I have a 2009 SS/TC, with the standard Brembos in front and slotted and drilled rotors all around. I'm using upgraded Hawk pads...sport pads, not full-on race pads. I had the factory brake fluid replaced with a higher boiling point fluid, but this issue was the same before and after.

With street tires on dry pavement, I can press the brake pedal hard enough to engage the ABS...but it takes a long motion and a lot of pressure, basically putting the pedal all the way to the floor. That seemed a bit unusual to me.

With track tires, I can't engage the ABS under any circumstances, and the stopping power is nowhere near what I'd expect from track tires and brembos. The pedal goes all the way to the floor, but I don't get the face-in-the-dash feel. This isn't a heat issue, the performance is poor with cold, warm or hot brakes. It feels like my solstice GXP used to feel when the brake fluid was heating up 20 minutes into a session.

Is this normal for a 2009 SS? Either way, any suggestions? My guesses at this point would be to have the fluid replaced AGAIN, and if that doesn't work, investigate a replacement for the master cylinder or something.

 

Not normal at all. For any car.

Here's the 3 possibilities:

Air in the system (ABS unit, lines, calipers, ect.). Probably the most common issue for the symptom you describe. A GM Tech II is going to be required to bleed the ABS unit. Try this step first.

Defective master cylinder. A bad master will allow fluid to get past the cups, leading to poor brake feel, the pedal dropping to the floor, and/or loss of braking power.

A leak. Common, but not in a new car. Inspect the master, all lines, and calipers for loss of fluid. If there is a leak, the master reservoir will be low or empty.

Check it out and post up what you find.

 

It could be the pads.

I had similar situation with my GTO when running Hawk HPS pads, but when I switched to DTC60 track pads the brakes felt amazing. I think HPS glaze pretty easily reducing the bite greatly.

It could be the pads.

I had similar situation with my GTO when running Hawk HPS pads, but when I switched to DTC60 track pads the brakes felt amazing. I think HPS glaze pretty easily reducing the bite greatly.

 

Glazed pads can cause a loss of braking power, requiring the driver put more pressure on the brake pedal in order to maintain deceleration.

However, pads will not cause the issue he is describing, which is the brake pedal dropping to the floor.

 

I agree to the fluid related issue. My pedal was VERY stiff just pads not grabbing.

 

If you did this service yourself, did you bleed the lines? Otherwise, why didn't you storm back into the garage that did it and give them hell?

 

He said the issue was the same before and after he had the fluid changed. Which leads me to believe either he had air in the system beforehand, or he simply has a bad master cylinder.

 

I've found since ugprading to the TC that I almost never hit ABS even in shitty weather conditions, the car just stops when I ask it to. As far as pedal travel if you've got it almost to the floor you have an issue somewhere with pressure to the front brakes, or you may want to have the rears looked at to ensure they're not binding. Since servicing my brakes my pedal feels much more responsive, but I've NEVER been able to get it anywhere near the floor.

 

You took off a more aggressive pad and put on a less aggressive one


If you want to change pedal feel, stainless lines.

Order a set of stock pads, and stainless lines and call it a day

 

Thanks for all the input, if anyone else has suggestions keep them coming.

The spongy feel was constant before and after the fluid change, and with factory pads as well as the Hawk pads. I park in the same place every night, so any significant leaking would be noticeable.

It's looking like having a different shop bleed the system would be the move to make. Glad to hear it's not normal for the model.

 

As I said, its not normal. Anyone who says that your problem is attributed to brake pads, lines, or "binding" calipers does not understand brakes or hydraulic systems.

Chaning pads, or changing from regular to stainless lines, will in no way fix your issue of the pedal traveling to the floor.

As an ASE certified technician, I can tell you the possibilities are basically limited to air in the system or a defective master cylinder, since you say there is no leakage.

 

When my rear brakes were seized solid as a rock my pedal travel was far greater than it was when they were functioning. I understand how a hydraulic system works but the pedal travel DID increase and feel generally wrong because I wasn't getting the same feedback from all 4 wheels I had been. So far as teh spongy feeling is concerned, yes I would get my brake lines re-bled in the OP's case but I also wouldn't rule out the rear calipers being seized, the difference is night and day when it's finally corrected so far as feedback is concerned.

