Help with brakes? Changed front pads now brake pedal REALLY soft?

hey guys, anyone ever experience this and know why? i replaced my front brake pads about a month ago, right away the brake pedal is really 'soft' like i have to about push it to the floor to stop? about i check all lines for any sign of leak, check master cylinder, check fluid level about everyday looking for a cause??

i have never had to bleed the brakes before after a pad change, is it possible i need to bleed the brakes?

any help appreciated.

 

I would start by bleeding the brakes, It's a simple thing to do and unless the person who does it is totally incompetent it can't hurt.

 

Since the new pads are thicker, did you have to push back the caliper pistons? Did you crack open the bleeder valve and pinch the brake hose while pushign back the piston?

Check for twisted brake hoses.

 

Bleed the brakes, it's easy on Tacoma's. No need to "pump" the brakes, just have someone step on them and the ABS motor will push the fluid through quickly.

 

no i did not open the bleeder when i pushed caliper back, i never did before. did i mess up big time by not doing so?

i have checked every inch of line, no damage what so ever, are you supposed to open the valve when you compress the caliper?

 

just curious what is the ABS motor?

 

Anti-lock Braking System Motor. It pumps the brake fluid to the brakes. When someone steps on the brakes with the key on and you crack open the 8mm bleed valve at the caliper it will squirt fluid five feet and you will hear BRRRR as the pump works. You can only open the valve for a few seconds as it will quickly drain the reservoir. The motor is there to reduce the amount of leg power required to stop your truck, and to control the amount of pressure to individual tires to prevent skids.

 

i did not know that, thanks for the info bro!

 

guess i am gonna bleed them in the morning i hope it fixes the prob, i just thought it so odd for this to happen with no leaks after simple pad change. will update afterwards. thanks for the input guys.

 

Remember... two person job. You can't let your foot off of the pedal while the bleeder is open.

 

Check the line for twist (i.e. did you inadvertently rotate the caliper 360 deg when you reinstalled it?)

 

i bled the breaks and there was no change. i crawled under and checked EVERYTHING inch by inch, i found the problem, well at least i think i did and so far so good. one of the rear ABS sensors had a slight crack in the plastic, maybe dirt got in it, who knows. i had a friend with a shop put his reader on it and we went drive. that same sensor did not issue a code for a problem, but the RPMS was off from the other rear wheel. i changed it and problem seems fixed.

i know that has nothing to do with changing the front pads, i guess it was just a coincidence, thanks for all the help guys


FYI the dealer wanted almost $250 for the sensor, found it on ebay brand new for about $40-$50! i forget the exact price