Brakes issue

[aabdelhamid]

A very strange thing happens with my brakes. When the car is running and standing still, I pump the brake pedal repeatedly and after moving, the brakes are much better than before. I actually do this frequently to enhance the performance of the brakes. Any ideas what is causing this ? By the way my brakes are OK if I don't do this at all. But they get better for a while when I do, they GRIP better.
Second: Does braking have anything to do with the front end suspension not being in good shape. Meaning if I have faulty bushings and shocks.. etc , does this affect the car's breaking response??

[ryan roopnarine]

1...sounds like your master cylinder is dying if you have to pump to improve things

2 bad suspension will significantly impair your braking ability.

[DanDombrowski]

Bad suspension shouldn't change the braking ability of the brakes themselves, but will allow for more weight shift to the front, and that overuses the front brakes while underusing the rear ones. Just to clarify

[632 Regal]

air in the system will also allow you to "pump" it up.