Critical Brakes
Spongy brake pedal
Symptoms
Pedal feels soft. Goes to the floor. Brakes work but feel vague.
Cause
Air in the system, old fluid (absorbs water, boils easily), or worn master cylinder.
Fix
- 1 Bleed brakes. Start furthest from master cylinder (RR, LR, RF, LF). Use fresh DOT 4 fluid
- 2 If pedal still spongy, inspect master cylinder for internal leaks. Rebuild kit ~$30-50, or replace (~$80-150)
- 3 Check brake hoses: originals are likely 60 years old. Bulging hoses = spongy pedal. Replace all four flexible hoses (~$20 each)
Cost mentioned in fix
~$30-50,~$80-150~$20 each
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