# Suddenly mushy brakes **URL:** \ **Category:** Maintenance/Repairs\ **Created:** [September 15, 2016, 6:55pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/suddenly-mushy-brakes/95680 "2016-09-15T18:55:43Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![kenberthiaume](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/eb8c5e/32.png) [@kenberthiaume](https://community.cartalk.com/u/kenberthiaume)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2016, 6:55pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/suddenly-mushy-brakes/95680/1 "2016-09-15T18:55:43Z")
Feels like I can almost put my foot to the floor. From where it engages to where there’s strong resistance is 2 or 3 inches. Seems strange, what do you think? ---
**Author:** ![shadowfax](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/shadowfax/32/13026_2.png) [@shadowfax](https://community.cartalk.com/u/shadowfax)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2016, 7:03pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/suddenly-mushy-brakes/95680/2 "2016-09-15T19:03:12Z")
Most likely a fluid leak or a bad master cylinder. What’s the year/make/model? Next time you’re in the car, try an experiment which you can do with the engine on, but the car not moving (which is important because the car is dangerous right now). Start the car. Press the brake to verify it’s still mushy. Now take your foot off the brake and then stomp on it hard and fast. Is it firm now? Then you have a bad master cylinder. ---
**Author:** ![Docnick](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ecae2f/32.png) [@Docnick](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Docnick)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2016, 8:56pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/suddenly-mushy-brakes/95680/3 "2016-09-15T20:56:43Z")
In my experience mushy brakes are either due to air in the system or a worn master cylinder which allows fluid to pass and lets the pedal sink to the floor when pressed hard enough. Get a competent shop to go over it. This is not something to postpone. ---
**Author:** ![the\_same\_mountainbike](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c89c15/32.png) [@the\_same\_mountainbike](https://community.cartalk.com/u/the_same_mountainbike)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2016, 9:43pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/suddenly-mushy-brakes/95680/4 "2016-09-15T21:43:44Z")
I’m with doc on this. Brake problems of unknown cause are not something to procrastinate on. Remember, _if your car won’t start it can ruin your morning._ _if a car won’t stop it can ruin the rest of your life… and those of all your family members too._ 😱 ---
**Author:** ![VOLVO-V70](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/8e8cbc/32.png) [@VOLVO-V70](https://community.cartalk.com/u/VOLVO-V70)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2016, 9:49pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/suddenly-mushy-brakes/95680/5 "2016-09-15T21:49:40Z")
There are some things I just can’t understand. If I have a problem like this and am concerned that the brakes are not what they should be I am looking for a brake shop, not going on the internet to ask what I should do. There are a lot of knowledge on this site but brakes are not something to mess with. ---
**Author:** ![Barkydog](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/barkydog/32/2470_2.png) [@Barkydog](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Barkydog)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2016, 9:58pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/suddenly-mushy-brakes/95680/6 "2016-09-15T21:58:43Z")
Had that symptom with a stuck caliper. ---
**Author:** ![George\_San\_Jose1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e5b9ba/32.png) [@George\_San\_Jose1](https://community.cartalk.com/u/George_San_Jose1)\ **Post date:** [September 16, 2016, 3:53am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/suddenly-mushy-brakes/95680/7 "2016-09-16T03:53:30Z")
If it only happens after driving for a while, the brakes could be overheating and boiling the fluid. ---
**Author:** ![Nevada\_545](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/nevada_545/32/41232_2.png) [@Nevada\_545](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Nevada_545)\ **Post date:** [September 16, 2016, 5:49am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/suddenly-mushy-brakes/95680/8 "2016-09-16T05:49:00Z")
It is normal to be able to press the brake pedal 2 to 3 inches while stopped, there is about 8 inches in total travel so you are not going to the floor. How does it react when moving and you press the pedal down 3 inches? ---
**Author:** ![kenberthiaume](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/eb8c5e/32.png) [@kenberthiaume](https://community.cartalk.com/u/kenberthiaume)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2016, 5:30pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/suddenly-mushy-brakes/95680/9 "2016-10-13T17:30:23Z")
It’s really bad the first thing in the morning, then less bad afterward. First stop sign I start to slow down pressing the pedal down 2 inches, but it takes another 3 or 4 inches to really make the car stop. Then afterward it’s not as bad for some reason. I took it into the shop today, we’ll see what they say. ---
**Author:** ![shadowfax](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/shadowfax/32/13026_2.png) [@shadowfax](https://community.cartalk.com/u/shadowfax)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2016, 7:00pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/suddenly-mushy-brakes/95680/10 "2016-10-13T19:00:39Z")
It’s been a month and it’s still not fixed? I hope you haven’t been driving that thing all this time. ---
