I have a somewhat annoying problems with my brakes currently.

Firstly it seems like I've needed to apply more pressure to brake the car, not terribly more but slightly more unless I just turned the car on in rainy/wet conditions

When my car hasn't been driven in a few hours and then driven with wet road the car does not stop until I almost slam the brakes and it feels like the car is dipping forward then slamming back.. after driving for about 10 minutes though it feels normal. The pedal feels very slugglish during the first few brakings but afterwards its completely fine.

my front pads seem fine with at least 40% pad left..my rear pads and rotors were changed over last summer.

All i can think of is possibly my brake fluid is low? or maybe i need to get the brakes bled, i am no car expert.

my abs module is also dead which I really don't feel like fixing, but I don't think my brakes could be bled if this isnt working correct?


thanks for any help

 

No, you could bleed them even with a dead ABS. The electronics of the ABS are just turned off, but that doesn't affect the hydraulics. You could bleed them, but I'm betting you've got a master cylinder problem.

Jack up each corner of the car and turn the wheel. You'll hear the brake pads rubbing the rotor, slightly. If there is any drag on a wheel at all, the caliper pins are rusted so the caliper can't move and that could be your problem, or at least part of it. But you should make sure the brake fluid resevoir is up to it's lines. If not, you need to find the leak (it doesn't evaporate) and bleed the lines.

If the brake fluid level is fine and all 4 wheels turn OK, I'm betting you've got a master cylinder problem.

 

As for the soft initial braking in the rain, you may also have glazed pads.

 

i thought i posted on this one earlier today but my tablet was acting funny so i guess it didnt work lol. anyhow i had this problem with my old B5 its likely the brake booster starting to go bad, you could also check the vacuum lines going to the booster for cracks leaks and such. the brake power assist works on vacuum, without vacuum the pedal will be very hard and you will also have poor stopping power.