PontiacBonnevilleClub.com

willwren wrote:LeSabre chimes have no bearing on the issue.


Do NOT use a master cylinder from the wrecker unless you plan to rebuild it.

My point is that there may be other reasons for the chime besides the brake that haven't been considered. Does a Bonneville chime if you try to lock the doors with the key in the ignition and door open? Does a Bonneville chime if the signal is left on for a given driving distance? Are there other reasons a Bonneville will chime? I'm not disagreeing that the master cylinder or fluid level could be the cause. I'm just suggesting we consider other causes too.

Enslow, there ARE NO OTHER CHIMES WHILE DRIVING on a Bonneville of that vintage. Let's try very hard to keep model-specific here and keep this topic on track.

The problem occurs when driving and turning 90°. Go back and read the original post. None of your LeSabre chimes mentioned would have been possible WHILE DRIVING, and those chimes don't apply to the Bonneville platform regardless.


OP: Please go back to the bottom of page 1 for a warning about wrecker parts. Never buy a Master Cylinder from a wrecker unless you're prepared to rebuild it.

Just found out it mainly chimes when i suddenly have to slam on the brakes. Once i let my foot off the brake from a sudden stop it chimes. Putting all my attention to the brake system. Wonder what could be the culprit. Replaced the brake fluid sensor and it did not fix the issue.

Your master cylinder is likely failing, or you have air trapped in it somewhere.

I'm thinking the mechanic who fixed my brake lines didn't bleed my brake system. All he did was put them on and that was that. I take it if you replace brake lines you have to completely bleed the system. If so then i will talk to the mechanic and get it done right.

Could it be a wheel speed sensor acting up? Do you get any lights on with the chime? Like low traction or ABS light?

No lights come on. The only time my "TRACTION OFF" light comes on is if my wheels spin and do not gain traction. It's only a chime and nothing else.

update: It doesnt chime anymore when i turn. It only chimes EVERY time a press the brake pedal all the way down. What parts besides the master cylinder, brake fluid sensor should i look into

If he didn't bleed it thoroughly when replacing the lines, it needs to be re-bled. Go through at least a liter of fluid to bleed it properly, take it out to a snowy/gravely road, kick on the ABS, and see if that makes things better.

Only other part that could be it is the brake booster or rubber hoses. But those don't have ANY electrical connections.

Random question: how far to the floor does your pedal go down? I had a problem where my brake booster went bad, and let the pedal travel all the way down to the floor with a marked decrease in brake power. I bled the system, replaced the master cylinder with a rebuilt one, and same problem. Disengaging the booster gave me my brakes back. Replacing it made everything to back to normal.

braking is now sloppy. have to put more force in the pedal in order to make it completely stop.

Stop driving the car until you make an attempt at a proper bleed. If that doesn't help, replace the master cylinder (please note my original advice in this topic, that the dinging spelled impending doom for your master cylinder).

already bought a new master cylinder at autozone for $85. My friend thinks it has something to do with the abs sensors. Both my front wheel hubs are SEVERELY loose but my mechanic is replacing those tomorrow for about $175. I wonder if the wheel hubs have anything to do with the dinging of doom also.

ABS sensors have nothing to do with pedal feel or warning chimes. Your hubs are also not a factor, but obviously should be changed if they're that bad.

Nothing but what I told you can ding. Forget ABS or hubs causing dinging. It's not possible.



Return the Autozone master cylinder and get your money back. They make the worst chinese built parts by the lowest bidding company in the world. Go to NAPA and get a rebuilt master cylinder. You will have to measure the length to get the right one. I bet Autozone didn't ask you the length, did they?

no they didn't measure it. they looked at the one currently on my car and took different ones to my car and compared them to the one i have.

Autozone is staffed by idiots. They should have simply asked you which length was installed on your car. I can tell you it's the shorter one.

Nevertheless, that's the lowest quality part you could have possibly purchased. Take it back and go to a more reputable store. Use Autozone ONLY for oil, other fluids, and detailing supplies. NEVER for parts.

taking it back now. They're open till 11 so i will send it back. My mechanic only uses napa parts so i will just let him mess with it.

took the cylinder back and ran to my mechanic so he can get a closer look at it. He said his 1999 SSEi did this same exact thing. He said he had to change the brake fluid sensor and rebleed the system including bench bleeding the master cylinder. He said i may also have some air trapped in my brake system. He said he will fix it all for under $50. I hope this fixes the issue. My local napa said that they were out of the master cylinder i was needing and said it will take 1-2 weeks to get it in.

willwren wrote:ABS sensors have nothing to do with pedal feel or warning chimes. Your hubs are also not a factor, but obviously should be changed if they're that bad.

If hubs are real loose, they can cause low pedal issues.

willwren wrote:Autozone is staffed by idiots. They should have simply asked you which length was installed on your car.

I agree with the AZ master cylinders. I replaced the one on my truck and it only lasted a couple months. The one from Napa has been there 2 years now with no issues.

As for your mastercylinder, Napaonline only shows 1 for the 96 to 99. It looks like 95 was the last of the different lengths. 96-99 P/N NMCP3265 and 92-95 P/N 6.5 inch NMCP3239 and 8 inch NMCP3147.

So, 92-95 used 2 lengths on the master cylinders and the 96-99 used one size which is a different part than either of the earlier ones.

Mechanic said that there was air in my brake system. He said he was surprised that my car could actually stop. It took him about 1.5 hours to completely bleed my brake system.