**Author:** ![kenberthiaume](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/eb8c5e/32.png) [@kenberthiaume](https://community.cartalk.com/u/kenberthiaume)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2016, 11:10pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/suddenly-mushy-brakes/95680/11 "2016-10-13T23:10:25Z")
Yes. I’ve been driving it. It’s only bad first thing in the morning. Shop said they couldn’t find anything wrong. Except rear drums needed adjusting. ---
**Author:** ![insightful](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/insightful/32/2732_2.png) [@insightful](https://community.cartalk.com/u/insightful)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2016, 1:41am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/suddenly-mushy-brakes/95680/12 "2016-10-14T01:41:41Z")
Did they keep the car overnight and test in the morning? ---
**Author:** ![George\_San\_Jose1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e5b9ba/32.png) [@George\_San\_Jose1](https://community.cartalk.com/u/George_San_Jose1)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2016, 2:05am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/suddenly-mushy-brakes/95680/13 "2016-10-14T02:05:12Z")
Besides the more common ideas posted above, there’s some other things that can cause this symptom. - Bad wheel bearing allows the wheel to move too much and can interfere w/the caliper. Ask your shop to check for play in the wheel bearings. - Improperly adjusted or missing steering stop can do something similar. If you’ve had any suspension or steering work done, sometimes a part gets replaced (like a control arm or something) and the new part is missing the steering stop. The shop is supposed to move the old stop to the new part, but sometimes forget to do that. And suspension/steering parts can get installed upside down or on the wrong side of the car. ---
**Author:** ![Nevada\_545](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/nevada_545/32/41232_2.png) [@Nevada\_545](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Nevada_545)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2016, 2:21am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/suddenly-mushy-brakes/95680/14 "2016-10-14T02:21:09Z")
Removable steering stops? What kind of car is this? ---
**Author:** ![George\_San\_Jose1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e5b9ba/32.png) [@George\_San\_Jose1](https://community.cartalk.com/u/George_San_Jose1)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2016, 2:36am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/suddenly-mushy-brakes/95680/15 "2016-10-14T02:36:11Z")
On a Nissan > **[Replacing clonking steering stop caps 2nd edition (D22) - Nissan-Navara.net](http://www.nissan-navara.net/46-d22-technical-library/3253-replacing-clonking-steering-stop-caps-2nd-edition-d22.html)** > > Nissan-Navara.net Or a Ford truck > **[Steering stop replacement - front creak / squeak](https://forum.ih8mud.com/threads/steering-stop-replacement-front-creak-squeak.459215/)** > > So I finally got tired or putting grease on the front steering stops every other month and picked up a set of these steering stop caps off of ebay.... ---
**Author:** ![Nevada\_545](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/nevada_545/32/41232_2.png) [@Nevada\_545](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Nevada_545)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2016, 2:43am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/suddenly-mushy-brakes/95680/16 "2016-10-14T02:43:57Z")
The OP is driving a truck? Can you be more specific? ---
**Author:** ![db4690](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/db4690/32/2583_2.png) [@db4690](https://community.cartalk.com/u/db4690)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2016, 2:48am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/suddenly-mushy-brakes/95680/17 "2016-10-14T02:48:30Z")
I seem to recall Ken Berthiaume drives a 1995 Corolla . . . ? ---
**Author:** ![George\_San\_Jose1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e5b9ba/32.png) [@George\_San\_Jose1](https://community.cartalk.com/u/George_San_Jose1)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2016, 2:49am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/suddenly-mushy-brakes/95680/18 "2016-10-14T02:49:42Z")
No, can’t be any more specific. Just offering some ideas to help the OP discover what’s wrong is all. If you are interested further, I think this podcast is where I heard about removable steering stops as a possibility. [http://www.agcoauto.com/podcast/2016-10-01.mp3](http://www.agcoauto.com/podcast/2016-10-01.mp3) ---
**Author:** ![CapriRacer](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/capriracer/32/22_2.png) [@CapriRacer](https://community.cartalk.com/u/CapriRacer)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2016, 12:49pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/suddenly-mushy-brakes/95680/19 "2016-10-14T12:49:02Z")
Also, normal pad wear will sometimes cause the fluid level in the master cylinder to drop. My van has this issue. Sometimes just filling the reservoir works - sometimes I have to bleed the system. ---
**Author:** ![kenberthiaume](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/eb8c5e/32.png) [@kenberthiaume](https://community.cartalk.com/u/kenberthiaume)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2016, 3:41pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/suddenly-mushy-brakes/95680/20 "2016-10-14T15:41:23Z")
yes, it’s a 95 corolla. Sweet ride. Anyway it would only do it really badly first thing in the morning, very bizarre. The shop said the only thing they could find was that the rear drums were out of “adjustment”. So they fixed that. Today at the intersection where it was really bad first one in the morning, it was fine. So…maybe they fixed it? Or maybe I’m crazy? I don’t think I’m crazy. Thanks for help! [Next page](https://community.cartalk.com/t/suddenly-mushy-brakes/95680.md?page=2)