Why do my brakes feel underpowered?

Stallingrad

Just bought a 2 year old Grand Scenic and the brakes don't feel right to me. Quite a bit of travel in the pedal, and they only really start biting after about 2 inches of travel and even then feel quite 'spongy'. The were checked at time of purchase (main dealer) and got the green light, and now have been bled and fluid changed, but they feel no better. Brake fluid level is fine and not leaking.

I know it is a bigger, heavier car than the Megane it replaced but they feel inferior to that car, and to pretty much any car I've driven.

Anyone else got one of these, if so how do you find the brakes?

Bigus

Something wrong alright.

If they were bled then it could be down to new pads on worn discs.

Go to an Indy mechanic that will have a look at them while you stand there and go back to main dealer with the an educated request of what you want done.

Henry Ford III

Air or water in the sytem?

dgt

Check the pads themselves. Some manufacturers put sh*te on their cars from new to keep costs down

Stallingrad

Thanks folks, will see if I can get to the bottom of this.

mullingar

Cheap/worn discs/pads will not cause a spongy pedal.

A spongy pedal is usually caused by air/water bubbles in the brake fluid, brake fluid should be replaced every 2 years, 3 at a push. Get the fluid changed and bled.

If that fails and still spongy, your master cylinder or brake lines may need checking.

Stallingrad

mullingar wrote: »

A spongy pedal is usually caused by air/water bubbles in the brake fluid, brake fluid should be replaced every 2 years, 3 at a push. Get the fluid changed and bled.

If that fails and still spongy, your master cylinder or brake lines may need checking.

Fluid just changed at 2 years.

When examining the master cylinder and brake lines what am looking for if it is not a leak?

Bigus

mullingar wrote: »

Cheap/worn discs/pads will not cause a spongy pedal.

A spongy pedal is usually caused by air/water bubbles in the brake fluid, brake fluid should be replaced every 2 years, 3 at a push. Get the fluid changed and bled.

If that fails and still spongy, your master cylinder or brake lines may need checking.

They will if new pads are fitted to worn grooved discs , the pad flexes x 4 pads = spongy, "until they bed in "

was very common years ago before changing brakes disc became a serviceable item.
More than likely its air causing travel

but op said bled already, !

could also be a stuck calliper that has stopped sliding

or non adjusting rear brakes traveling in and out every time the pedal is released.

Bottom line is sponginess is not always air.

Bigus

I just drove a scenic there and brakes seem spongy compared to other cars, maybe it has to do with RHD models, and the transfer from brake pedal to master cylinder.

keithclancy

Bigus wrote: »

They will if new pads are fitted to worn grooved discs , the pad flexes x 4 pads = spongy, "until they bed in "

was very common years ago before changing brakes disc became a serviceable item.
More than likely its air causing travel

but op said bled already, !

could also be a stuck calliper that has stopped sliding

or non adjusting rear brakes traveling in and out every time the pedal is released.

Bottom line is sponginess is not always air.

I've never seen a caliper get stuck that way, they with bind to the disc or don't return fully.

Bigus

keithclancy wrote: »

I've never seen a caliper get stuck that way, they with bind to the disc or don't return fully.

Happened me on a really low miles import golf, calliper s were seized solid as were brake pad ends, and piston was bending metal back of pad in the middle to hit the disc and springing back to straight position a good few mm away from the discs as the pedal pressure released,getting worse as material wore . Would never have happened on a higher mileage car.

Nissan doctor

Regardless of what may be the fault, with a brake issue I wouldn't be waiting on responses from the internet before deciding what to do.

Get it in to a garage straight away to be sure.

Stallingrad

Nissan doctor wrote: »

Regardless of what may be the fault, with a brake issue I wouldn't be waiting on responses from the internet before deciding what to do.

Get it in to a garage straight away to be sure.

Cheers ND, it was checked by the main dealer we bought it from, the bled and changed the fluid but is anything it feels worse than before. At this stage I think I need to get a second opinion.

hi5

Air in the master cylinder, did he bleed that?