How and When to Bleed the ABS - Full Brake Bleed

[JetFuelOnly]

Hey everyone, I had to change the brake fluid on my GT4 for the next track day and along with showing you how (if you don't know already) I also discuss how and when to bleed the ABS module. Many people say a brake bleed isn't complete without it, but is that true?

[TRACKNUT]

I've been tracking all my cars since my old 240Z days so I know a little about what you've done and have pretty much done the same except I've used a vacuum style bleeder in the past. When I finally got my 2018 Panamera4 Sports Turismo I decided to let the dealer bleed my brakes especially given I mentioned that I thought the brake pedal was soft with a long travel during normal applications. When I needed the car to stop it would but it just didn't seem to give you much confidence it would. Compared to my 91 Acura NSX, the pedal which was like a race car when it came to brake all the time, the Panamera seems iffy. My latest dealer brake bleed still hasn't solved the problem in my mind. Would bleeding the ABS module help in this?

Thanks, Al

[JetFuelOnly]

I believe the dealer will only do a standard pressure bleed. However, did you complain that the pedal feel still wasn't right? Could they confirm whether the pedal feel was the way it was supposed to be? I would say an ABS bleed may help but it would be odd that it's necessary.

You mentioned vacuum bleeder, I used one that attached from my air compressor to do a venturi/vacuum to bleed. It wouldn't stop pulling bubbles. Found out later that it was actually sucking so hard it was able to pull air past the bleeder screw threads (from the outside) and allow that air to join the fluid in the catch bottle line! That's why I switched to a pressure bleeder.