Honda Car Forum

Vehicle: 1994 Civic with no ABS

Problem: I am having a weird problem with my brakes. A few days ago, on a
stinking hot day, I was at a set of traffic lights, when suddenly, my brake
pedal began to slowly sink to the floor. The brakes worked fine and would
stop the car, even under severe braking. The only problem would be that the
brakes, when depressed would begin to sink to the floor after a few seconds.

They were fine in the morning and fine in the evening. The only difference
was that when I drove the car during the day, the weather was over 35
degrees C. This problem occurred twice and each time it occurred, it was on
a hot day. As the day became cooler or when the car is driven on a day
below 35 degrees C, the brakes behave normally?

Any ideas?

melbourne wrote:
>
> Vehicle: 1994 Civic with no ABS
>
> Problem: I am having a weird problem with my brakes. A few days ago, on a
> stinking hot day, I was at a set of traffic lights, when suddenly, my brake
> pedal began to slowly sink to the floor. The brakes worked fine and would
> stop the car, even under severe braking. The only problem would be that the
> brakes, when depressed would begin to sink to the floor after a few seconds.
>
> They were fine in the morning and fine in the evening. The only difference
> was that when I drove the car during the day, the weather was over 35
> degrees C. This problem occurred twice and each time it occurred, it was on
> a hot day. As the day became cooler or when the car is driven on a day
> below 35 degrees C, the brakes behave normally?
>
> Any ideas?
sounds like an old 55 chevy i had back in 1962.. it would stop all the
time, but if you kept your foot on the brake it would go to the floor,,
take foot off the brake and reapply the pedal and it would work fine..
dont remember what we did as i was a kid at the time, teenager, but it
seems that the seals in the mast. cylinder are bad???? just a guess???

"melbourne" <jjjjjj@hotmail.com> decided to join the conversation on 19
Nov 2003 with message news:I2Eub.110$rG.3515@nnrp1.ozemail.com.au:

> Any ideas?

I'm no expert, but from what I've read here and experienced, It's either
air in the brake lines, or your master cylinder needs to be replaced.. I
had the same problem a while ago on my wife's car... Unfortunately, it
was the more expensive of the two possibilities, master cylinder and two
wheel cylinders..

I think i read it here, but one way to tell if it's one or the other is
if your car is off, and you pump the brakes to where they are hard to
push... then, you hold down on the pedal (like you're stopped at a light)
and if the pedal sinks w/ the car off, it's the mast cyl.

I'm not 100% sure on that, but hopefully someone w/ some knowledge will
agree/disagree with me.

good luck.

--
-Chris

http://www.ChrisGarcia.com <- My Homepage
http://www.chrisgarcia.com/cars/ <- *NEW* My cars
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town" of the Star Wars Universe!

"melbourne" <jjjjjj@hotmail.com> quoth thusly in
news:I2Eub.110$rG.3515@nnrp1.ozemail.com.au:

> Vehicle: 1994 Civic with no ABS
>
> Problem: I am having a weird problem with my brakes. A few days ago,
> on a stinking hot day, I was at a set of traffic lights, when
> suddenly, my brake pedal began to slowly sink to the floor.


Master cylinder seals are bad. Corrosion in the M/C bore. Need a new or
reman M/C.


--
TeGGeR®

"melbourne" <jjjjjj@hotmail.com> wrote in message news:<I2Eub.110$rG.3515@nnrp1.ozemail.com.au>...
> Vehicle: 1994 Civic with no ABS
>
> Problem: I am having a weird problem with my brakes. A few days ago, on a
> stinking hot day, I was at a set of traffic lights, when suddenly, my brake
> pedal began to slowly sink to the floor. The brakes worked fine and would
> stop the car, even under severe braking. The only problem would be that the
> brakes, when depressed would begin to sink to the floor after a few seconds.
>
> They were fine in the morning and fine in the evening. The only difference
> was that when I drove the car during the day, the weather was over 35
> degrees C. This problem occurred twice and each time it occurred, it was on
> a hot day. As the day became cooler or when the car is driven on a day
> below 35 degrees C, the brakes behave normally?
>
> Any ideas?


If the pedal sinks just a little (about an inch) I would not worry
about this - many cars do that to some degree. With the engine NOT
running, pump the brake pedal until you almost cannot push it down,
then with your foot firmly on the pedal start the engine - you will
feel it sinks a little bit. If it's sort of the same you had
experienced - forget about it.

Unfortunately, the pedal sinks slowly until it almost hits the firewall.
However, as today is a cool day, the brake pedal is not sinking and the
brakes are working fine. The problem only occurs on a hot day. Bizarre!!



