Spongy Brakes - Help

[chandlersa]

Hi all fellow loc's

I have just had my is200 fail a MOT due to poor brakes ie spongy... they re-bled them 3 times then suggested that the ABS pump is faulty, i had this changed (expensive:() then they re-bled them again 3x yet they are still spongy. the garage now says that they think the brake master cylinder could be the cause. i re-bled the brakes myself this afternoon starting with the furthest wheel etc then the ABS pump last (not much at all comes out of the ABS pump bled nipple ?) yet the brake are still very spongy, can anyone help with some solid advice... at wits end

Many thanks in advance

Lee

[noby76]

if the car breaks OK but just spongy I will try another garage for the MOT as i think that garage is being a bit picky! ounce it passes the MOT you can start looking into having the brakes properly looked into as I beleive ABS issues normally throw ABS light on the dash board and if this is not happening then mite not be ABS but something else.

[chandlersa]

you must of read my mind ,as that was what i was thinking :) would still like to know why they are still spongy? have ordered a brake master cylinder as cannot think of any thing else

[noby76]

you can always book it into lexus at your local area explaining the exact issue the will carry out diagnosis with thier high tech gadgets tell you if its brake master cylinder or something else then take your car to a cheaper reputable garage to have it fixed.

[chandlersa]

find them a bit expensive ,although i should of maybe of done that before i forked out for the ABS pump on the advice of the mot garage. will give Lexus a ring in morning .cheers

[noby76]

yeh they are quite expensive but not for everything infact something a cheaper than what some other garages quote. you dont have to have the work done by them when they tell you what the issue is you can ask for a quote and tell them you will think about it and let them know pick your car and head to another garage you trust for the repairs to be done.

[chandlersa]

cheers will do that ,thanks for help

[noby76]

no probs this is off topic but i wanted my brake pads front and rear fitted and lexus Milton keynes quoted me £230 from thier fixed price promise deal and quess how much a local garage quoted for the same job? £350 and this was not even using genuine Lexus parts..so sometimes its best to try lexus dealers first you will be surprised some of the quotes are reasonble will come with 12months warrantly and will be a genuine part aswell. hope it gets sorted..

[chandlersa]

good to know will keep that in mind

[steve2006]

What I don't quite understand is the MOT garage "diagnosed" a faulty ABS pump, you paid for it and for them to fit it and when it didn't sort the problem they then "diagnosed" a faulty master cylinder.

I wish I could earn £75.00 an hour guessing electronic faults and still get paid even if I am wrong!

I would find a garage which can actually find the cause not take a stab in the dark costing you unnecessary repairs and money.

If they suggest replacing the exhaust system in an attempt to sort the brakes run!

[noby76]

tell me bout it steve! thats why i tend to use MOT only garages now. these are garages that do MOT's only and no repairs so they will not look for unnessesary faults just to make £500 out of a £45 MOT test. but i dont think there are a lot of them across UK but lucky i have one near where i live!!

[noby76]

thought i'll post the MOT only garage. they based in Hemelheapsted so commutable if you live around 10-20 mile radius. at least the extra £20 i pay in fuel making the trip will save me £££'s for having unnesscary work done by another garage..

http://www.apsley-mots.co.uk/

[chandlersa]

i will have a look around for mot only garages too around coventry area ,thanks all

[steve2006]

Just googled this, I know nothing about them nor endorse them but may be of help to other members.

Also remember most local councils have public MOT facilities and you can book direct at VOSA depots.

http://www.justmots.eu/

[chandlersa]

had a look ,closest one to me is 100miles away ;( see Halfords have a special on, £27

[noby76]

not having enough luck are we? check yellow pages for coventry or DVLA website for your councils MOT garage as i beleive they only do MOT's and no repairs aswell. they normally MOT local councils buses and stuff.

[chandlersa]

will do ;)

[stevov]

rebleed them,nsr,osr,nsf,osf do not bleed the abs.before doing the bleed get a syringe or the like and remove all the fluid from the reservoir and fill with fresh dot 5.1 or good quality dot4 brake fluid.top up the fluid after each corner and make sure a good volume of fluid comes through each caliper. after the bleed find a clear straight stretch of road and do some hard stops from 70 down to 30 allowing some time between each one to avoid cooking the pads.this should help to rebed the brakes. coming from an evo i find the brakes on the lex to be sub par mostly due to the lack of availability of quality pads . the oem stuff doesn't take a lot of heat.

[Twins1984]

brakes on my lex are soft too... tried rebleeding them 2 times, changed pads and nothing... i got used to it... it's just the first feeling when you step on the pedal but brakes work excellent and pass mot 2times with no probs

[ROYT]

Also everyone! don't shake the fluid up before use!

[BillNick]

After having Mondeo brakes on my Fiesta which I owned before the IS200, one of the first things that bugged me on the Lexus was the spongey pedal.

I fitted braided hoses AND completely renewed my brake fluid with higher spec 5.1 toyota fluid. Worked nicely...my pedal is still not as hard as my mums Focus which I also bled myself, but I am about 1000 miles from needing new brakes so I am hoping when I do this, I will have a nice solid pedal.

Braided hoses are available for around £45-50 and DO make a difference to the pedal :-)