[oooseun]

I have an M235i and i just had a brake fluid done for my first track day prep. i was wondering if it was done properly because (BOTH BEFORE AND AFTER the flush) i can push the brake pedal to the floor while it's running and while it's off and i was wondering if this is normal.

Note, it takes some effort to get there but it's doable (vs impossible in my other VW jetta while it's off).


Questions for you

Regardless of the effort required,

• Can you push your brakes to the floor at a stop light? (i.e. engine running)
• Can you push it to the floor before you start the car?
• Is there a ~1cm soft initial bite ?

Otherwise the brakes work well and are very progressive, i can lock it up at speed and enable ABS.

[ggggbmw]

No, you should not be able to push your pedal to the floor. When they flushed the fluid, did they cycle the ABS as part of the flush?

During normal operation, particularly if your pads are old/thin, you may be able to push the brake pedal fairly deep before you start the car. Not to the floor, but maybe halfway there. As soon as the car starts, the ABS pumps start waking up and the pedal should firm up. When the car is running the pedal should should have maybe an inch and a half of travel max, if that.

[overcoil]

I'm not gonna comment on pedal travel distance till I get in my car and test.

But check your bleed valves on each caliper to make sure that all all tight. Pump the pedal a few times and immediately go to each caliper bleed valve and look for dripping.

Also check the brake reservoir.

With my car running and no pumping the pedal I can also with effort get my pedal pretty low but not to where the floor is the limiting stop. But when making emergency or hard braking the system works perfectly and in the wet I can engage ABS in a maximum attempt to lock them up.

[oooseun]

Originally Posted by ggggbmw

No, you should not be able to push your pedal to the floor. When they flushed the fluid, did they cycle the ABS as part of the flush?

During normal operation, particularly if your pads are old/thin, you may be able to push the brake pedal fairly deep before you start the car. Not to the floor, but maybe halfway there. As soon as the car starts, the ABS pumps start waking up and the pedal should firm up. When the car is running the pedal should should have maybe an inch and a half of travel max, if that.

Thanks for the reply!
I don't know if/think the ABS was cycled. It was done using one of those compression systems that pushes out the old fluid. My brake pads are fairly meaty actually and normal day2day driving is unaffected; Normal braking (from highway speeds) only require ~1inch to slow down. I just don't want any braking problems at the track lol.

I will say, the pedal does firm up/feel fine it's just that with significant effort (from me/my leg) i can get it down to a hard brake travel stop.

[oooseun]

Originally Posted by ScottSinger

I'm not gonna comment on pedal travel distance till I get in my car and test.

Also check the brake reservoir.

With my car running and no pumping the pedal I can also with effort get my pedal pretty low but not to where the floor is the limiting stop. But when making emergency or hard braking the system works perfectly and in the wet I can engage ABS in a maximum attempt to lock them up.

Yeah please do! looking forward to your reply

Brake reservoir is fine, a little bit below the max; no fluid dripping from the valves.

I might just have the flush redone somewhere else, but is it necessary to bring up the pedal travel thing? I fear it might get dismissed as "that's just your car". Which is why I'm here lol

[overcoil]

Originally Posted by oooseun

Yeah please do! looking forward to your reply

Brake reservoir is fine, a little bit below the max; no fluid dripping from the valves.

I might just have the flush redone somewhere else, but is it necessary to bring up the pedal travel thing? I fear it might get dismissed as "that's just your car". Which is why I'm here lol

If I recall correctly, when I did the brake flush myself with a Motive bleeder I had more travel than when a year later I had my BMW dealership do the flush.

I'm frozen in so won't get to test till later next week

[oooseun]

Originally Posted by ScottSinger

If I recall correctly, when I did the brake flush myself with a Motive bleeder I had more travel than when a year later I had my BMW dealership do the flush.

I'm frozen in so won't get to test till later next week

Did you ever get a chance?

[overcoil]

So:

With car not running about 1cm of travel before brake light illuminates.

With car off I can place my left foot flat under the brake pedal while pressing down pretty hard with my right foot.
I can definitely feel the pedal pressing into my left foot. But I cannot get my pedal to touch the flloor.

With engine running pedal initially firms up. But I can then press it down to same limit as when off. Pedal presses on top of left foot. Not much room under pedal but won’t touch floor.