m-x

Hey all,

I went to EZLube to change the oil the other day (2002 F-150, V8 4.6L 51,000 miles) and right after, I noticed that the brake pedal seemed stiffer. It doesn't go as far in as it used to and overall not as "soft" as I distinctly remember. Would they have done anything to my brakes? All they did was test my battery and fill her up with semi-synthetic. Is there something I can do to "restore" the softness?

Thanks!

rtg143

Maybe they knocked a vacuum line off. Pump the brake pedal a few times with the engine off. Then hold the pedal down and start it. The pedal should drop slightly if it's getting vacuum.

m-x

Thanks, I'll give that a try. Am I looking for it to sink after starting? But isn't it bad to pump the brakes? Sorry, not very knowledgeable with these things.

rtg143

Pumping the brakes doesn't hurt it. The pedal should drop a little when the engine creates vacuum. That's one of the tests to verify if a brake booster is bad. No sinking no assist.

GATORB8

There should be a big difference between the brakes with the truck off and with the truck running due to the power assist. You're fine pumping the brakes.

m-x

I pumped the brakes, held the brake pedal down, turned the truck on and it sunk in to it's normal depth. So that means the vacuum is working right? So why would it be stiffer?

C Denny Run*

That's a great question. My question is, are the brakes more effective the way it is now? The same? To tell you the truth, my brakes are soft, and I wish they weren't. I'm kind of jealous...haha

m-x

They work the same as they did, just requires a little more effort and just seem "harder". Maybe I'll take it back to EZLube and have them look at it since they obviously did something to it. Last time I use them...

styles_888

Would low Break Fluid cause soft breaks? - Maybe they topped her up

pickupsrule

I shouldn't say this but they could have somehow damaged/bent a brake line or the parking brake cable when they put it on the lift which could cause a restriction and increase brake fluid pressure.
I would let someone else look at it and see.
Sometimes we all think a vehicle is different after it is serviced, maybe it is the same and you just remember it different?
That happens to all of us at one point.
I accused the Jeep dealership after they replaced the ignition lock and said they disabled my horn. I was very embarrassed when I realized I had to push the top or bottom of the steering wheel pad to blow the horn, not the center like on the car I usually drove. I had just forgotten how to use the horn on my Jeep.