Who's fought Silverado/ Sierra brake problems? and won?

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67Dart273

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I'm so stupid. When I tried out this (otherwise very nice low miles) 04 Sierra, it seemed OK. But this was with the OWNER on board. I was reluctant to really "ring this thing out."

First stop in the morning you can nurse the pedal down and press hard, it goes to the "stop." (Bottom of stroke whatever it's hitting, bottom of master?) The pedal, that is, feels somewhat spongy, air?

It stops "normally to moderately" but has "no more" In fact it won't even activate the ABS until fairly slow speed

A panic or loaded situation would be unacceptable. Previous owner not cooperating, claims Perfection Tire declared it "fixed." I even paid a local shop, previous GM mech who told me "these are excellent" Bullshit!!!!

Who has fought similar problems with these? It's gas, has an electric vacuum boost pump hung onto the booster. I don't have the service manual "yet" has 4w disk brakes.

So? poor boost? Air? both? ABS problem?

The internet has so many hits it's actually of little help
 
Well, and this is probably no help, BUT, going back to basics, anytime the pedal "goes down" or " is soft" is usually an indication of air in the system, or an internal leak, such as the master cylinder. I would think even with the electro snazzy vacuum pump boost thingie that if the brake boost was inadequate, you'd "still" get a very hard pedal, not "the other way", so "I" would be looking for a hydraulic issue.

Course I could be slap wrong as heck, too.
 
I'm thinking it might be multiple problems. As usualy, tho, you have to have "equipment" (electronics) to bleed the ABS brakes.
 
To be honest, I've been told that " that's the way the brakes are for those years" . I bought my first 2004 GMC 4x4 Sierra in 2008 for a work truck. I also thought the brakes were spongee on the top half. They work fine from middle pedal down, never had a problem stopping even in 2 emergency stops. Even after having the brakes redone in 2012 , the pedal was the same. Took it back to dealership(had them do the work, as I could write the repair off my books and hoped it would resolve my issue with a soft pedal.) That's when they told me"thats how they are". My 2013 GMC Sierra is "normal". Guess they resolved the issue.
 
I had this problem on my 01 gmc. Replaced the hydrobosster and hoses. Hoses will start breaking down and fluid soaks into outer jacket and the booster on mine had small leak because of O ring. So I had brake and steering issues.
 
I agree about GM brakes being normally spongy.........but if it WILL NOT activate the ABS, he's got a problem.
 
I have a good friend whose the lead tech at the local Chevy dealer. I just sent him a message on Facebook. I'll let you know if he has any ideas.
 
I not there to drive it .. but being in the car biz I will tell you that this has been a pet peeve of mine about GM vehicles for 30 yrs... Newer (2010+) arent as bad.
And the ABS on older GMs is a fairly rudimentary system... dont expect a lot. Just use our old Pump and Pray tactic... Or drive safely...lol
 
I can say that up till the 20007 new style Chevy/GM trucks that the brakes in my opinion suck. I have replaced the booster, master cylinder, brake pads and rotors, rear pads , wheel cylinders. Splitter valve and hoses on 1 truck. Never helped the stopping or the brake pedal feel. Kim
 
It really doesnt matter since Chevy drivers have no real sense of acceleration or deceleration....
lol
 
Theres chevy brakes and bad chevy brakes.
I think we are looking at bad chevy brakes.
Notorious for brake pads hanging up in the mounts where they slide back and forth. Also makes them drag, in a permanent state of fade. The guide pins also seize, creating same problem.
Pull all the wheels,remove calipers and see if pads and pins are sticky. I have had on many occasions to knock pads out with a hammer. Linings crack away from backing plate too.
Prior to bleeding brakes i push all the pistons in, then suction out brake fluid from master. Refill with fresh then pump up brakes and bleed. No fancy dance with a scan tool to bleed them
 
Yes Chevy truck brakes are real spongy.
You can push them to the floor with vehicle off by going real slow...
Without equipment, you can still do a abs bleed.
Find a gravel road and get up to about 35 mph or faster and slam on the brakes to a complete stop.
You will hear your abs pump working.
Do this at least 2 times and you will feel increased pedal height.
You could manual bleed followed by abs bleed mentioned above.
 
Here's what paul said:

"Has been adding brake fluid ? I've seen several cases where the brake booster would b full of brake fluid .... also seen the front brake lines will collapse on the inside of the rubber brake lines ."

Based on that, I would check to see if the booster has fluid in it. I told him you probably haven't had it long enough to see if it's losing fluid.
 
There are two different sets of front brakes, anything mis matched will give low pedal.
Went thru this on my neighbors truck, calipers were wrong.
The kicker is you can mis match any combination of parts, from rotors, pads to calipers.
Everything will bolt up and fit, between the two different types of brakes.
 
I'm thinking it might be multiple problems. As usualy, tho, you have to have "equipment" (electronics) to bleed the ABS brakes.
Yes these abs brakes need special equipment to bleed correctly although I've been told if you get abs to active by skidding in grass or gravel then bleed brakes again this will help had this work on our company truck 06,also had to replace the power assist on our 07 similar problem my opinion junk!
 
Del, if you really hate the way these feel maybe you can find a larger bore MC that will move more fluid.

I think they are probably just fine. Its just the way GM truck brakes feel. I have bitched every time I drive one....and being in the car biz I have driven ALOT of them. I sold GMCs for 3 years in the 90s....
 
I bought my 05 new but it is different as it is a 5.3 and drum rears. I have no trouble with mine and actually found it to need less pressure applied than my 98 Crown Vic. I am guess it is a problem on 4 wheel disc and I have not experienced this.
 
We had a fleet of 90's and early 00's gm s10 and astro's at a place I used to work.

Some were downright scary with the brakes.

With my particular s10, any time you had your foot on the brake pedal, even with just "I might need to stop" pressure, and went over any change in pavement, pothole, patch, gravel, etc, the ABS would kick on and the pedal would drop almost to the floor.

Truck was in to fleet maint six times for brakes and they never found or fixed anything, including the guy that had it before me was involved in an at fault accident attributed to the brakes!

...on the other side- it was a short cab with a 4.3, and would bark second gear!
 
Poor boost does not sound like it... the pedal will typically feel harder and not go down as far with less boost.

Being this is bad on the first stop of the day, it sounds like air getting in the system, or the calipers moving back and gradually pushing too much fluid back into the MC. I'd mark where the fluid was in the MC after sitting overnight, jump in and stop a few times running, and re-check the MC fluid level to see if it dropped a lot as a first check.

Looks like the parking brake mechanism shouldn't move the rear caliper at all. So probably not there.
 
Have an 02 2500 Silverado with a D-max. My brakes...well...suck. 0 leaks....yet get air in them on a semi regular basis. You can bleed them if you use a pressure bleeder. I bleed mine every oil change, which is about once a year now. Does your truck have vacuum power brakes or the power steering driven set up....damn...can't remember the name. I also flush the power steering fluid out once a year.....does help with the spongy brake pedal.....
 
Have an 02 2500 Silverado with a D-max. My brakes...well...suck. 0 leaks....yet get air in them on a semi regular basis. You can bleed them if you use a pressure bleeder. I bleed mine every oil change, which is about once a year now. Does your truck have vacuum power brakes or the power steering driven set up....damn...can't remember the name. I also flush the power steering fluid out once a year.....does help with the spongy brake pedal.....

Hydroboost. I think he said his has the electric vacuum assisted booster.
 
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