 

sounds about right lol

 

I understand you're trying to speak from experience with the issue, but you have to understand that what you are saying goes against the principles of hydraulic systems.

If you have a siezed caliper piston, its going to make the pedal firmer, because there is no place for the hydraulic fluid to go. If the piston was moveable, the pedal travel would be proportional to the very small amount that each piston travels when the brakes are applied. In your case, it would be like pushing brake fluid against an immoveable object, so the pedal should move very little.

However, the incrased pedal travel may have been the result of having no braking power at the rear, causing you to have to apply more pressure to the front brakes in order to stop the car.

Either way though, the OP is describing the pedal dropping damn near the floor, which is definitely a sign of a master cylinder problem or air trapped in the system.

 

In case anybody is searching this thread with a similar problem, I found this:

https://www.cobaltss.net/forums/show...5&postcount=17

which fits my symptoms perfectly. When I get a chance, I'll have the dealer take a look.

 

typical gm quality...not surprising.

 

my car does the same thing lately. the brakes just do not have the stopping power they should have, and i can put the pedal all the way to the floor almost... same situation as OP. i'm gonna take it to the dealer on monday i think.

 

i had long pedal travel 1st pump and my E-brake only held on 1 wheel, I ended up replacing the caliper rear pads and resurfacing the rotors.

 

before i ditched my pile of crap i had the same problem even after pads and rotors were replaced.

 

All you are here to do is troll bash the very vehicles that this website is about.

Do everyone a favor and take a permanent vacation.

You wouldn't know a floating caliper from a fixed caliper if they both hit you in the face, and you couldn't change either one even if your life depended on it. So shut the hell up and leave.

 

I'm gonna agree with the quality comment... GM just didn't do enough testing.. maybe just didn't care about these cars..

Either way, it might only be for the 2010's but I received a recall notice about the brake lines rubbing the chasis.. basically rubbing a hole. Maybe the problem, small hole?

 

First off, No, and second off, No.

The issues people are having with the rear brakes are not due to defective brakes themselves. Plenty of cars use parking brakes integrated into the caliper, some have more issues than others. Nissan is one of the worst for calipers, period. Most of GM's are good, although they did have issues with the 93-97 LT1 F-bodys.

GM cared about the car or else they wouldn't have bothered to make an SS version with a turbo engine, Brembo brakes, and an excellent chassis setup. You don't built a car thats faster than the S2000, STi, and Evo around a road course if you "just dodn't care". That takes months of R&D, tuning, and testing.

As for the brake line issue, it only affects certain newer models, I believe the 2009's and 2010's. No brake lines have rubbed through, its just a precautionary recall to ensure that it doesn't happen in the future.

As for a pin hole causing the brake pedal to be stiff, you obviously don't understand how brake systems work, that would never happen.

 

hmm.. alright, I agree it takes a lot for cars to go around a track faster then other production cars. I have to make the point though I've owned 2 2010's. The first one

A. Didn't have screws holding the handles in the doors in, popped off, had to have the dealer replace them.
B. Had blown rear struts... now this could have been caused by strapping the car in too tight on the truck.
C. had to have bushing in the front replaced because of loud rattling.

My 2nd,
A. Had the wing come off due to only being held on by tape from factory,
B. Is goin in for some loud rattling up front,
C. rattling sun roof... I'm sure there are other things...

I have no idea how brakes work honestly, never tried to learn. Not arguing, just showing you why i have my opinion.

 

Those are all isolated issues that could happen to any car. They are not common issues.

Once again, those are isolated problems. I've never heard of wings coming off, and a "loud rattling" sound could be a lot of things. A rattling sun roof?? Please. Those are not major issues.

 

Well, for those of us who take pride in the quality of our vehicle a rattling sun roof it is a serious problem. Or you could be like the last GM tech I had to tell off for telling me " It wasn't a corvette" when i went in about the blown struts. Dumb dick thought it was supposed to bounce..... ooo, thats an aggravating memory.

ooo, nuts, 08sstcrd, We/I have seemed to have hijacked this guys thread like a dickbag, if you wanna discuss anything farther just pm me.