Red97LT1

Coming home from work,a car pulled out in front of me and I had to hit the brakes HARD. At that same time my BRAKE light came on and is still on. I checked my brake fluid and saw that the master cylinder was leaking,so I replaced it. The pedal is a little better,but not how it used to be. I turned off the car and pressed the brake pedal a few times,kept pressure on the pedal and started the car,the pedal goes straight to the floor.

I checked my brake pads and they are good.
So,I'm thinking that my brake booster is bad. How can I check it?

I'm going to bleed the brakes tomorrow to see if that helps,but I'm not confident that is my problem.Any other suggestions as to what it might be?

I have to order the Brake Booster if that is indeed what it is.My local parts store doesn't stock it.

Injuneer

Did you bench bleed the master before you installed it?

If the pedal goes to the floor it most likely lack of pressure due to air in the system.

Red97LT1

Yes.
Since the master cylinder was bad,could it have been sucking in air causing this and bleeding the system fix it?

Injuneer

The "BRAKE" light comes on because of a pressure differential between the front and rear braking systems. That pressure differential is often due to air in one of the systems. Once you open up the system, as you had to do to replace the master cylinder, you have to bleed the entire system. Start with the two bleeders on the ABS motor pack.

Red97LT1

I'll bled them tomorrow. Work has kept me from doing them sooner. So,I don't need a special tool to bleed the Abs block?

Injuneer

There are two conventional bleeder valves. Only issue would be if there was a code set in the electronic brake control module (EBCM). Then you have to "home" the ABS motors using a bi-directional scan tool, like the Tech 2. There is a way to home them without the tool, but you would need to download a copy of the shop manual, or look it up in a Chiltons or Haynes.

Factory manual download (you can use the 96 manual):

LINK: 4TH GEN SERVICE MANUALS; 82-02 PARTS DIAG; 99-02 WIRING DIAG - Firebird Nation

Be sure to go over the entire brake system, looking for leaks. You may have popped a line.

Red97LT1

Bled the brakes today and my brakes are good now.I still have the brake light on though.I checked the emergency brake switch and it's fine.

Injuneer

Try a hard stop in an open lot. Sometimes that will reset the differential pressure switch on the side of the ABS motor pack.

Red97LT1

Ok,ill try it later

Red97LT1

Took it down a private drive and hit the brakes hard numerous times.The brakes are functioning fine.Light is still on though.