My 01 Durango seems to be holding pressure resulting in dragging brakes in heavy traffic. If I crack the bleeder open it relieves the pressure and rolls fine again.

I don't know if it is the Master Cylinder or the hoses so I will replace all of it. My question is: how do I cycle the ABS after I install everything? I will bench bleed the MC before install and use a power bleeder but the Haynes manual says that the ABS must be cycled with a computer at the dealer to evacuate any air in the ABS module. Are there any home versions or ways to accomplish this without going to the dealer?

 

The dealer has to cycle the ABS controller.

Sounds like you have a sticking caliper.

IndyDurango

 

Sounds to me like a bad rubber line on one of the brakes. The pressure flows past but can't relieve when you take you foot off the petal.


Which wheel are you bleeding to get the pressure off?

 

One more possibility. I had the same thing happen on a very hot day. My "theory" on my problem, baring allot of details, was that my brake fluid boiled when it got to hot and caused my front brakes to drag. 98 Durango, bought it new and NEVER flushed the brake fluid. I think over twelve years of use, the brake fluid absorbed enough moisture to lower the boiling point and when I went down a step hill on a very hot day, I boiled the fluid.
I now flush the fluid in all rigs according to manufactures specs.

 

I don't know about the boiling point but surely oxidation of the fluid and that in itself will create all kinds of issues!

 

What can I say, just another lesson learned.

 

I might try the hoses first and see if that does it and if not, then do the MC. it isn't the calipers because they are moving freely and it doesn't pull to one side or the other. Also, my dad never changed the fluid either (I bought it from him in January).

 

Well it can boil and not saying it won't, however it will most likely will oxidize. Most people will never change out their brake fluid and because of age, temperatures (at the calibers), pressures, rubber parts, and all other braking materials the fluid gets tainted and can no longer handle the pressure load distributed, further it oxidizes and acts like sand paper to the internal components.

Anyway, I've heard of vaporization but that would only happen at the caliper but again cause the issues I'm associating with this post. So just of a more in depth post into brake fluid......so just sayin

 

If there is water in the fluid (highly probable) it would cause the fluid to compress resulting in more pedal travel. This happens when the fluid boils and water has a much lower boiling point causing brake fade to happen earlier. My pedal gets firmer and causes the brakes to lock up earlier than normal so I doubt it is the issue but it should be flushed/bled as a matter or maintenance.

 

Part of the reason [in my case] that I suspected boiling fluid was that the temperature that day was over 100. That's pretty hot for around here. It was about 4:30 PM, again, the hottest part of the day. The truck had been parked in the sun, I started it up, drove a couple of miles and crossed a bridge. When I came to a stop at the bottom of the bridge, I had to give it a little more throttle than normal to get up to speed and the transmission was not shifting into gear like it should. I let off the throttle a couple of time and felt the truck dragging. Drove a few more blocks through town playing with the brakes, trying to get them to release. After a bit, came to the conclusion there was no way I was going out on the highway with the brakes dragging like this. Pulled into a parking lot, turned the wheel and confirmed my front brakes were both hotter than hell. With no other reason, other than the heat, I surmised that I still had pressure on the calipers, but did not know why. Got a wrench out of that wonderfully little stash spot in the back and cracked the bleeder. I got a squirt of fluid out of both side like someone had their foot on the pedal. Just one squirt and they were done. Got in the truck and have had no other problems with the brakes since. If it was a mechanical problem in the calipers, it would not have been both. Problem in the master cylinder? I would have thought the back brakes would also have drug. Issue with the ABS part of the system? Maybe, I don't know it well enough, but I would bet money it had something to do with heat that day and not flushing my fluid. It may not have boiled, but something happened that applied pressure to the front calipers and would not let them return.
Hard lesson learned, flush your fluid. It's cheap and easy insurance.
Sorry if this is a little long winded, just wanted to explain my "methodology" if you will.