My brake pedal needs to be pumped 1 or 2 times to get the pedal to full engagement. The car is a 99 Subaru Forrester. It also has antilock brakes. Recently the ABS light was blinking but after I repaired a rear wheel bearing it stopped Blinking. Also when I turn the wheel to the left and start slowing down for pulling into a parking place the ABS brake system start operating pulsing the pedal. Any help would be greatly appreciated

the need to pump them typically means they need to be bled, air in the system. but it could be something else causing the problem.

 

once you pump them up does the pedal stay firm if you keep your foot on it? or does it slowly sink to the floor?

 

did the pedal problem begin after the wheel bearing was replaced? or before?

 

if the caliper was disconnected from the brake line and re-installed without bleeding the systwem that would cause the pedal problem.

Edited February 22, 201313 yr by johnceggleston

Te problem was there before the repair.the pedal stays firm when you hold pressure on it.i did not disconnect the caliper hoses when I replaced the wheel bearing.the wheel bearing came apart inside the hub.it came out in pieces.when I jacked the car up the wheel was loose I could shake the entire wheel by grabbing it and moving it back and forth.i can only assume this caused the light to come on because the sensor was moving around in the housing.I had the ABS problem with the brake pedal pulsing while I was turning into park with the wheel turned all the way left and when I apply the brake you can feel the pedal pulsing and the anti lock motor or what ever the heck it is making the noise it makes as if I was braking on a slippery surface

The ABS sensor may have been damaged if the wheel was able to move around like you say.

The brake fluid could have boiled because of the heat from the damaged bearing. Try flushing the fluid to see if any air comes out of the lines.

Have you checked the other wheel bearings? If another is loose the rotor could be pushing the piston back into the caliper.