Brake pedal hard until car started
03-01-2011, 05:45 AM
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The brake pedal is hard each morning (no jokes pleasd!) until the '04 530 is started up and then it works normally. The dealer said that it might be the brake booster (replacement about $1200). A friend suggested that water might have accumulated inside and suggested that changing the brake fluid might cure the situation.
Can anyone share any information and suggestion on this problem prior to my dumping more cash into a car repair....Thanks.
Can anyone share any information and suggestion on this problem prior to my dumping more cash into a car repair....Thanks.
03-01-2011, 06:03 AM
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I know there is a recall for all BMW's with the N62 engine. It has to do with the brake booster and I believe it is the vacume line. I had the dealership take care of it FOR FREE! Yeah, but idk what the deal is with the I6 motors, possibly the same thing. Check the BMW bulletins or just call the dealer.
03-01-2011, 06:37 AM
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I believe others have talked about a check valve that causes the booster to lose vacuum. Should be able to find it thru search...
03-01-2011, 08:21 AM
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Yes, I've also read several posts about the vacuum line. I have the same issue, but don't really consider it an issue. The correct brake pressure is there when the car is on. Most of my other cars function in the same way. Not sure that the brake system is intended to keep pressure indefnitnelty with the car off.
03-01-2011, 08:39 AM
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Yes, I've also read several posts about the vacuum line. I have the same issue, but don't really consider it an issue. The correct brake pressure is there when the car is on. Most of my other cars function in the same way. Not sure that the brake system is intended to keep pressure indefnitnelty with the car off.
03-01-2011, 08:45 AM
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I complained to my SA about the same issue 2 years ago on my 550. They said it was normal. They replaced the vac line and check valve for the recall a few months ago, and the pedal hasn't been hard (engine off) since.
03-01-2011, 09:33 AM
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The brake pedal is hard each morning (no jokes pleasd!) until the '04 530 is started up and then it works normally. The dealer said that it might be the brake booster (replacement about $1200). A friend suggested that water might have accumulated inside and suggested that changing the brake fluid might cure the situation.
Can anyone share any information and suggestion on this problem prior to my dumping more cash into a car repair....Thanks.
Can anyone share any information and suggestion on this problem prior to my dumping more cash into a car repair....Thanks.
for example : http://wiki.answers.com/Q/How_does_a_brake_servo_work
I know E60 M5 has an electric air pump so that the brake functions very well even if the engine is off ,, but i'm not sure if the normal E60's have this feature ..
03-01-2011, 11:35 AM
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normal to me for the past 5 years. don't sweat it.
03-01-2011, 04:14 PM
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Hard brake pedal is nothing to sneeze at. If the pedal is hard and gets softer as car warms up that means the brake booster is NOT holding the vacuum created by the vacuum pump/engine. The leak may be small now but if it gets worse, you will loose power braking all together. It's "to each is own" on these repairs and symptoms but brake systems shouldn't be neglected.
With that said, replacing the brake booster is rather a pain in the a$$. You will have to undo all the brake lines to the master cylinder and then remove the brake pedal from inside the cabin to detach it from the booster. The whole thing comes out as one piece then you will have to remove the master cylinder from the booster, put it back on a new one then put it all back together. When you are done putting it back together, you MUST bleed the brake system with fresh fluid. It's about a 3.5 on a 1-5 difficulty scale.
It took me about 4 hours to replace the master cylinder last year which the dealer ended up replacing again due to the recall on the car.
With that said, replacing the brake booster is rather a pain in the a$$. You will have to undo all the brake lines to the master cylinder and then remove the brake pedal from inside the cabin to detach it from the booster. The whole thing comes out as one piece then you will have to remove the master cylinder from the booster, put it back on a new one then put it all back together. When you are done putting it back together, you MUST bleed the brake system with fresh fluid. It's about a 3.5 on a 1-5 difficulty scale.
It took me about 4 hours to replace the master cylinder last year which the dealer ended up replacing again due to the recall on the car.