Brakes firm to the touch?

Hi,

The Forte was discontinued in 2024 and replaced with the K4. Is that the vehicle you have? If so, I can tell you the power brake booster, which provides power assist when stopping, will begin to lose vacuum if the engine is off and you pump the brakes. Once that happens, you will get a very stiff brake pedal until the engine is started.

Since the vehicle is so new, if the stiff pedal isn't related to pumping the brakes with the engine off, there is a chance that there is a vacuum leak between the intake manifold and power brake booster (see pic below). If that is the case, I recommend having the dealer inspect and repair the issue. It's 100% under warranty.

Let me know if that helps or if you need further clarification.

Take care,

Joe

See pic below. I circled the power brake booster.

How is the brake pedal in your grandmother's car, the same? If so, then it is normal.

Okay, that sounds correct, please use 2CarPros anytime we are here to help.

Yes I am, please start a new thread for a new subject.

Lets run the codes to see if any are stored, this video will help

https://youtu.be/u-4syLc-ifQ

Please go over this guide and get back to us.

Totally normal as has been said before. The power assist on that car uses a vacuum reservoir that gets refilled as the engine runs. Every time you step on the brakes it uses some of that vacuum to assist the brakes so you don't have to stand on the pedal to stop. When the engine is running it generates the vacuum for that and keep refilling the reservoir. However you pull in and park and shut off the engine and it no longer refills. Normally you might get 2-3 presses on the pedal before you have used up what was stored. You shutting off the engine and pumping the brakes uses up the reserve, the car just setting uses up some of the vacuum. The result, exactly like every other car with power brakes, a very stiff pedal if the power assist isn't working because of no vacuum. At that point you feel what it really takes to push on those brakes if you were to lose the assist as well. So yes it is you pumping the brakes that caused the stiff pedal, but it's 100% normal. As is the pedal being stiff now and then depending on how much vacuum was stored and how well the check valve seals and what the ambient temperature does. OH and if you wanted to know just how much assist it gives, take the diameter of the brake booster and multiply that by atmospheric pressure in your area. (Roughly 15 psi) So an 8" booster would be around 50 square inches X 15 pounds per square inch = 750 pounds of assist! You pump the brakes and use up the vacuum and now you have to apply that much force to the pedal to get the switch to turn on to start the car.

Yep pretty normal. Power assist brakes Work on vacume wich is only availible while the engines running. So when its not running theres no assistance thats why the pedal gets stiff then over night it settles relaxes a bit so it might be a bit softer but still not as soft as it is once you start the engine.