AndyK

I was wondering if old brake fluid would cause the brake pedal to feel less responsive and harder to press? The selling dealer claimed to have changed the fluids, but if not, maybe that is the cause of my strange feeling brakes?

Doug Donsbach

I think that's pretty unlikely. If anything, given the mileage and age of your car, you'd probably notice a soft pedal if the brakes needed bleeding. FWIW, I find the pedal effort to be noticeably higher on these cars than on the 944s (since you owned those before, they may have calibrated your frame of reference), but the braking performance is really much better.

AndyK

Oh. I find I feel like I have to stand on the brakes to get the same results I got from the 944 with only moderate pressure. In the 944, when I slammed on the brakes, the car stopped, very quickly. The 996 doesn't give me the feeling that the brakes are massive and super powerful.

Know what I mean?

Benjamin Choi

I don't think you should equate instant grip to actual braking performance.

I know in my E46 M3 just a slight push on the brakes resulted in major stoppage, and in the 911 with the big brakes, I have to stand on it much more which I actually prefer and I know the 911 has better braking power than the M3.

I noticed that after my recent brake flush, the pedal feels firmer now, but braking perf is the same.

Doug Donsbach

Yes. Take the car out to a safe place and really use the brakes. Use them hard enough to get into the ABS a little (don't go crazy). You'll have a lot more respect for them after that. If you don't, then you need to get somebody to look at the car, especially the vacuum booster and/or the vacuum line and connections.

Tippy

What you are noticing is the fact the 996 has less brake boost assist, it is to give you more feedback from the pedals. This is normal.

99firehawk

I see a water in the booser thread coming up

AndyK

Yeah, who would want water when you expect booze!

But seriously, what does water in the booster do?

Doug Donsbach

Clogged drain allows accumulation of water, flooding booster, invading, corroding, and generally hosing your brakes.

AndyK

My brakes are definitely not hosed! Just not as grabby as I thought, probably by design as mentioned above.

My '05 Accord's brakes are right out of a 1975 Impalla - feel like "super power brakes", one touch, and you go flying into the seat belts!

MagnusB

They should not be grabby like a camry/accord/taurus or similar car, they should be gradual so you can modulate you braking. You can't do that as well with your accord.
Step on them and the car will stop! This is just the way the brakes are designed.
At lower speed it feels like the accord stops better, at higher speed it's another story.

pl

i had some stronger brake due to the old brake fluid. it was like the front of the car wanted to stop, and the rear end keep pushing it. in tech term, brake force is not distributed correctly. it was fixed by fluid change.
btw, BMW brake feels like a on/off switch. never like it.

evansaero

Check to make sure the pad or rotors are not glazed. That will have a BIG time effect on stopping distance.

squidracer

My car felt like it had too much front bias and after the flush the pedal seems firmer. Not sure about the bias yet. Haven't done any hard stops yet.