brakes

I own a 1999 Grand Am GT and I just had the front rotors and pads put on the front. Now my brake pedal seems real mushy, In other words, I have alot more pedal than I used to. And I also notice the pedal seems to vibrate (pulsate) when I come to a stop (around 25-30 mph)
If I'm at a stand still and I push the pedal almost all the way to the floor, I can here a creeking in the front calipers.

I sent it back to the dealer, they said the driver side rotor was warped from the factory, so they replaced it. But it seems like it's doing it all over again. They also told me, the pads they put on will take time to wear off a slight film that is on the pad itself, then my "mushy pedal" will go away.

I can tell something was wrong with the driver side brakes because that side was showing signs of water rust and the passenger side was shiny new.

Any possible solutions?

1. brake lanes need bled?
2. Maybe the back rotors and pads need replaced? (could they cause the loss of pedal and the pulsating??)

#1 brings me to my next question...could the brake lanes cause an air pocket without anyone messing with the lines? Do air in the lines happen by itself?

A few mechanics have told me, my brake pedal issue sounds like the lines need bled or the type of pads that have been placed on my vehicle.

Thanks for the help!!
A quick reply would be appreciated

Gary

i would bleed the break system. some air might have gotten into the system when they took off the brake fluid cover to check the level of fluid. you use more of your front breaks when stopping so for you to feel a puslation from back breaks are really low. i think the dealer needs to cut that rotor down even if its a new one. that is waht i use to do when i did breaks.

the comment about the dealer replaced the driver side rotor cause it was warped. it sounds to me that the pads never got replaced, therefore the mechanic said it will take time for the pads to smooth out. who should replace the pads when you do rotors.

hope this helpd some what

Like jkp says, bleed the system, remember there is a proportioning valve, so the brakes have to be bled in a certain order.

http://www.autozone.com/servlet/UiBroker?ForwardPage=/az/cds/en_us/0900823d/80/09/e6/12/0900823d8009e612.jsp

Essentially the same for the '99's

Wouldn't it be better just to replace the back rotors and pads so they are true with the front?

The dealership replaced the defective rotor within 2 days of service...
would that warp the pads in that small amount of time?

another thing to consider. my back rotors are rusty around the trim of the rotor, but there is shiny part where the brake pads are pressed against the rotor. and on the driver side, in the middle of the shiny part of the rotor is a rusty ring......right in the center of the rotor.

and out of all of this mess would cause loss of brake pedal?

i would bleed the break system. some air might have gotten into the system when they took off the brake fluid cover to check the level of fluid. you use more of your front breaks when stopping so for you to feel a puslation from back breaks are really low. i think the dealer needs to cut that rotor down even if its a new one. that is waht i use to do when i did breaks.

the comment about the dealer replaced the driver side rotor cause it was warped. it sounds to me that the pads never got replaced, therefore the mechanic said it will take time for the pads to smooth out. who should replace the pads when you do rotors.

hope this helpd some what

The dealership said they never messed with the brake line system.

Like jkp says, bleed the system, remember there is a proportioning valve, so the brakes have to be bled in a certain order.

my question is have the back breaks ever been replaced? seeing its a 99 you might want to just for preventive maintain cause they are the origanl ones. a thought to really keep in mind and this goes for everyone, if you have rear disk breaks on any car you want to set your parking break at least once a day like at night when your not use the car. the reason for this is those back calipers are knowen to seize up and when you go and replace the pads you cannot press the piston in. the are expensive to replace. i know on most rear disk brakes the pistion actually spins out, so to push them in you need to turn the pistion.

i take it the car is still under warrent? i am asking cause you might want to take the car some were else for a second opinion about the plusing in your pedal. i still say bleed the system.

The rear brakes/rotors have been replaced once since I've owned the car in 2002. The rotors look rusty around the ends. Could the rear rotors and pads cause the brake pedal to pulsate and could they be a result of my loss of pedal? The dealership swears they never touched the brake lining system. so there should be no air pocket in the brake lines.

Tell me if this a fair price...
(129.00 for front rotors/pads)
(177.00 for rear rotors and pads) both prices include labor.


my question is have the back breaks ever been replaced? seeing its a 99 you might want to just for preventive maintain cause they are the origanl ones. a thought to really keep in mind and this goes for everyone, if you have rear disk breaks on any car you want to set your parking break at least once a day like at night when your not use the car. the reason for this is those back calipers are knowen to seize up and when you go and replace the pads you cannot press the piston in. the are expensive to replace. i know on most rear disk brakes the pistion actually spins out, so to push them in you need to turn the pistion.

i take it the car is still under warrent? i am asking cause you might want to take the car some were else for a second opinion about the plusing in your pedal. i still say bleed the system.

the prices you gave with labor are pretty good. i am really suprised at those prices. i have seen higher ones. the rear rotors could be the cause for pulsating but i would get a second opinion on the fronts first and see if the rotors are out of round or have hot spots on them. as for the loss of pedal i still say bleed the fronts. you never had the loss of pedal before you got your fronts done. The rear brakes/rotors have been replaced once since I've owned the car in 2002. The rotors look rusty around the ends. Could the rear rotors and pads cause the brake pedal to pulsate and could they be a result of my loss of pedal? The dealership swears they never touched the brake lining system. so there should be no air pocket in the brake lines.

Tell me if this a fair price...
(129.00 for front rotors/pads)
(177.00 for rear rotors and pads) both prices include labor.

Well, I will replace the rear rotors and pads to see if that helps.

