Just bought a 91 civic hatch Si, 161k, its got brake issues. the brake lights come on but dont light up when the pedal is pressed. also when the pedal is press theres not much compression, but all the way down only 1 brake only grabs and it locks up. any ideas.

 

Do you have enough brake fluid?

 

yeah. and pumped them after i filled it up

 

So pedal goes to the floor and when pressed brakes lock up?? How did you pump it?? Brake lights stay on until pedal pressed than they dont work?
dont really understand question

 

how are you testing the brake lights if they dont work when the brakes are pressed? aand you have no brake pressure but one wheel locks up? whaa?

 

Ok. I get it. Don't worry you explained it well. Brake lights first, and i am assuming that you atleast pulled the brake lights bulbs out to make sure they are good. When you look at the lack of them there should be two little shiny dots not just one, if they have just one, replace and that is most likely the case. Check your fuses under the dash. Then make sure the little thinga mabober that attaches to the brake pedal to send an electric signal to the brake lights appears to be working. Do that and see what happens, ..... As for the brakes. Which one locks up and can you use the e-brake to make the rear brakes grab simultaneously. This will tell you a couple things. If the rear brakes lock up simultaneously as you yank the e brake then there is nothing physically wrong with atleast the rear brakes. The next thing you should do is bleed your brakes all around, not because you have to, because you should! It's a 19 year old car that you know nothing about (as in that particualar car) and the only thing that keeps you from dying isn't working right. That also may solve your problem. If all fails let me know exactly how it went and just to make sure you know, bleed the brakes from furthest point away from the master cylinder to the closest, making sure to always have brake fluid in the master cylinder.