Hello,
Hopefully someone can figure this out. Last week after a short 20 minute highway drive I had the drivers side wheel smelling like burnt brake pads. After stopping the smell lasted for some 1.5 hrs after stopping. 4 hours later I drove home and the smell was very faint. Took off drivers wheel for inspection next day and everything looked okay except from lack of use some surface rust on the autozone rotors. Both rotors & pads were replaced last summer and only have 5000 miles on them currently (spare vehicle). I figured the drivers calipar froze and perhaps unstuck on the way home. I also noticed while troubleshooting that the brake pedal goes to the floor very easily when the car is running, it is a very hard pedal that does not go to the floor when engine is stopped. So I replaced the suspect calipar and bled brakes. Pedal still goes to the floor. Replaced front pads & rotors just to be safe and no change (didn't think there would be). Replaced master cylinder (bench bled first) and then bled RR,LR,FR and finally FL. Bled with handheld vacuum pump first and then bled the old school method with two people and no change in brake pedal - still goes to the floor and doesn't stop the vehicle out on the road as it should. Feels like no front brakes. I did notice brown fluid when bleeding but now it's clear out alll 4 bleeder screws. 117 K miles no brakes lines have ever been cracked until now (next time I'll have flushed). No signs of any leaks. Rear brakes adjusted - no change in pedal height. Not sure if I should try a brake booster or just bring to a shop and see if anything changes after they pressurize bleed them.

Ideas?

Thanks

 

Forgot to mention everything is normal on the dash board meaning no ABS lights or brake light indicators are on.

Thanks

 

Welcome!


This user did not finish updating the issue but check it out:

https://dodgeforum.com/forum/1st-gen...ke-issues.html

 

Thanks for the reply. I did read that one and many more on this board before I posted. Unfortunately that post was not updated with the fix.

I'm really stumped on this one unless perhaps the remanufactured autozone master cylinder that I installed is bad or somehow there is air still in there. We really bled them super good and no bubbles are seen coming out anymore either. My durango only has rear abs brakes.
I'm termpted to try another master and change out both front rubber hoses and rebleed. After that maybe shop time?

Thanks

 

Air may be stuck in the ABS system. ABS controller may need cycled/purged. Dealer only job.

Did you try the bleeder under the controller? Access via the drivers wheel well door.

IndyDurango

 

Interesting you mentioned that. I'm not sure if the durango uses the Kelsey-Hayes RWAL break system ? or not but interesting read at this site. Also has some test procedures determining if master cylinder or ABS is at fault for my low brake pedal.
http://www.aa1car.com/library/abs_kelseyhayes_rwal.htm.

Perhaps that's my problem either air or crud in the ABS controller. I did not try to bleed from there yet.

Thanks

 

Well still no luck. Installed a new master cylinder thinking perhaps the rebuilt one was bad and bled the brakes with two people. Good clear
fluid no bubbles all 4 wheels. Hard pedal until I start the car again. Then it drops out almost to the bottom off the floor. Never had any problems like this before. Really trying to figure this out before it has to go to the dealer where there spending hours on it too. I don't see any extra bleeders on anything.

The first place the brake lines go to from the master cylinder is a block with a sensor in the middle. I think it's a "proportioning valve" ? The front of that block (towards front bumper) has a rubber cap that can be removed. There is a brass plunger that comes out the front off the block when I step on the brake which feeds the front brakes. The rear has a rubber cap on it but no plunger comes out when I step on the brakes (that section of the block feeds the ABS module/rear brakes). Is that nornal? I also would like to know if I can cap off either the front brakes or rear brake lines with a plug and expect to get a hard pedal? My thinking is to try to break the system in half to lead me to the answer.

And to add insult to me my buddy has 1999 1500 dodge with a rear brake line leak currently. His pedal is way harder than mine even with a leak.
Nice of him to drop by.

Thanks

 

If you can't get this yourself... Dont go to the dealer. Go to a brake shop and simply have them bleed. You will save a ton of $$

IndyD

 

Just wanted to provide an update as I'm no longer working this issue.

Pedal still goes to the floor at idle but I'm now thinking this might be normal on durango's. I don't drive this vehicle that much. I have been driving this for the last few weeks and have not had any breaking issues. It does stop around town okay although I think you have to push the pedal further than normal on panic stops but on the highway the durango does stop real quick if you get on the breaks hard. I also drove a 2000 dakota with the exact same brake setup as mine and the pedal feels the same especially at idle and stops the same when breaking. We also both use the same Autozone break pads. Maybe they don't grap as well as stock. Perhaps what I thought was abnormal is normal on these durango's regarding break pedal feel especially at idle. I did need to change the master cyclinder as it started to leak in the break booster and there was a lot of black junk inside the master cylinder and resevoir. I can definitely see the need to bleed the brakes thru the years to ensure good clean fluid as this was the first time the fluid had ever been disturbed since new.

Thks

 

I wonder if the vacuum booster check valve is going out on you? It is under the master cylinder and looks like a black cap on the booster?