My brakes went out when I was driving and I had to pump the brakes to get the pedal hard again while driving to get them to work again as if I got new brakes but I haven't done the brakes recently
What is your question?
I was just driving home like usual. I stopped at the intersection before my house like usual, and there were no issues, but then as I came up to my driveway and started to slow down, the brake pedal wasn't working; it just went to the floor. I held it for a couple of seconds, but it didn't do anything. I started to pump the brakes like you do when you put new brakes on, and the pedal started to harden. After pumping it for a bit, I got them to work again, but the weird part is that not only did the brakes work just fine literally a minute before, but the brake light on the dash never came on. I am very confused, as this has never happened before.
What makes this problem better or worse?
It fixed it when I pumped the brakes
How long has your 2009 Chevrolet Malibu had this problem?
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Hello, Dave here, contributing to RepairPal and providing expert advice since 2010.
First of all, I'm glad you weren't hurt! Losing your brakes is no joke. Sounds like you handled the situation very well for what it was.
Sounds like you had some kind of hydraulic brake failure. This could be a blown brake hose or steel brake line, a brake caliper failure or a master cylinder failure. One thing is for sure - do not try to drive the car again! It is dangerous.
The brake light may only come on when the brake pedal passes a certain point. Or, if the fluid is too low. Those criteria may not have been met, but it is difficult to say. A technician who checks the brake problem out can check to see what is going on with the warning light also.
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Hi, this is Bo, an auto expert on RepairPal's Car Genius team!
Whoa, that's a seriously scary moment when your brake pedal decides to take an unannounced trip to the floor! It's like leaning back in your chair and suddenly realizing it's not there anymore – pure panic! The fact that pumping the brakes brought the pedal back is a huge clue.
This kind of behavior – pedal to the floor, then firms up after pumping – often points to a problem with the brake master cylinder. Inside the master cylinder, there are seals, and if one of them is failing, it can allow brake fluid to bypass the piston. Pumping the brakes can temporarily force enough fluid past the bad seal to build up pressure again. It could also indicate air in the brake lines, or even a brake fluid leak that's somehow sealing itself intermittently, though a sudden, complete loss of pedal like that makes the master cylinder a prime suspect.
The reason the brake light might not have come on is that the system didn't necessarily detect a low fluid level (if the leak wasn't massive or immediate) or a fault in the ABS system right away. But make no mistake, this is a critical safety issue. Your Malibu is definitely not safe to drive until this is properly diagnosed and fixed. Please have a trusted mechanic inspect your brake system thoroughly, focusing on the master cylinder and looking for any leaks, before you drive it again. This isn't something to "wait and see" on.
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