"Dmitry" <grinvald@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:e6d180a.0311190616.77dfc61@posting.google.com ...
> "melbourne" <jjjjjj@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:<I2Eub.110$rG.3515@nnrp1.ozemail.com.au>...
> > Vehicle: 1994 Civic with no ABS
> >
> > Problem: I am having a weird problem with my brakes. A few days ago,
on a
> > stinking hot day, I was at a set of traffic lights, when suddenly, my
brake
> > pedal began to slowly sink to the floor. The brakes worked fine and
would
> > stop the car, even under severe braking. The only problem would be that
the
> > brakes, when depressed would begin to sink to the floor after a few
seconds.
> >
> > They were fine in the morning and fine in the evening. The only
difference
> > was that when I drove the car during the day, the weather was over 35
> > degrees C. This problem occurred twice and each time it occurred, it
was on
> > a hot day. As the day became cooler or when the car is driven on a day
> > below 35 degrees C, the brakes behave normally?
> >
> > Any ideas?
>
>
> If the pedal sinks just a little (about an inch) I would not worry
> about this - many cars do that to some degree. With the engine NOT
> running, pump the brake pedal until you almost cannot push it down,
> then with your foot firmly on the pedal start the engine - you will
> feel it sinks a little bit. If it's sort of the same you had
> experienced - forget about it.

On Thu, 20 Nov 2003 12:33:25 +1100, "melbourne" <jjjjjj@hotmail.com>
wrote:

>Unfortunately, the pedal sinks slowly until it almost hits the firewall.
>However, as today is a cool day, the brake pedal is not sinking and the
>brakes are working fine. The problem only occurs on a hot day. Bizarre!!

This is very typical of ~1994+ Honda master cylinder failures. They
aren't like earlier models or other cars I have had. Those tend to
suddenly break and you know you have a problem. Newer Hondas will be
fine most of the time but occasionally in warm weather the pedal will
sink. It would probably continue like this for a long time but don't
wait to fix it.

>
>
>"Dmitry" <grinvald@hotmail.com> wrote in message
>news:e6d180a.0311190616.77dfc61@posting.google.co m...
>> "melbourne" <jjjjjj@hotmail.com> wrote in message
>news:<I2Eub.110$rG.3515@nnrp1.ozemail.com.au>.. .
>> > Vehicle: 1994 Civic with no ABS
>> >
>> > Problem: I am having a weird problem with my brakes. A few days ago,
>on a
>> > stinking hot day, I was at a set of traffic lights, when suddenly, my
>brake
>> > pedal began to slowly sink to the floor. The brakes worked fine and
>would
>> > stop the car, even under severe braking. The only problem would be that
>the
>> > brakes, when depressed would begin to sink to the floor after a few
>seconds.
>> >
>> > They were fine in the morning and fine in the evening. The only
>difference
>> > was that when I drove the car during the day, the weather was over 35
>> > degrees C. This problem occurred twice and each time it occurred, it
>was on
>> > a hot day. As the day became cooler or when the car is driven on a day
>> > below 35 degrees C, the brakes behave normally?
>> >
>> > Any ideas?
>>
>>
>> If the pedal sinks just a little (about an inch) I would not worry
>> about this - many cars do that to some degree. With the engine NOT
>> running, pump the brake pedal until you almost cannot push it down,
>> then with your foot firmly on the pedal start the engine - you will
>> feel it sinks a little bit. If it's sort of the same you had
>> experienced - forget about it.
>

Melborne,

Whatever you do (or don't do), check your brake fluid reservoir every
day, to make sure you're not losing some of that fluid somewhere (like
into one of the brake drums)

Do the 'lamp test' as well to be sure your dash lights will give you
some warning in advance.... It's in your owner's manual.

'Curly'

--------------

melbourne wrote:
> Vehicle: 1994 Civic with no ABS
>
> Problem: I am having a weird problem with my brakes. A few days ago, on a
> stinking hot day, I was at a set of traffic lights, when suddenly, my brake
> pedal began to slowly sink to the floor. The brakes worked fine and would
> stop the car, even under severe braking. The only problem would be that the
> brakes, when depressed would begin to sink to the floor after a few seconds.
>
> They were fine in the morning and fine in the evening. The only difference
> was that when I drove the car during the day, the weather was over 35
> degrees C. This problem occurred twice and each time it occurred, it was on
> a hot day. As the day became cooler or when the car is driven on a day
> below 35 degrees C, the brakes behave normally?
>
> Any ideas?
>
>
>


--

To REPLY: If there are a couple of underscores in my return address,
you must remove them to reply directly . . . . . . Thanks.

