Possible new ABS pump needed???
#1
06-18-2020, 11:18 AM
Possible new ABS pump needed???
Hey hey
So the girlfriend has got a Mazda 2 2012 1.3. The car has just passed the MOT but have been told it wont pass the next one. The brakes work but you have to apply quite a bit of pressure to the pedal for them to start working.
The MOT tester suggested the ABS pump needs replacing to resolve this issue. Someone else suggested it might just be the vacuum pipe that needs replacing or a blocked vacuum hose off that pump. Mazda want £1200 to change the ABS pump. I'm hoping we can resolve the issue by spending a bit less than £1200. Lol.
Is there anything you guys suggest checking over before going down the ABS pump road? Also how big a job is that? Be nice if I could maybe do it myself.
Thanks in advance guys
So the girlfriend has got a Mazda 2 2012 1.3. The car has just passed the MOT but have been told it wont pass the next one. The brakes work but you have to apply quite a bit of pressure to the pedal for them to start working.
The MOT tester suggested the ABS pump needs replacing to resolve this issue. Someone else suggested it might just be the vacuum pipe that needs replacing or a blocked vacuum hose off that pump. Mazda want £1200 to change the ABS pump. I'm hoping we can resolve the issue by spending a bit less than £1200. Lol.
Is there anything you guys suggest checking over before going down the ABS pump road? Also how big a job is that? Be nice if I could maybe do it myself.
Thanks in advance guys
#2
06-18-2020, 02:43 PM
Sounds strange to me, why would they pass it if the ABS pump is suspected faulty?
Test it yourself, find somewhere safe to slam the brakes on and see if the ABS kicks in. Also there are other things to check for such as vaccum leaks, contaminated brake fluid, caliper condition and rear cylinder condition.
Do you have any warnings related to ABS on the dash?
Test it yourself, find somewhere safe to slam the brakes on and see if the ABS kicks in. Also there are other things to check for such as vaccum leaks, contaminated brake fluid, caliper condition and rear cylinder condition.
Do you have any warnings related to ABS on the dash?
#3
06-18-2020, 02:49 PM
Sounds strange to me, why would they pass it if the ABS pump is suspected faulty?
Test it yourself, find somewhere safe to slam the brakes on and see if the ABS kicks in. Also there are other things to check for such as vaccum leaks, contaminated brake fluid, caliper condition and rear cylinder condition.
Do you have any warnings related to ABS on the dash?
Test it yourself, find somewhere safe to slam the brakes on and see if the ABS kicks in. Also there are other things to check for such as vaccum leaks, contaminated brake fluid, caliper condition and rear cylinder condition.
Do you have any warnings related to ABS on the dash?
The next free day I get, I'll take the wheels off and check condition of pads and calipers. And what's this rear cylinder? You mean at the rear of the car or rear of the engine bay?
And there are no warning lights that have come up on the dash. Which is why I got told it might not be the ABS pump.
#4
06-18-2020, 03:42 PM
No worries 
BTW if you already know any of this information then thats cool, i dont mean to come across as condescending.
If the ABS kicks in on your test and you don't have any warning lights, I could be wrong, but i'd assume that means it's fine.
By rear cylinders I mean the brake shoe hydraulic cylinders located inside the drums on the rear axle, just make sure they are not leaking any fluid from the seals.
To be honest, I think your issue is vacuum related as this is usually what causes a stiff pedal, you get the same effect if you pump the brake pedal with the engine off, it gets harder to press every time you press it.
Which leads me onto another test that just popped into my head lol.
1) Pump the brake pedal with the engine off, it should get increasingly difficult to depress.
2) Press down and continue to hold the brake pedal and while holding it, start the engine.
3) You should feel the brake pedal move fairly quickly when the engine starts
4) This happens because a vacuum is created by the engine which aids in applying additional force on the master cylinder (there is a hose connected to the brake servo from the engine)
Check for any leaks, see if you can hear any "hissing" sounds around the brake servo and vacuum hose with the engine on
BTW if you already know any of this information then thats cool, i dont mean to come across as condescending.
If the ABS kicks in on your test and you don't have any warning lights, I could be wrong, but i'd assume that means it's fine.
By rear cylinders I mean the brake shoe hydraulic cylinders located inside the drums on the rear axle, just make sure they are not leaking any fluid from the seals.
To be honest, I think your issue is vacuum related as this is usually what causes a stiff pedal, you get the same effect if you pump the brake pedal with the engine off, it gets harder to press every time you press it.
Which leads me onto another test that just popped into my head lol.
1) Pump the brake pedal with the engine off, it should get increasingly difficult to depress.
2) Press down and continue to hold the brake pedal and while holding it, start the engine.
3) You should feel the brake pedal move fairly quickly when the engine starts
4) This happens because a vacuum is created by the engine which aids in applying additional force on the master cylinder (there is a hose connected to the brake servo from the engine)
Check for any leaks, see if you can hear any "hissing" sounds around the brake servo and vacuum hose with the engine on
#5
06-18-2020, 03:57 PM
No worries
BTW if you already know any of this information then thats cool, i dont mean to come across as condescending.
