Brake problems

SCARBROUGH

MEMBER
JEEP

I have a 2000 Jeep Grand Cherokee LTD with a 4.7 litre V-8 and currently have 102,000 miles on it.

About 2 years ago (at 72,000 miles) Meineke Car Care replaced the brake master cylinder (they had previously replaced the pads and a couple of rotors a few months before).

When I got the Jeep back the brake pedal was very spongy and the brake "travel" (where the brake engages when I hit the pedal) was about 1-2 inches lower than it was before they worked on it.

To make a very long story short, Meineke couldn't fix it, Goodyear Auto Service Center said they couldn't find anything wrong with the brakes and told me to take it to a Jeep dealer.

The local Jeep dealership has had my Jeep about 5 times. They have replaced the master cylinder two times, as well as other brake parts, bled the brakes several times, and finally gave up and said they can't figure out what the problem is.

A couple of months ago I took the Jeep to a transmission shop (the check engine light came on and the transmission was acting up. It turned out to be a sensor). When the mechanic drove the Jeep, he noticed how spongy the brakes were. I told him about all the problems I've had with them and he said he could fix it.

When I got the Jeep back, they had replaced the sensor in the transmission, but said they couldn't find anything wrong with the brakes. As soon as I drove out of the shop, there was a "clicking" noise coming from the left front wheel that stopped when I hit the brakes.

I had the mechanic drive it and he heard the noise. Later, he told me that I had a cracked rotor in the left REAR wheel. He replaced the rotor, and said that he bled the master cylinder but that still didn't fix the original problem, the spongy brakes.

About a week later, the very same "clicking" noise has returned. Not as loud as before, but it's getting louder.

I don't want to take the Jeep back to that shop and compain because I don't trust them anymore (they also stuck me with a $780.00 transmission bill for leaking seals).

I really like this Jeep and I'd like to drive it for a couple more years. But I always concerned about the spongy brakes, especially since I occasionally use it to pull a Haulmark trailer.

I'd appreciate any help I could get with this problem.

Thanks,
Al

5 Replies

RASMATAZ

MECHANIC
75,992 POSTS

Did they bother inspecting the calipers and brake hoses. Is it an ABS?

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Monday, August 6th, 2007 AT 3:31 AM

USMIL05

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2 POSTS

I don't know if you've tried this or not, but It may seem spongy as a result of air getting up into the tube that supplies brake fluid to the front break calipers. When calipers are replaced, the tube will often drip out brake fluid and that can cause air to get in there. I would take the tube barely off the calipers and pump the brake around 10 times. I don't know if that will help, but it's worth a try. Sorry.

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Thursday, February 2nd, 2012 AT 7:37 PM

USMIL05

MEMBER
2 POSTS

Pumping the brake should become more firm and harder to push on.

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Thursday, February 2nd, 2012 AT 7:38 PM

CHRISBUFKA

MEMBER
1 POST

This may be a long shot, and I am no expert but after hearing your story it made me think of something I had read. The flexible rubber jump lines that come off the metal brake lines and run into the caliper can weaken over time and then bulge under pressure if they get fairly old. Not much to these brake systems and giving everything you have tried so far it may be worth replacing those. I have heard they have a braided steel aftermarket version but I have not personally looked into it. That would account for the squishy? Just a thought.

Also as USMIL05 had stated be sure to bleed all the lines properly in the correct order. Start with the furthest away from the master, rear pass --> rear driver --> front pass --> front driver. Any air in the system can cause similar issues.

Hopefully this helps, if you figure it out be sure to post to help others in the future. I am quite curious what the culprit is.

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Wednesday, February 24th, 2021 AT 1:43 PM

ASEMASTER6371

MECHANIC
52,797 POSTS

Good afternoon,

Did anyone do the automated bleed sequence with a scan tool for the ABS module? Conventional bleeding will not get the air out of the ABS module and a low pedal is a result.

https://www.2carpros.com/articles/how-to-bleed-or-flush-a-car-brake-system

Roy

ABS system bleeding requires conventional bleeding methods plus use of the DRB scan tool. The procedure involves performing a base brake bleeding, followed by use of the scan tool to cycle and bleed the HCU pump and solenoids. A second base brake bleeding procedure is then required to remove any air remaining in the system.
1. Perform base brake bleeding. Refer to Base Brake Bleeding for procedure.
2. Connect scan tool to the Data Link Connector.
3. Select ANTI LOCK BRAKES, followed by MISCELLANEOUS, then ABS BRAKES. Follow the instructions displayed. When scan tool displays TEST COMPLETE, disconnect scan tool and proceed.
4. Perform base brake bleeding a second time.
5. Top off master cylinder fluid level and verify proper brake operation before moving vehicle.