Regarding stage performances: When everyone else has finished playing,
you should not play any notes you have left over. -

Thanks Curly,

I checked each of the brake bleeding nipples but none of them have any signs
of leakage.

The brake fluid is at the MAX mark and does not seem to be losing any fluid.

How does one do a lamp test? Isn't it a matter of turning the ignition on
and checking that all the dash warning lights come on?


"'Curly Q. Links'" <motsco_@_interbaun.com> wrote in message
news:3FBC4E23.50406@_interbaun.com...
> Melborne,
>
> Whatever you do (or don't do), check your brake fluid reservoir every
> day, to make sure you're not losing some of that fluid somewhere (like
> into one of the brake drums)
>
> Do the 'lamp test' as well to be sure your dash lights will give you
> some warning in advance.... It's in your owner's manual.
>
> 'Curly'
>
> --------------
>
> melbourne wrote:
> > Vehicle: 1994 Civic with no ABS
> >
> > Problem: I am having a weird problem with my brakes. A few days ago,
on a
> > stinking hot day, I was at a set of traffic lights, when suddenly, my
brake
> > pedal began to slowly sink to the floor. The brakes worked fine and
would
> > stop the car, even under severe braking. The only problem would be that
the
> > brakes, when depressed would begin to sink to the floor after a few
seconds.
> >
> > They were fine in the morning and fine in the evening. The only
difference
> > was that when I drove the car during the day, the weather was over 35
> > degrees C. This problem occurred twice and each time it occurred, it
was on
> > a hot day. As the day became cooler or when the car is driven on a day
> > below 35 degrees C, the brakes behave normally?
> >
> > Any ideas?
> >
> >
> >
>
>
> --
>
> To REPLY: If there are a couple of underscores in my return address,
> you must remove them to reply directly . . . . . . Thanks.
>
> Regarding stage performances: When everyone else has finished playing,
> you should not play any notes you have left over. -
>

I had a problem like that once, a leaking seal in the master brake cylynder.
I don't think I lost any fluid, it would just leak past the plunger that was
supposed to make the pressure to apply to the brakes. I've noticed that some
of my present day cars have a little leak if I sit and play with them long enough,
but if you can consistently get the pedal to the floor I would have it fixed.


"melbourne" <jjjjjj@hotmail.com> wrote in message news:sdYub.108$WD1.3589@nnrp1.ozemail.com.au...
> Thanks Curly,
>
> I checked each of the brake bleeding nipples but none of them have any signs
> of leakage.
>
> The brake fluid is at the MAX mark and does not seem to be losing any fluid.
>
> How does one do a lamp test? Isn't it a matter of turning the ignition on
> and checking that all the dash warning lights come on?
>
>
> "'Curly Q. Links'" <motsco_@_interbaun.com> wrote in message
> news:3FBC4E23.50406@_interbaun.com...
> > Melborne,
> >
> > Whatever you do (or don't do), check your brake fluid reservoir every
> > day, to make sure you're not losing some of that fluid somewhere (like
> > into one of the brake drums)
> >
> > Do the 'lamp test' as well to be sure your dash lights will give you
> > some warning in advance.... It's in your owner's manual.
> >
> > 'Curly'
> >
> > --------------
> >
> > melbourne wrote:
> > > Vehicle: 1994 Civic with no ABS
> > >
> > > Problem: I am having a weird problem with my brakes. A few days ago,
> on a
> > > stinking hot day, I was at a set of traffic lights, when suddenly, my
> brake
> > > pedal began to slowly sink to the floor. The brakes worked fine and
> would
> > > stop the car, even under severe braking. The only problem would be that
> the
> > > brakes, when depressed would begin to sink to the floor after a few
> seconds.
> > >
> > > They were fine in the morning and fine in the evening. The only
> difference
> > > was that when I drove the car during the day, the weather was over 35
> > > degrees C. This problem occurred twice and each time it occurred, it
> was on
> > > a hot day. As the day became cooler or when the car is driven on a day
> > > below 35 degrees C, the brakes behave normally?
> > >
> > > Any ideas?
> > >
> > >
> > >
> >
> >
> > --
> >
> > To REPLY: If there are a couple of underscores in my return address,
> > you must remove them to reply directly . . . . . . Thanks.
> >
> > Regarding stage performances: When everyone else has finished playing,
> > you should not play any notes you have left over. -
> >
>
>