Honda Element losing brake pressure

hscrugby

Well-Known Member
Joined
Mar 22, 2005
Location
Raleigh, NC
(I'm not near the car, but I just want a sounding board before my mom gets "not politely violated" by the dealer)

So here is the symptoms:
1. Push brake pedal in with car off, feels fine, has resistance.
2. Push pedal in with car running, it feels fine at first then goes mushy, and slowly pushes down to the floor.
3. When driving it home it felt fine for quick stops, but if they needed to stop (like to turn, or for red light) it would get mushy and they would need to release and push the pedal again.
4. It won't register the brake pushed to shift from park to drive. They did the bypass button to allow shifting into gear.

It started doing this when they got gas about 2 miles from home on their way down here. They turned around and mom's taking it to the dealer (maybe) tomorrow.
It's a 2003, with ~110,000 miles on it.

Other than symptom 4, I think it sounds like the master cylinder is starting to fail. Symptom 4 is what confuses me. Anyone got any other ideas? If it's just the master cylinder, she'll take it to a normal, (honest mechanic) and maybe avoid the dealer prices.
If symptom 4, throws a wrench in there, might be better with people that always work on hondas.

anyone got any suggestions?

Thanks
 
I work at a honda dealer in charlotte and we have seen a couple of these. Of course I would check the fluid first but it will either be a master cylinder or a abs modulator. With it not coming out of park I would check the adjustment on the brake light switch and see if the lights are coming on.
 
tacomatrd00 said:
I work at a honda dealer in charlotte and we have seen a couple of these. Of course I would check the fluid first but it will either be a master cylinder or a abs modulator. With it not coming out of park I would check the adjustment on the brake light switch and see if the lights are coming on.
Click to expand...
What he said
 
pipeline said:
What he said
Click to expand...
Yea, well it's at a mechanic now.
Honda dealership up there said it would be at least 2 days before they could look at it.
Found out another symptom, brake lights are not working, AND turn signals aren't working.
Stupid cars.

I'm personally leaning towards two issues, master cylinder, and something else for the rear lights, but we'll see when they get the bill.
 
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