rossmo

After driving for about 5 minutes, it feels like my brakes don't start to activate or "catch" until I press the brake petal down about an inch. It's not a spongey feeling (does that make sense?). I have to press pretty hard for braking to activate and feel like the petal doesn't have a lot more distance to travel.

I had new brakes/rotors installed at around 50,000 miles, and had brake fluids flushed. I just got new tires this weekend (53,000 miles), and had the brakes examined, but was told my brakes are fine.

I test drove new Honda CRVs, Nissan Rogues and Ford Explorers and found the brakes to be extremely responsive with just a light tap.

What else can I do to improve breaking performance and get better/earlier responsiveness from the brakes?

Is this just how the RDX brakes act?

Would SS Brake lines perhaps make a difference?


Thanks, all!

rossmo

FYI: It's a 2007 RDX

mrgold35

Were the brakes fine before the new tires?

When I got new tires on my RDX, the brakes felt a little unresponsive at first. I think the new tires have to break in a little for best traction with the road surface.

You could try a different type of brake pads if it does not improve after a couple of tanks of gas.

Tomtwtwtw

Is it possible you have a little bit of air in the system or are a little low on brake fluid? Check your reservoir and if it's full, maybe a quick bleeding of the brakes will help. I doubt it's your brake lines.

bluecarbonfiber

what kind of pads? when where the lines last bled? did you check the pads to make sure they werent glazed over?

pads can reach the end of there life at that 50k mark depending on brake style also can be glazed over if over heated as well, may be time to bleed the brakes if you havent done it recently.. usually dirty lines can happen in that 50k mile time frame

rossmo

Got the car used around 45k miles. Had the brakes bled and swapped all the pads and rotors shortly at around 48k. (I got the PowerStop Brake Kit -drilled/slotted- in the front, and PowerStop Rear Wheel Brake kit in the back.) I carefully followed instructions as per bedding the brakes.

While I saw an improvement in stopping power, it wasn't more responsive at the pedal.

Had the brakes examined when I had the tires put on and they said they were like new.

How often should one bleed the brakes?

Can anyone explain what Stainless Steel breaklines do for the car?

rossmo

I was experiencing this even before the new tires.

rossmo

Ok. Just ahd the brakes examined when i had the tires done this weekend, but I'll check brake fluid myself to confirm.

My assumption back when I first got the car was that their was air in the system as well, but even after having new brakes installed and bled, that didn't seem to change responsiveness much.

Is this just the RDX in general? Do other owners also notice that it requires pressing down pretty far before the brakes start to catch?

bluecarbonfiber

how did you bleed your brakes after installing the new ones? most people start furthest point from the vehicle and proceed from there but with the newer acuras you dont do that you start up front and work to the back..

brake bleeding time frames can vary check the manual i do mine every 20k to be same

stainless lines help on pedal feel, the rubber lines can expand under pressure stainless helps prevent that

Tomtwtwtw

I bought mine used as well, not sure when / if brakes have been serviced yet. I plan to get under there in the next week or so. There is a bit of pedal travel before the initial bite, but fairly easy to modulate from there, albeit with more actual pedal movement than I'm used to. Not bad, but not as linear as my previous car. On that car there was a bit of initial pedal travel as well, but once the brakes were grabbing the pedal movement was very low. It was more a matter of adjusting the pressure on your foot than than how far you are pushing. Hard to explain, but the feel and feedback were much better.

I prefer either to cars that have touchy brakes that bite hard with the slightest bit of pressure. I don't like my passengers (or cars behind me) to think I'm always panic-braking.