If I have the car turned off and I press the brake pedal, it becomes hard until I can't press it any more. The interesting thing is... before he changed that warped rotor on the driver side... I could press on the brakes while the car was off all day long and the pedal still would not build pressure in the lines. Now ever since he changed that faulty rotor..it seems to build up pressure (with the car off) what would change that?

the prices you gave with labor are pretty good. i am really suprised at those prices. i have seen higher ones. the rear rotors could be the cause for pulsating but i would get a second opinion on the fronts first and see if the rotors are out of round or have hot spots on them. as for the loss of pedal i still say bleed the fronts. you never had the loss of pedal before you got your fronts done.

That is likely because the pads are finally contacting the rotor with minimal piston travel

He replaced the rear rotors and pads and the pulsating has gone away.
now the front driver side caliper is creeking and I have a soft pedal.

I do remember something about a recall a couple of years ago concerning the 99 and 00 gt's front brakes, specifically warped rotors from the lug nuts being put on too tight, and i know they had a bad batch of rotors come out of the factory, got a pair of them when helping a friend with his 99. the rotors on my 95 got messed up the same way too. as for the mushy pedal, it might be a bad seal in the caliper. are you loosing any brake fluid?

it could also be one of the mounting pins is bound up in the caliper, something simple and quick to fix....

BTW, rust on the outside edges of the rotors is expected. That is where the pads do not contact the rotor surface, and that is also the most exposed area of the rotor, it normal.

I never had any problems with the brakes on my 99 until now. He greased the pins in the calipers, but it's still making the noticable creeking... it's so loud that people on the side walk are looking at my front tires. He told me to give it a couple of days...I don't buy it. I think something is wrong.

I'm not losing any brake fluid, this is making me wonder if my brake lines need bled? I've been checking my fluid level to make sure I don't have a leak, but it's been full to the top.

I think the only thing left is to bleed the lines and like skibum said... have the mounting pins in the calipers checked.

I mean what in the heck else could it be???

creeking on the front - mounting pins in the calipers...
loss of pedal, mushy, soft pedal - bleed the lines













I do remember something about a recall a couple of years ago concerning the 99 and 00 gt's front brakes, specifically warped rotors from the lug nuts being put on too tight, and i know they had a bad batch of rotors come out of the factory, got a pair of them when helping a friend with his 99. the rotors on my 95 got messed up the same way too. as for the mushy pedal, it might be a bad seal in the caliper. are you loosing any brake fluid?

I think i know what you mean about the creaking noise, and it IS embarassing as hell, lol. I changed my front pads myself awhile back.......twice.....and then I just took it to the dealer for the next time since I had issues with my blower motor(resistor) and hazard/turn flasher unit. when i got my car back from the dealer, i noticed that loud sound when pressing on the brakes. I could be standing still, and press up and down on the brake pedal....and it would still make that sound. I figured that maybe there wasn't enough squeal glue on the pad's backing plates, or maybe the anti-squeal shims, or anti-rattle springs were defective. It was summertime when this first occurred and lasted til about fall. All of a sudden, my brakes didn't make the noise anymore when the temps dropped. I have yet to hear mine "cry" again this year.....by the way, I have a 2000 GA Gt with 59,000 miles. you're not the only one man.... And about the pulsating....I bought my car used with only 16,000 miles on it(2 years old). After driving on the highway a few times, I noticed the pulsating at high speeds....especially through the pedal and it was pretty scary. i had to pump my brakes at times cuz if i left my foot down for a constant slow, my pads would heat up and didn't provide the proper stopping power.....once again, scary on the highway. the first time I changed my pads, myself, I pulled of the old front rotors and put brand new ones on. I havn't had a problem since then really. also, if your brakes are creaking when your moving and have the brakes applied, is it possible that the shop just machined your old rotors.....and didn't clean off the metal filings/dust properly and these are now stuck in the pads and creating the squeal? just a thought. hope this helps.

PROBLEM WAS SOLVED. MY FRIEND TOOK APART OF CALIPERS AND NOTICED THE BRAKE PADS WERE ON BACKWARDS. THE INNERBOARD PADS WERE ON THE OUTSIDE AND VISE VERSA.

THAT TOOK AWAY MY SOFT PEDAL AND THE CLICKING NOISE.
THANK GOD!






OTE=shyguy5885]I think i know what you mean about the creaking noise, and it IS embarassing as hell, lol. I changed my front pads myself awhile back.......twice.....and then I just took it to the dealer for the next time since I had issues with my blower motor(resistor) and hazard/turn flasher unit. when i got my car back from the dealer, i noticed that loud sound when pressing on the brakes. I could be standing still, and press up and down on the brake pedal....and it would still make that sound. I figured that maybe there wasn't enough squeal glue on the pad's backing plates, or maybe the anti-squeal shims, or anti-rattle springs were defective. It was summertime when this first occurred and lasted til about fall. All of a sudden, my brakes didn't make the noise anymore when the temps dropped. I have yet to hear mine "cry" again this year.....by the way, I have a 2000 GA Gt with 59,000 miles. you're not the only one man.... And about the pulsating....I bought my car used with only 16,000 miles on it(2 years old). After driving on the highway a few times, I noticed the pulsating at high speeds....especially through the pedal and it was pretty scary. i had to pump my brakes at times cuz if i left my foot down for a constant slow, my pads would heat up and didn't provide the proper stopping power.....once again, scary on the highway. the first time I changed my pads, myself, I pulled of the old front rotors and put brand new ones on. I havn't had a problem since then really. also, if your brakes are creaking when your moving and have the brakes applied, is it possible that the shop just machined your old rotors.....and didn't clean off the metal filings/dust properly and these are now stuck in the pads and creating the squeal? just a thought. hope this helps.[/QUOTE]