Also keep in mind that once you are stopped, you no longer need vacuum boost from the engine. This would lead me to suspect a brake system issue directly. May be a bad vacuum booster diaphragm, anti-lock valve failure or similar bypass issue.
Don't take this in a bad way, but I can't imagine you are having to work hard to hold back a 4 cylinder Altima at a stop light at a correct base idle. This is a get it fixed and get it fixed FAST issue even if you need to pay a pro to do it.
cracks or holes in the hose, a bad sseal at the booster or a loose hose clamp...
of course a major problem elsewhere in the power brake system would result in the same symptoms you are having.
You would hear a HISS if you have a vacuum leak big enough to drop the vacuum booster for the brakes.
no compression on a cylinder in your engine can cause loss of vacuum and in turn brakes. does your engine run good? if there is a vac leak big enough to cause loss of braking performance you should be able to hear it. listen for hising noise
If the pedal is pressing down further when stopped, your master cylinder is leaking internally. Been there, done that, more than once.
bg fgfrd
In other words, if a vaccum hose problem is affecting the brakes, causing them to lose some power when stopped at a light, so you have to keep the pedal pressed harder, what other symptoms should I notice, that would confirm it's likely to be a vacuum hose problem? This is for a 2006 Altima 2.5 S.
