Jump to content

2004 Buick Century Brakes


Guest GMoney

Recommended Posts

Guest GMoney

I acquired my grandmothers 2004 90K mile Buick Century. When I got the car the front brake pads backing plates where wearing on the rotors and the brake fluid reservoir was filled to the very top. (Strange in my book) Like someone ran it low and just tried to add fluid? The rear pads are about 50-60% life left, rear rotors are at the limit of thickness but not under. So I had the front rotors cut and they are just slightly under size now but only by a .5mm. I put new super cheap $18 pads on and the car stops fine under normal conditions but during a panic stop or hard braking they will not stop you quickly. The pedal basically feels like there is air in the system. No lights on the dash, not codes in the computer.

 

What I have done to the system and in this order.

 

1. I bled the brakes manually and didn't get any air out. No difference.

2. I replaced the cheap pads with the best set offered. Wagners. No difference.

3. I took the car to Firestone because over the phone they said they would use a pressure bleeder and the scan tool to bleed the ABS system. The tech did not use the pressure bleeder and only used the scan tool to cycle the ABS system. He claimed he has never had to use a power bleeder before. No difference.

4. I Replaced the master cylinder with a new one from Autozone. No difference.

5. I pressure bled 32oz of brake fluid through the system at 30 PSI but without a Scan tool to cycle the ABS. Again no air came out and made no difference.

 

The interwebs say i must pressure bleed at 35 PSI and use the scan tool at the same time.

Anyone on here that can do this? Think this will fix my problem? Or is it some thing else like the booster or actual ABS module? This has me totally stumped and I cant give a unsafe car to a family member. I can't ask my grandmother anything because she is totally out of it, doesn't even know where she is at anymore.

 

Thanks in advance.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Guest GMoney
are slide pins bound up causing a caliper to cock sideways instead of press on the pads

 

Slide pins are super clean, free of any rust. They are greased up and super smooth. The one pin is a larger in diameter and other has a plastic bushing to make up the difference. I had not seen that on gm before.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Slide pins are super clean, free of any rust. They are greased up and super smooth. The one pin is a larger in diameter and other has a plastic bushing to make up the difference. I had not seen that on gm before.

 

Very normal to see on GM slide pins. As for braking issue, seen issues with brake hoses expanding under pressure, also a new set of rotors couldn't hurt.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Guest GMoney
Very normal to see on GM slide pins. As for braking issue, seen issues with brake hoses expanding under pressure, also a new set of rotors couldn't hurt.

 

I will check the hoses but can't believe that rotors would cause a soft pedal.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

×
×
  • Create New...