So I am not quite sure what would cause this and then it goes away but that is why I am asking for some help. So the brake peddle for the last couple of days I have noticed has been taking farther and farther till the truck stops. Well the other night when I got to work everything was ok, but when I left the brakes were not working unless the peddle was bottomed out, and the ABS and brake light was on on the dash. Also there has been no puddle of fluid under the truck ever. So I drove across the street and put a whole bottle of brake fluid in it. The brakes didnt work any better (yet). Well i drove it home and got it parked because I work nights and I had wait for the shop to open. When I got home I pumped on the brakes for over a minute and it did build pressure and there was no leak of fluid anywhere. Well after a couple hours of sleep I went back out and started the truck to take it to the shop, well the lights were off and the brakes were a little better. Still have to press the peddle down far to get them to go but they are firm when they do engage. Oh just in case they are newer pads on there.

 

If you had to put a whole bottle of fluid in the system then you have air in the lines so the system needs bled. Look under the truck see if you can see a shiny coating on the frame or body. Might be a bad wheel cylinder. Its definitely leaking somewhere just have to find out where.

 

my question then is if it has a leak then what where the lights on for? low fluid, cause if that was the case then shouldn't that have been fixed when I poured in more not after I woke up 6 hours later?

 

I think when the "ABS" light comes on its telling you that ABS is disabled...other then that im not sure sorry

 

You have a leak somewhere.

Could be back of master cylinder or any of the calipers/wheel cylinders. When you ran it too low(unknowingly), some air was introduced to the system. As you may, or may not know, fluids dont compress, but air does, hence the spongy pedal. So, get the tall boy of fluid, and a mighty vac or a buddy with an in-shape leg, and prepare for a hour or two of work. Just bleed the system thoroughly, and you'll be replacing the fluid as well (a good idea after 11 yrs or so anyway). Light would be low fluid, or low pressure (triggering ABS disabled).

 

I've had my lights come on after a simple brake change. I didnt even need to add fluid sometimes it just picky like that. Most of the time the light comes on because of low fluid and takes a few hrs to reset itself.

 

Does your truck ever blow white smoke? Especially after brakeing? I had a honda that had a blown master cylinder gasket so when i braked fluid got sucked into the intake through the vaccumm line. Just throwin that out there lol

 

my bet is on the wheel cylinders or the rear brake line has a recall on it for rubbing the frame and it also rusts pretty good check the float in the mc to see if it is not sticking and floating freely