is going somewhere and there is no leaks. I agree with that diagnosis and in a couple of weeks we will change it out with a used ABS unit with pump ($160.00 at wreckers). I will let you know the outcome after its changed on Dec. 18. It better work or I'm selling the car!!

[peterm15]

New mechanic?

[Owl]

Update:

ABS module and pump replaced. Brake pedal still goes to the floor. We are all very disappointed and perplexed. Tomorrow we will replace the new master cylinder in case the one put in is faulty for some reason. After that I don't know what to do. The car has been bled and bled. All brakes are good or new, master cylinder replaced and ABS pump and module replaced. All has been bled properly. I will update tomorrow on the second new master cylinder.

Any constructive and not critical comments are much appreciated.
Thank you.

[XTOTHEL]

You should take pictures of the pedal fully down and fully back to the resting state. Then maybe ask other members to reference it to their own cars.

[silverstarmazda]

look behind the brake pedal. in rare cases the seal is busted and it actually leaks in the cabin.

[Owl]

Final Update. "Fixed"
Changed out the master cylinder again and now it works perfectly. First mc was bad (all NAPA parts). My wife told me it was that from the start (should have listened to her...rule #1).
Thanks for all your comments and help, I just wanted to give final update because so many here don't and we never know the end result.
Great site!

[TheMAN]

perhaps that's all it was the whole time!
I don't like to buy reman master cylinders or ones from parts stores... I prefer to buy OEM brands such as Tokico and Exedy

[Pokaroo Kris]

Glad i ran into this thread. I've had the same problem. My pedal has been going almost all the way down. General consensus says it's just a matter of bleeding them.

[jay93]

It's great to know your brake problem has been fixed though mechanic really robbed you during your first two visits

[Lmmorden]

Glad i ran into this thread. I've had the same problem. My pedal has been going almost all the way down. General consensus says it's just a matter of bleeding them.

I'd be asking where the fluid went or air came from to create this problem in the first place..
Edit: and reading the entire thread

[Pokaroo Kris]

I'd be asking where the fluid went or air came from to create this problem in the first place..
Edit: and reading the entire thread

Good point