WTF is up with my brakes?

What's up y'all- I have an odd brake problem that I hope someone can help me figure out...

1. I have a 91 accord se- When you start that car and start driving, ABS light is off. When I brake with the ABS light off, sometimes the brakes feel really mushy and the car pulls to the left (not always though).

After a minute or two, the ABS light comes on, and the brakes work fine.

This just started happening in the last month or so, and I haven't had anything done to brake system in a while that would have caused this.

2. Also, the brake warning light recently came on and stays on all the time, but I don't think this is related (doesn't that just tell you that the ebrake is on?)

Any help would be greatly appreciated- I don't feel like getting screwed by Honda service until I think I know what's going on, and I don't know jack about fixing cars...

There was something similar posted to this at:
http://www.automotiveforums.com/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=147445&highlight=abs but it wasn't the same problem exactly.

Cheers!

Sounds like you have a leak in you hydrolic system. The red warning light comes on when the e brake is on and when the fluid in the brake master is low. Time to check your brakes homey.

definantly check your brake fluid. Also if your pads are squealing, check them.

definantly check your brake fluid. Also if your pads are squealing, check them.

The pads are cool. Also, I checked the brake fluid about 2 months ago, it's in the exact same place, so probably no leak(?)...

The car is automatic, so I never use the eBrake...I thought that is the only reason the "brake" dash light comes on. This might be unrelated to the ABS crap.

The whacked out thing is that the brakes work good when the ABS warning light comes "on" and car brakes all crappy when it's off. Any other suggestions?

The ABS system is very complex and can be dangerous, so do not attempt to get into its components without an experienced ABS technician there to do the work. The easiest way to find out whats happening is to get a shop or auto parts store to read the computer code. The ABS system does a check each time you start the car, and if the light stays on or comes back on and stays on, you'll get a computer code. There are a lot of reasons for it to stay on. This code will tell you eactly what the car is seeing. There are a few other basic brake system checks you can do if you want to get into it yourself. There are two or three parts in play here. One is the master cylinder and related ABS pump, another is rotor or drums, and the other is the proportioning valve. The proportioning valve senses any imbalance in the system between the front disk brakes, and the rear drum brakes, or in the case of some EX models disk fronts to disk rears. A piston inside the valve is pushed to one side or the other if the pressure drops on either side due to a leak or excessive wear. This will cause your brake light to come on, and the low pressure side to be closed. The master cylinder of course controls delivery of the fluid from the reservours to each side of the system. In the absence of any leaks, you need to look for anything that might cause an imbalance. One of two things comes to mind. First, check your front brake pads. They should have a good bit of meat left on them, if not, its your fronts that may be causing the problem. (Rears are usually not a problem here unless you have disk rears.) In that case the front calipers are traveling a good distance to make up for any cut taken from the rotors and the wear of the pads, while the rears are engaging and causing pressure on the rear side. The imbalance would cause your proportioning valve to switch on, closing the low side and triggering your light. When this happens you will get a firm pedal as the block is effectively closing the bad side of the system leaving you with one good side that feels great. The only other thing that can cause these symptoms outside of a bad ABS component is a defective master cylinder. One side is bad and letting fluid pass by the piston causing light pressure on one side. This causes an imbalance in the system and the proportioning valve does its thing. You can check the master cylinder by pressing and holding the brake pedal down firmly. If it slowly fades, your master cylinder "may" be the trouble spot. If the pads/shoes are low, you can put new pads on easy enough, and see if that helps, but watch for rotors or drums that are excessively cut from brake jobs. Even with decent pads/shoes, if they are used in conjunction with rotors or dums that are cut exceeding the maximum allowable amount, it will also cause this situation to occur as the pads are traveling too far and causing an imbalance. I'd check the code before I spent the time and bucks on a master cylinder as it could be an ABS component and not the master cylinder itself. As mentioned above, the ABS light will light if the computer senses a problem with the brake system, which can be with the master cylinder, pump, relays, controller or a variety of other ABS system parts. The code will tell all!! Brakes 101 has now ended, quiz at 10.

Ive had more problems while Diagnosing ABS than any other car problem Ive had. You need a Scanner and an ABS scan tool. Take it to the dealer. Not an auto repair facility. The dealer has all the right software. They charge abit more but its worth it. As you can tell from the reply above there is alot involved with ABS. Dont fuck with it.
I wont buy a car with it. It is pointless for me. Some folks cant brake right and need ABS, I think it hampers braking proformance. Plus I hate fixing it.