WOW, So many responses I don't know where to start. Sorry, forgot to mention that my Blazer is ABS equipped. No pulling to either side...just not working well, and stinking. Don't really know how to describe the way the pedal feels. Feels kinda like you gotta push it clear to the floor to get it to work.

Something I noticed today, my ABS light is on and the ABS does not seem to be working. My husband made a quick stop last night and the wheels locked up...this doesn't happen when the ABS if functioning properly, correct?

I guess when we get home from vacation we'll have to look into it, just wish I knew what was wrong so I don't have to dump a bunch of cash into it.

 

Well a good set of pads, cleaning the rotors, flushing the fluid, and cleaning/adjusting the rear brakes if you do it yourself, won't cost much, I would think about $80 at the max. Then at least you will know exactly where you stand (hopefully with a nice high pedal with a truck that stops great!!). Korey.

 

Korey,
yea ceramic pads are suppose to be the hype of top dog in brakes. But it still falls down to the users choice. I have replaced under warranty 3 sets of ceramic brake pads on my Honda alone. As long as they keep replacing them due to (what ever they call it) Defective product, I will run them. But I sure as heck wont put them on my big trucks (Chevy 1/2 ton and Dodge 3/4 upgraded with1 ton setup).
If they keep busting and failing on a light weight Honda, yea on well. And yes, they are quality made ceramics not some cheapos off of Ebay.

BobTheBlazer:

Back to the ABS. They might not be working (common issue) is that the lines that are for ABS sensors atthe wheels might have broken. They are not that bad to replace. The other most found common issue is that too much rust builds up between the sensor and the axle shaft.
Even with ABS, YES you can lock up your brakes. This is a very misunderstood thing about ABS. They don't keep the Wheels from locking up, they just help PULSE the brakes to aid in normal braking. Another thing to check on your brakes would be the Vacumme line to the brake booster. If you are not getting the right vacumme to your booster, this could cause hard peddel also.

Down side to not having the vehical to visually inspect and test. Leaves a lot of unknowns open.

I would suggest if you can get the codes read for the ABS I would do that before going and trying to replace this that and the other thing. There might be an issue with the ABS system that would be causing your braking issue. I also would suggest if you do flush and fill the brake fluids, you have this done at a shop over do it yourself. Like I stated above, ABS systems are picky and require special steeps to get done correctly.

 

Ceramic pads may go unsafe. My experience in a fast winding downhill road with my Neon (yes I was speeding) was terrific: no brakes at the end with no warning. So I remove the ceramics (Ceramikools in fact) and put back the good old OEMs.Prior to that the ceramics were fine but a few fast stops and the problem was there, luckily I had the room to stop with the rest of the ceramics and a pedal hard as a rock.

 

Like MNHawk said, check the ABS codes, though, I don't know if a fault in the ABS computer can cause a hard pedal issue (I don't like ABS myself, lol), but if it can't then it's something mechanical, either your brake booster isn't getting the vacuum it needs, a caliper is frozen, or your fluid is borked... Though, I did notice that sometimes, when my e-brake is on, and I hit the brake pedal, it's really stiff...


Try jacking up one wheel at a time, and see if they spin freely... Make sure to block the other 3 wheels, especially when you're checking the rears...

 

When jacking up the rears, put a wheel chuck on each side of the front wheels. Front and Back/Left and Right. This will aid in safety so that it does not roll on you. And for those that think they cost too much, $10 for a good set of 4 is not that much when it comes to the safety of yourself and others around you.
Seeing as the rears have to be out of park and both sides up, Make sure you leave your jack under the pumpkin and jack stands on both sides.

 

Codes, I hear you all talking about checking codes. Is this possible with these vehicles? I've always owned Mopars before and you can easily check codes yourself with those...but can I do it with my Blazer? If so, how?

 

Unfortanely you need a scanner to check and erase codes, they can be had for 300$ although there is one for sale in the classifieds here for 100$ and it sounds like a sweet deal, you can also adjust various parameters, ****ft points, top speed limiter..odometer calibration if rims and tires are aftermarket etc....So it can pay for itself in long run (are you towing when this happens?)
However in your case, you wanna check ECU memory (If it hasnt been fully erased) for any old brake related codes (The scanner comes with a code description book or you can google it.) You most likely have 4 wheel disc, so it's not shoes, but it could be cheap pads or warped/hot spots on rotors, were they turned as they should be during the brake job? If they are new rotors, in my years as a certified mechanic I always turn them once to take off the minimum materialto be truly sure they are true, also you may have sticky calipers, raise one wheel at a time and turn it (in neutral, no E-brake on) there should be none to very very slight equal resistance in all 4 wheels, if you find one that is harder to spin that the others, you found your culprit, with motor off press down your brake pedal, if it bottoms out you got a bad master cyl. If you want conveniance take your blaze in to a reputable shop and let them inspect it, (Sears does it for free) Chances are they will tell you you need a brake job even if you dont that's the catch, but cheap pads or bad master or unturned or worn beyond specs rotors are first thing that come to mind, if you have access to a infra temp gun, check temp of all 4 caliper-rotors after hard run, they should all be similar temp. ABS code would mean car is braking automatically when not needed put you would feel pulsation or pull or shutter in pedal, regardless there should not be any of the symptoms you describe if complete system is ok, it's a matter of going through diagnostic tree, go to a reputable specialized brake shop or dealer if you are a novice. good luck! boulonman[:@]

 

Just to be clear here, the Hypertech HPIII or other non-high feature scan tools won't check the ABS/ECBM, SRS, Auto4wd, or other modules that use serial bus communication with the PCM/BCM on the '96+ vehicles. The '95 is a mutt... And the '94 and later have some different things that must be done to access the ECBM memory IIRC.

 

Make sure you ASK how much it costs to turn the rotors, as well...

I know for my Lumina Z34, at least (haven't done the brakes on the Blazer yet) it was all of $5 more to get a new rotor than to have them turned.
... That's if you change them yourself, though.