Brake replacement resulting in spongy brakes

Hello all! New to the forum, but looks like a cool place to interact about some DIY projects.

Recently I worked on my dad's 2013 Elantra, replacing the rear brakes entirely (hoses included), and the front calipers. We bled the brakes for a while, and between using a hand pump with a vacuum chamber, and the ole pump the brakes until there's no more air - it looked like nothing but fluid flowing.

I took it for a test drive, and noticed that in park the brake pedal feels pretty stiff - but when I shift into gear it becomes spongy, and eventually pushes all the way through to the floor. I checked for leaks, and couldn't find anything around the bleed valve, or the rest of the calipers or hoses. I traced the lines as well and nothing there, and just to make sure I marked the diaphragm and drove for a bit, testing the brakes every few feet and then checked the fluid levels again... No change.

I was told that I didn't bleed the brakes enough, so I'm doing that again - but then I also heard that this is most likely the master cylinder... Another person told me to get up to 30mph and hit the brakes relatively hard to bleed the ABS system. I'm not too familiar with the last part - not sure if that works or not. Does anyone know if getting a computer to automatically bleed the ABS system would be worth it?

I'm at a loss and a bit reluctant to blame a poor bleeding because we bled it for for so long. Is it possible that air got trapped in the hoses and won't come out because of how the hose is curled? I know it's not a leak because I'm not losing any fluid... Just at a loss right now, and don't want to take it to the shop to have them find something super simple.

Hss anyone experienced anything like this, or has any suggestions? I would greatly appreciate it!

Thanks,
Fly

 

Never experienced this.
Did you have to rotate the brake piston in order to retract it?
Some rear brake calipers require the brake piston to be rotated in order for the piston to retract.
If this is the case then try turning the piston out a little to reduce the space between the pads and the rotor.
Also, the ABS system can have a lot to do with how the brakes behave.
Call dealer up and ask about it.

Sorry can not help.

Check to make sure the bleed valves are on top of the brakes
If not then left caliper is on right side
And right caliper is on left side