FREE REPAIR MANUALS & LABOR GUIDES 1982-2013 Vehicles
Courtesy of Operation CHARM: Car repair manuals for everyone.

Brake System Test Procedure

Check
1. Where a low brake pedal or the feel of a bottomed-out condition exists, check for brake pedal reserve.
2. Operate engine at idle with the transaxle in either PARK or NEUTRAL.
3. Apply brake pedal lightly three or four times.
4. Allow 15 seconds for vacuum to replenish brake booster.
5. Apply brake pedal until it stops moving downward or an increased resistance to the pedal travel occurs.

NOTE: This increased resistance may feel like something has bottomed out.

6. Hold brake pedal in applied position and raise the engine speed to approximately 2000 rpm.

7. Release accelerator pedal and observe that brake pedal moves downward as engine returns to idle speed.

NOTE: The additional movement of the brake pedal is the result of the increased engine manifold vacuum which exerts more force on the brake booster during engine rundown. This means that additional stroke is available; in the brake master cylinder and the brake system is not bottoming out