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Nelson

Journey Member
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Nelson last won the day on August 13 2019

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About Nelson

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  • Region
    U.S. Northeast
  • Journey's Year
    2010
  1. Did you read the first page of this thread? I explained every step of the problems the car had and how I fixed it. Long story short, one of the rear calipers was not working, the piston was not squeezing the brake pad against the rotor. I don’t know what caused it to fail or how it caused a low pedal but it was the problem and a new caliper fixed it. The car is still driving around today with a good firm brake pedal.
  2. I’m pretty sure that movement of the master cylinder is normal, I noticed the same thing on the car I was working on. Just make sure the two nuts are tight that hold the master to the brake booster. The sinking brake pedal is not normal or safe in any way so inspect your rear calipers carefully, that’s most likely where the problem is. If your unsure just replace them both and bleed the lines again. That’s what fixed the problem for me so it’s worth a shot especially if the dealer is giving you the runaround.
  3. If the problem started right after having the rear brakes worked on then the problem is most likely with the rear brakes unless something else happened coincidently (unlikely but possible). I would unbolt one of the rear calipers and have a helper push the pedal a few times while you watch the piston, it should slowly move outward with each pump of the pedal. Check them both one at a time. I’d also inspect all the rubber caliper hoses for bulging with the engine running and a helper holding the brake pedal down. You could also take a piece of brake line and loop the lines at the master cylinder (I mentioned this in my first post in this thread), if the pedal feels good then you know the master cylinder is good. It’s likely the problem is with the rear calipers. I’m not a fan of this style where the pistons screws in and out, I’ve seen many of them seize up during normal brake service like changing pads, on many cars not just Dodge Journeys. Let us know what you find.
  4. Hey buddy just wanted to let you know I fixed the Journey today. Turns out the problem was the passenger side rear caliper. I took the wheel off and noticed a gap between the piston and inner brake pad suggesting that the piston was stuck and not applying the brakes on that corner. I installed a new caliper, bled the brakes and now have a good firm pedal, stops like brand new. Definitely a learning experience for me. Would never have guessed a stuck caliper could cause a soft pedal. A good way to find if you have the same problem would be to unbolt one caliper at a time and have a helper push the brake pedal and see if the piston moves. I’ve used this method in the past to find bad calipers but didn’t bother on this car because I assumed it couldn’t be the problem. Live and learn. Good luck with your car!
  5. Nope, sorry. I reinstalled the original abs unit, ran the pump, bled all four wheels multiple times all with no improvement from how it was when the car was brought to me. There’s no warning lights on the dash except the tire pressure indicator light and I’ve checked the tire pressures, they are fine. Speedometer is working again with the original abs unit installed. I don’t think the abs is to blame since it works fine and the pedal firms up when the pump runs. I couldn’t waste any more time on it so they are taking it to a shop. If the shop fixes it I’ll post what they found.
  6. My buddy got an abs unit from a yard and I installed it a few hours ago. Now all the brake warning lights and check engine light are on, brakes are worse than before and the speedometer does not work. Went and looked at the receipt and they sold us one from a 2013 Journey which according to Rock Autos parts interchange is not the same part number. They list 2010-12 as interchangeable. Visually the parts are the same and everything hooked up fine. I’m going to look for an abs unit off a 2010-12 model and try that I suppose. Does the module need programmed? I don’t think so but it’s possible. Any and all input y’all on the forum can give me would be awesome! Thanks.
  7. Bump. Might be getting an ABS unit from a salvage yard to try. I’m out of ideas otherwise.
  8. Thanks for your input. The front brake hoses are new. Rear hoses visually look good and the brakes do not drag (car rolls free in neutral and while idling in gear with foot off the brake pedal) so I don’t suspect a hose issue. This car is actually from California and rust free. I inspected the brake lines from front to back and they look brand new, no leaks or corrosion. I drove the car on a long gravel/dirt road today and the abs works great when panic stopping. Actually the pedal is nice and firm when the abs pump kicks on but then goes soft again when it shuts off and returns to normal braking. I’m stumped and open to all suggestions anyone has.
  9. I’m working on a friends 2010 Dodge Journey 3.5 v6 2wd that has a soft brake pedal when running but firms up when Engine is off. While driving, The pedal will go nearly to the floor before the brakes grab but still stops good. There are no visible leaks anywhere, lines and calipers are all dry. Car has new pads front and rear, new front brake caliper hoses, new master cylinder and new booster. All four corners were bled with a pressure bleeder, went for a drive and made a few panic stops on gravel to engage the abs, then bled the brakes again. All of this and still no change in the pedal feel. What I’ve done is looped the lines at the master cylinder with a spare piece of brake line, started the car and had a good firm pedal. So the new master cylinder is good and holding pressure. Then I removed the loop, hooked the lines back up and clamped the rubber hoses at all four wheels and had a soft pedal again. This leads me to believe that the abs hydraulic unit is bad as it’s the only thing between the master cylinder and hoses. Can anyone confirm my diagnosis or offer any more advice? Anyone changed the abs unit before and have any tips? Thanks in advance for any help you can offer!
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