hey there. i have a honda civic 1996 with 150,000 miles. it is automatic.

recently i've noticed that when braking the car doesn't stop nearly as fast as i'd expect it to. I'm not crashing or anything but when i come to a red light i press the brakes hard and the car does stop but it feels like it travels for a bit before stopping. Is this ok? I also feel like i'm pressing the brakes really hard too but it still travels a little before halting completely. i guess if it doesn't get any worse it's not that annoying but if it will eventually compromise my safety as well as others safety i really am worried.

should i change the break fluid?

 

Briceman,

It sounds like you may have some air trapped in your brake lines. Air in a brake system usually makes the brake pedal very low, thereby forcing you to push the pedal down a long way before the brakes actually begin to work. This happens because you have to push the air out of the way of the brake fluid before the brakes work.

The solution to this problem is to bleed your brake system. Here's the procedure for doing that on a 1996 Civic:

Note: When bleeding the brakes, air may be trapped in the brake lines or valves far upstream, as much as 10 feet from the bleeder screw. Therefore, it is very important to have a fast flow of a large volume of brake fluid when bleeding the brakes, to make sure all of the air is expelled from the system.

Note: Proper manual bleeding of the hydraulic brake system will require the use of an assistant unless a suitable self-bleeding tool is available. If using a self-bleeding tool, refer to the manufacturer's directions for tool use and follow the proper bleeding sequence.

*If the ABS modulator has not been opened or replaced, proceed as follows:

If the master cylinder reservoir runs dry during the bleeding process, restart from the first fitting.

1) Remove the old brake fluid and clean the brake master cylinder reservoir (refer to this diagram for a reference point) with a clean lint-free cloth.

2) Bleed the brake system at each fitting. Do not proceed to the next fitting until all air bubbles are removed from the previous fitting. Bleed the brakes, making sure to following this sequence:
Right Rear
Front Left
Rear Left
Right Front

3) Attach a clear plastic hose to the bleeder screw, then place the hose into a clean jar that has enough fresh brake fluid to submerge the end of the hose.

4) Have an assistant pump the brake pedal 3–4 times, and hold pressure on it, then open the bleeder screw at least 1/4 turn. When the bleeder screw opens, the brake pedal will drop. Have the assistant hold it there until the bleed valve is closed.

5) Close the bleeder screw and have the assistant slowly release the brake pedal only AFTER the bleeder screw is closed, then check the master cylinder fluid level and top off as necessary.

6) Repeat the bleeding procedure until all there are no air bubbles, or a minimum of 4 or 5 times at each bleeder screw, then check the pedal for travel and feel. If the pedal travel is excessive, or feels spongy, it's possible enough fluid has not passed through the system to expel all of the trapped air.

**Constantly check and top off the master cylinder. Do not allow the master cylinder to run dry, otherwise air will re-enter the brake system**

7) Once completed, test drive the vehicle to be sure the brakes are operating correctly and that the pedal feel is firm.


This should resolve any soft brake pedal issues as well as reduce brake pedal effort required for proper braking. Hope this helps you out dude