onyx1121

I just picked up a 2007 TL-S last week and my pedal feels quite mushy. I am used to my 2001 ITR (stolen), but I can't believe that with the brake setup on this car I should notice a pedal feel difference in mild daily driving.

I guess I would expect the pedal to be rock hard, with almost no travel to it, especially being a brand new car. However, I had a decent amount of travel in the pedal, and it doesn't feel solid. Also, if I activate the ABS, the pedal seems to firm up for the rest of the drive, but then goes back to normal.

Can anyone give me some feedback, especially if you happen to have a '07 TL-S? I know the dealer will probably shrug it off, so I want to know if I am just crazy, or if I should press the issue.

Thanks!

Annsue

I have about 770 miles on my new TL-S, and I've never had a mushy feeling to the brakes. In fact, they seem to be even a little more sensitive (or "grabby") than in my '05 TL. I'd have it checked at the dealer if I were you.

onyx1121

So they feel firm as a rock?

The car had about 90 miles on it when I bought it; I am wondering if those first 90 miles were enough to boil the brake fluid. The only other thing I can think of is a stuck ABS valve, which is a common problem on some Acura/Honda cars. However, normally that isn't an issue until later in the car's life.

Guess it is back to the dealer.

speedbawlinTL

pump the brakes a little and see if that does anything... stick the car in park with the parking brake on and just start pumping the brake pedal... you'll be able to start feeling the brakes start slowly firming up... just move the car around after a while to see how they feel so that you don't frim them up too much... you could end up tightening them too much if you go on too long... if that doesn't do anything, it's probably something with your fluid

onyx1121

I believe they firm up when I do one of two things:

1. Pump brake while car is off. This just confirms I have no fluid leak; with the car off I think this will happen even with air in the lines because the brake master cylinder pumps fluid in to the system, but doesn't allow it to flow back out into the MC.

2. Activate the ABS. Again, this is hard to say, but it is possible that it points to a problem in the ABS unit with a stuck valve, or leak.

I am going to go to the dealer, and see what they think. If they find a problem, cool. If not, and they say it is normal, I will insist they do a bleed.

Worst comes to worst, I have a mechanic who does more work on NXS's than the dealers themselves, so he should be able to give me some honest feedback and find the problem.

Thanks for the input guys.

Pika817

Actually, I've been noticing a bit of "mushiness" as well. It seems that there's more travel in the brake pedal. I thought I was just imagining things, but.... please let me know if you find anything.

<<se7en>>

I've not experienced any mushiness, but I'm spoiled by the car. I traded an '01 Xterra for the TL-S, so the brakes are wonderful to me.

What I have noticed is the progressiveness of the brakes. What I mean is that when I put normal pressure on the pedal, it starts stopping as it should...but when the car gets around 15-20 MPH, the pads REALLY start gripping and I have to let off the pressure. Anyone else get that?

onyx1121

I am guessing it is the pads warming up, and biting much better; especially if they are "sport" type pads. On some track pads I have used on my Type-R, you couldn't even stop with them when cold...you might as well have been part of an escapades on ice show. But once you heated those pads up, they bit like you wouldn't believe.

Well, I have an appointment Friday morning. I will see what the Acura people think.

bmaczo6

iTrader: (1)

If you are able to firm up the pedal by pumping the brakes than you have air in the system and they need to be bled.

pettydw

Brembo's are mushier than the regular TL brakes from my experience, but much more powerful. I have read similar acounts of other Brembo optioned cars. I suspect both TL versions use the same master cylinder, with the Brembo's larger piston area contributing to the longer pedal travel.

Also, the braking effiiciency will increase during break-in, requiring less force on the pedal.

6spMike

It sounds like what happened to me and others:
https://acurazine.com/forums/showthr...ghlight=brakes
It might need an ABS accumulator.
Mine's still working fine after they replaced it.
Mike

jay0k

My TL-S has a mushy feeling as well. I will monitor it the next couple days and since I now know others have a problem I am probably be assured it's not imagination.

JD TL-S

iTrader: (1)

When I drive other cars I have to push so hard I feel like I will hit the car in front of me. My 07 TL-S brakes are awesome, besides the FITTING wheels problem. Sounds like low brake fluid or a pinhole in a line or air bubble, maybe need to bleed the brakes.

agus155

by any chance anyone knows what are the numbers for the 07 TL-S on the 1/4 mile? thanks

triton3k

I noticed the same thing and when I took my car in for service and told them, they checked it and said that nothing was wrong. As someone stated maybe thats the way Brembos work on the car, but when they need to stop, they do the work perfectly.

6spMike

I knew something went wrong with mine because the pedal height got a lot lower. The dealer said it was OK, too, until I showed them with a tape measure that the pedal height was indeed 2 inches lower than another TL they had on the lot. The Brembos and the normal ones should have the same pedal height.

miclado

i went from an 05 TL to 07 TL-S... i immediately noticed that the breaks seem softer. i have not yet had a reason to slam on brakes (thank god), but i'm thinking i'm going to try it. either way, i am not impressed with the brakes, I would assume that Brembo brakes would be better than my older TL. the car is going to the dealer asap along with my recurring dead battery probs.

jay0k

I wanted to open this up again as I am taking my TL-S for service on Friday. The car stops fine but they just seem "mushy". My previous car was a '05 Prius and the brakes were a lot more sensitive. My wife drive a land rover and those are also a lot more sensitive too.

6spMike

The pedal travel should be around an inch before you get braking. Mine was perfect when new, then got mushy (needed 2.5 inches) in 500 miles, and I wasn't hard on them. Replacing the ABS accumulator fixed it.
If they tell you nothing's wrong, take a loaner or a new one for a test drive with the svc manager and compare. That's what it took for them to agree something was wrong with mine.
Good Luck.