UKDM Civic Sport - Brakes never feel good - FIXED! - BROKEN !- FIXED!

[Tobiman]

I have had this issue since I upgraded the brakes for my car at around 2000 miles. I felt gutted. I dropped almost $3k on a brake upgrade kit (front and back) and my brake pedal wasn't confidence inspiring. What kept my hopes up was the fact that the car stopped significantly faster at high speeds compared to the stock setup. The stopping power is night and day in that regard but that initial pedal bite is completely crap. I also noticed that the first 3/4 inch of travel doesn't register any pressure on my scan tool. It's a cheap Autel AP200. It doesn't have the ABS bleed/cycle function. I have to grab a more sophisticated scan tool to try that out.
My ABS module activates sometimes during slow speed stops thanks to what I now know is a pair of bursted front ABS wheel speed sensors that probably got damaged when my trans got removed from the car for inspection(another story). Those will be replaced shortly then I can work on diagnosing this issue.

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[ScottUKDM]

I also noticed that the first 3/4 inch of travel doesn't register any pressure on my scan tool.

This is absolutely the prime indicator that the ABS modulator is faulty. When you press the pedal almost an inch, that fluid has to go somewhere, and the answer is its bleeding off incorrectly into the pressure relief accumulator (basically a spring loaded syringe inside the abs unit), because a ball / check valve is held open somewhere it shouldn't be (so instead of the fluid going into a sealed system of pipes and callipers, its just filling up into the accumulator).

My issue started immediately after having changed the brake pads. I suspect that pushing fluid backwards through the system gives rise to the condition of the valve opening or dirty fluid or manufacturing crap to get stuck in the ball valve (holding it open).

I think I was lucky that the scan tool shifted it (although it returned after a week or so, but second time its held OK).

If I get any more trouble with mine, I will be sending off the unit for remanufacture , then the ABS ECU will not need 'coding' to the car.

 

[Tobiman]

If I get any more trouble with mine, I will be sending off the unit for remanufacture , then the ABS ECU will not need 'coding' to the car.

The coding shouldn't be much of a challenge. It seems like it can be done with a scan tool?

 

[ScottUKDM]

Id rather go with a physically rebuilt unit. That way the inherent fault can be corrected, whilst keeping all other variables the same.

Not point in replacing a unit with the same one that might fail in the same way (especially if its been left off the car in storage with no fluid in it, and then have the hassle of coding witchcraft to make it work. I think I read somewhere the car will not start/drive without it correctly coded?

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