Spongy brakes after pad change

[danlat1415]

Hi I've just had my front brake pads changed and i know they take time to bed in, but i just wanted to check what is normal.

The brakes feel softer and less responsive, takes longer to stop. I think that's normal until they bed in.

 

What I'm slightly concerned with is when i press the brake pedal, the car slows down and stops, brake pedal about half way down, but if i keep pressure on he pedal it carries on going down slowly and finally reaches the floor....

Is this normal? I've not noticed it before. Didn't know if it was Fords weird brake setup or hill assist etc.. happens on flat roads at normal traffic lights.

 

Only had them changed an hour ago so will see how it goes and if it improves. If not will go back to the garage.

[danlat1415]

Went back to garage an a brake hose had come loose on calliper (young trainee boys changing brake pad...) 

All sorted and brake pedal firm again and doesn't go all way to the floor.

Good job i didn't have an accident..

[stef123]

Doesn't say much for whoever is looking after the (presumably) apprentice lad. Glad to hear you're sorted now. 

[E TEA 66]

Ouch! that could of been a serious accident so i'm just glad you saw sense Dan and took the car back and it's never a good idea to leave a trainee unsupervised as an unsafe car is very dangerous indeed .

Brake pads take between 150 to 200 miles to bed in depending on wether you do alot of motorway driving or spend alot of time in busy traffic on  A & B roads and it's always advised to avoid sharp braking for the 1st 100 miles to allow the new pads to wear in evenly ..

[Kawasaki kid]

Had an apprentice moment the other week - took both cars into National Tyres for tracking checks /  alignments and the apprentice checked the tyre pressures while I paid so I told him mine were 32 all around and checked them myself when I got home they were correct. Then I took the wife's car and after the alignment he did the pressures but I didn't tell him the pressures so when I got the car home I didn't have time to check them. A few days later had to use the car to go down the motorway it drove weird compered to normal so when I returned home I checked the pressures and found instead of 26/31 they were 38/40 so after I corrected then I went round to the depot and told them in no uncertain terms what I thought of them Letting the apprentice loose and pointed out to the lad the sticker in the door jam and said if not sure every car has has one. When I got home told the wife and she said she was surprised that I never checked them as she knows how anial I am about tyres and pressures as I also own motorbikes.

[jmurray01]

3 hours ago, danlat1415 said:

Went back to garage an a brake hose had come loose on calliper (young trainee boys changing brake pad...) 

All sorted and brake pedal firm again and doesn't go all way to the floor.

Good job i didn't have an accident..

It's a very good job!!  If you had gone straight from the garage to a motorway and then had to brake heavily, it could have been fatal.

That garage would never get my business again.

[Ian Lanc]

''Brake hose come loose''.....So no reason why a brake hose would have been tampered with, unless they mean the brake bleed nipple ? 

So fluid had leaked out because the hose or bleed nipple was not fully tightened up ? What a shoddy & dangerous attempt at fixing brakes!

Anyway with the fluid leaking out have you checked the brake fluid level ?  Check it 

Have you checked to see if brake fluid is all over the inside of the wheel and tyre ? Clean the wheel/s tyre/s thoroughly 

Just to be on the safe side I'd go over the brakes to ensure everything looks correct and also check road wheel bolts for tightness 

[jbell]

My current car had pads done before i picked it up.  Garage that did it didn't bleed the system properly, couple of weeks later the reservoir was over full ( to the point where some dripped out when cap was unscrewed) and brakes felt generally off - removing some brake fluid sorted it out.  

Worth giving your levels a double check I'd say. 

[Kawasaki kid]

If you have had brake fluid over the tyre keep an eye on the inner sidewall as rubber and brake fluid do not mix well and it could deform the sidewall .

[Leo999]

I have just changed my break pads and the pedal sinks and goes firm on the second push. Does this mean they need a blead or to be worn in. Thanks 

[TomsFocus]

21 minutes ago, Leo999 said:

I have just changed my break pads and the pedal sinks and goes firm on the second push. Does this mean they need a blead or to be worn in. Thanks 

Did you open the bleed nipples?  It takes a few pedal presses initially to set the pads in the right place but after that it should be solid every time.