ABS Brake problems, help!

**MrMahone** · 03-20-2012, 09:22 AM

Hello everyone! I have a 2000 Trans Am with the stock braking system, wheels, stock style rotors, no performance upgrades to the braking system at all. A while back I got the ABS Inop, TCS off, Brake lights on the dash, but the car stopped fine so I didn't think much of it. Well, it has been parked for sometime now, and the left front caliper developed a leak, so I replaced it along with the hyrdraulic hose, and bled the system numerous times. The pedal is still so soft that it goes all the way to the floor, and the left front caliper sticks after pressing the brake pedal (not all the way, but it is hanging up, and this is the second caliper). I'm running out of ideas on what can be causing this, and would love to get the car on the road again. I do not have a scanner for ABS codes though. I hear the EBCM is a possible problem? Perhaps the master cylinder? It's weird that only one wheel hangs up. Any help would be appreciated, thank you!!!

**MrMahone** · 03-21-2012, 05:03 AM

No ideas? I have read that perhaps activating the ABS module then re-bleeding may help, maybe air got in the ABS block when the caliper was leaking and ran the fluid down too low?

**chris1974** · 03-21-2012, 05:44 AM

Did you replace or oil the pins? If you replaced the calipers and you know they are good, and they are still hanging up, that would be what I would think the problem is. The pins get rusted over time. Mine were hanging up after I replaced pads/rotors....I took them out and hit them with a wire wheel and greased them up real good...no more problem.
As far as the pedal being soft...there must still be air in the system.

**pajeff02** · 03-21-2012, 06:24 AM

I agree -- anytime you service the brakes, the pins need to be cleaned and lubricated with synthetic caliper grease. As for the soft pedal, it is either air in the system or you have a failed master cylinder. Only other option would be a rubber brake line that is ballooning when you press the pedal. Are you using a MityVac or are you pumping the brakes to bleed them? If it is a typical "parts store caliper" it may have issues right out of the box if it was not properly rebuilt.

**MrMahone** · 03-21-2012, 07:18 AM

Thanks! Yes, the pins are clean, good, and lubricated. They slide freely. This is the second caliper on the same side. I swapped out the first one with the lifetime warranty because I thought it was hanging up to. The brake line is new as well. I am using the MityVac now, prior to that I was using my wife to pump the brakes while I bled. The original caliper leaked and the system went low on fluid, so perhaps air got into the ABS block? Will air in the ABS block cause the caliper to hang up and the ABS

**cammed goat** · 03-21-2012, 08:38 AM

You could have air trapped in the ABS block. There have been similar situations posted on here before. As for the caliper, yes, they can be rebuilt but be faulty as well.

**cammed goat** · 03-21-2012, 08:40 AM

You could try gravity bleeding the system if you haven't already.

**MrMahone** · 03-21-2012, 11:12 AM

Thanks! I read on the forum that you can activate the ABS block by rotating the wheels, or driving the car and activating the ABS brakes to open the solenoids and push the air out, then re-bleed the system again. I think I'll try that and see what becomes of it. It feels like air in the system, but I'm just not sure if that would cause the caliper to stick and the dash lights to come on.