If the ABS kicks in on your test and you don't have any warning lights, I could be wrong, but i'd assume that means it's fine.
By rear cylinders I mean the brake shoe hydraulic cylinders located inside the drums on the rear axle, just make sure they are not leaking any fluid from the seals.
To be honest, I think your issue is vacuum related as this is usually what causes a stiff pedal, you get the same effect if you pump the brake pedal with the engine off, it gets harder to press every time you press it.
Which leads me onto another test that just popped into my head lol.
1) Pump the brake pedal with the engine off, it should get increasingly difficult to depress.
2) Press down and continue to hold the brake pedal and while holding it, start the engine.
3) You should feel the brake pedal move fairly quickly when the engine starts
4) This happens because a vacuum is created by the engine which aids in applying additional force on the master cylinder (there is a hose connected to the brake servo from the engine)
Check for any leaks, see if you can hear any "hissing" sounds around the brake servo and vacuum hose with the engine on
BTW if you already know any of this information then thats cool, i dont mean to come across as condescending.
If the ABS kicks in on your test and you don't have any warning lights, I could be wrong, but i'd assume that means it's fine.
By rear cylinders I mean the brake shoe hydraulic cylinders located inside the drums on the rear axle, just make sure they are not leaking any fluid from the seals.
To be honest, I think your issue is vacuum related as this is usually what causes a stiff pedal, you get the same effect if you pump the brake pedal with the engine off, it gets harder to press every time you press it.
Which leads me onto another test that just popped into my head lol.
1) Pump the brake pedal with the engine off, it should get increasingly difficult to depress.
2) Press down and continue to hold the brake pedal and while holding it, start the engine.
3) You should feel the brake pedal move fairly quickly when the engine starts
4) This happens because a vacuum is created by the engine which aids in applying additional force on the master cylinder (there is a hose connected to the brake servo from the engine)
Check for any leaks, see if you can hear any "hissing" sounds around the brake servo and vacuum hose with the engine on
Yep I know exactly what you mean by the pedal going hard when pumped with the engine off. I'll have to see if that's the same feeling she's got as when she's driving.
So I should do the 'holding down the brake pedal before starting the engine up' test to listen out for any vacuum hose leaks?
WhereabWhere is the brake servo located bud? At the back of the engine bay on the fire wall?
#6
06-18-2020, 04:22 PM
The brake servo is basically underneath where you would top up brake fluid, big round black drum looking thing.
Listen out for hissing just while the engine is ticking over, no need to press any pedals or anything for this test just stick your ear in next to the brake servo and listen, also see if you can locate a hose coming from it and inspect that too.
You can do the "brake pedal pressed, then start the engine" test on its own, just to feel how the pedal operates, see if theres any difference in pedal stiffness between engine off and engine on, it should be easy to tell.
If its still stiff with the engine running, then there is a vacuum problem.
Listen out for hissing just while the engine is ticking over, no need to press any pedals or anything for this test just stick your ear in next to the brake servo and listen, also see if you can locate a hose coming from it and inspect that too.
You can do the "brake pedal pressed, then start the engine" test on its own, just to feel how the pedal operates, see if theres any difference in pedal stiffness between engine off and engine on, it should be easy to tell.
If its still stiff with the engine running, then there is a vacuum problem.
#7
06-18-2020, 04:26 PM
The brake servo is basically underneath where you would top up brake fluid, big round black drum looking thing.
Listen out for hissing just while the engine is ticking over, no need to press any pedals or anything for this test just stick your ear in next to the brake servo and listen, also see if you can locate a hose coming from it and inspect that too.
You can do the "brake pedal pressed, then start the engine" test on its own, just to feel how the pedal operates, see if theres any difference in pedal stiffness between engine off and engine on, it should be easy to tell.
If its still stiff with the engine running, then there is a vacuum problem.
Listen out for hissing just while the engine is ticking over, no need to press any pedals or anything for this test just stick your ear in next to the brake servo and listen, also see if you can locate a hose coming from it and inspect that too.
You can do the "brake pedal pressed, then start the engine" test on its own, just to feel how the pedal operates, see if theres any difference in pedal stiffness between engine off and engine on, it should be easy to tell.
If its still stiff with the engine running, then there is a vacuum problem.
#9
06-18-2020, 04:56 PM
#10
06-18-2020, 06:01 PM
Not sure on this car to be honest, if you can just direct swap the pump then it's something that can be done at home. Some pumps have modules attached that need coding to the ECU. If this is the case then it's going to be costly. Regardless of that, to physically swap it out shouldn't be too bad and then as you said, whole system needs to be bled with fresh fluid.
I wouldn't worry about that for now though. I dont think the ABS pump is a common fault on the Mazda 2 / MK7 Fiesta (essentially same car) and it seems more vacuum related to me. I may be wrong but just see how it goes.
I wouldn't worry about that for now though. I dont think the ABS pump is a common fault on the Mazda 2 / MK7 Fiesta (essentially same car) and it seems more vacuum related to me. I may be wrong but just see how it goes.