Questions tagged [brake-fluid]

Fluid used in the brake system to transfer pedal pressure to the caliper to stop or slow a vehicle. Commonly used types of brake fluid include DOT 3, DOT 4, DOT 5, and DOT 5.1. A higher "DOT" number indicates a higher boiling point of the fluid.

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We drained brake fluid from windshield washer reservoir with Dawn and warm water. Any other steps necessary?

On my 2013 Ford C-max, someone poured brake fluid into the windshield washer reservoir after being told the "yellow cap". Quickly realizing the mistake we disconnected the hose from the ...
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Small quantity of brake fluid got into engine oil, is this problematic?

My buddy was changing his oil yesterday and overfilled it when pouring in new oil. So he loosened the drain plug to let some out, no big deal. Problem is, he let just a bit too much out, and later ...
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Should Prius brake pedal feel firmer after replacing brake pads?

2013 Prius Plug-in I just replaced the front brake pads and rotors. On other cars I've owned, the brake pedal feels firmer after replacing pads. This one does not; there is lots of travel on the ...
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1 answer
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Can lack of brake fluid cause wheel leakage

My tuk tuk has wheelleakage this is after fluid reservoir become empty and becomes hot in the wheel
2 votes
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7k views

How to know if the brakes are rear/front or diagonally split?

I read that in general rear wheel drive vehicles have break line circuits that are rear / front split, and that front wheel drive vehicles tend to be diagonally split ((LF,RR),(RF,LR)). How useful is ...
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1 answer
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I only did a brake fluid flush on one side before I had to stop and run an errand. Do I need to start over?

I started flushing my brake fluid. I was able to do one side, but then I had to use the car to run an errand. Do I need to redo that side? Or is it okay to pick up where I left off?
5 votes
1 answer
705 views

How does the brake fluid return to reservoir in Disc Brakes after brake pedal is released?

In drum brakes i think there is a spring that returns the shoes of the drum to their original location which pushes fluid back into reservoir. However for example in the video at timestamp https://...
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1 answer
2k views

What are the signs of sticking brakes?

Since couple of days ago my car started to feel a bit more sluggish on initial launches and when i park it on a very slight slope with no handbrake pulled and gear in neutral, it doesnt start to roll ...
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1 answer
253 views

Brake Fluid Bleeding Procedure

I watched several brake bleeding procedure videos and there are so many different ways out there on top of that I also checked my vehicle manufacturers workshop manual. I am a bit confused at the ...
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3 answers
5k views

Brakes spongy after pad change

I changed the brake pads on a Hilux and after doing so, the pedal has gone very spongy. The brake fluid also seems to have risen above max. When I start the car, the first press of the brake pedal ...
2 votes
1 answer
187 views

Do I need to bleed the brakes or overhaul?

My Ecosport has done just shy of 30k kms but the brakes leave a lot to be desired. The bite is not there as my friend's car has. If I apply the brakes it feels it takes time to come to the halt, while ...
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1 answer
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Can I put DOT 4 brake fluid into DOT 3 brake?

It's a 16 Tahoe. In my owner's manual and the brake fluid reservoir cap , they say only use DOT3 brake fluid. I'm wondering if I could use DOT4 or DOT4 Low Viscosity brake fluid?
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Why won't Jaguar start after brakes failed?

2012 Jaguar XF had 4 pads/rotors replaced and I returned to shop explaining they were less responsive and required extra pressure to stop and to remain stopped. The shop looked at it and said they ...
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No brake pressure after Starting the car

I have a 2003 vw golf and i have a brake problem. After i have bleed the brakes and feel that they are working I jump in my cart to start it bu as soon as I do so it just looses all brakes and ive ...
2 votes
1 answer
247 views

2012 golf TDI brake bleeding with shared master cylinder

just a quick question. I have a 2012 VW Golf TDI with a manual transmission. I was planning on flushing the brake system and from my research I noticed that my clutch and brakes both share the same ...
8 votes
3 answers
15k views

What is the difference between DOT4 and DOT5 brake fluid?

I've been going to a lot of muscle car websites the last few days and have seen quite a few recommendations to switch over a brake system from DOT4 to DOT5. The work that's required seems to revolve ...
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2000 Honda Civic ex brake driver brake fluid

I recently changed my pads and rotors and then started to bleed my front brakes. I noticed that the passenger side fluid comes out but not the driver side. I already took the hose out and check to see ...
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1 answer
600 views

What is the difference between different (marketing?) "tiers" of brake fluid?

Looking for DOT3 brake fluid for a 2009 Toyota Venza. There are several options in store which meet the same base specifications (DOT3, Federal Standard CVSS-116 and SAE J1703) as required by the ...
2 votes
1 answer
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Why don't car brake systems generally use mineral oil as brake fluid?

Most cars use DOT brake fluid, which is hygroscopic. By absorbing moisture, it needs to be periodically changed, typically every 2 years. Thus, for example for a 20 year service life the brake fluid ...
4 votes
1 answer
18k views

How to bleed Toyota Tacoma clutch system?

Vehicle: 2007 Toyota Tacoma 4WD v6 6 speed I found this tutorial on pre-bleeding but it is generic (not vehicle specific) and I think there are differences between the cylinder it uses and Tacoma's, ...
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2 answers
3k views

Motorcycle Brake Lever - Soft Feel & Long Pull

I have a 2008 Kawasaki ER6 / Ninja 650R race bike. Within my class I must use OEM calipers & a OEM master cylinder. These components are also not allowed to be modified. As the title says, the ...
8 votes
1 answer
96k views

What actually happens when there is no brake fluid in the brake fluid reservoir?

I was curious, given that fact that a lack of engine oil can completely destroy your engine, can a lack of brake fluid completely destroy your brakes? I can imagine how that could be even worst than a ...
2 votes
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2004 Toyota Sienna soft brake woes

Been a mechanic for 20 years now. Wife has a 2004 Toyota Sienna XLE Limited AWD. This car has been a huge pain in the neck for me the entire time we have owned it. Great car, sucks to work on. A year ...
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1 answer
766 views

Does a diameter of a brake line affect braking pressure

I am currently building a brake system for a vehicle ground up and I know that the diameter of the master cylinder would affect the braking force proportionally to the area of the master cylinder. But ...
6 votes
3 answers
19k views

Is it sufficient to cycle out brake fluid as opposed to "replacing" or "flushing" it?

Let's assume I have a car with 30k miles whose service manual does not specify any interval for changing brake fluid, and the fluid is still transparent with no visible contaminants. Is it feasible ...
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1 answer
7k views

Sudden Hard Brake Pedal

I was driving home today when the brake pedal suddenly got stiffen, if i apply the brake suddenly the brake pedal is so hard that it wont go down enough to hold. I checked and find out my brake fluid ...
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2 answers
686 views

Battery drain and possible brake fluid leak

This Sunday night I left my interior light on and this morning the car didn't even open with the remote key. My friends and I tried to start it by pushing it (I have done this before a few times and ...
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3 answers
27k views

What are all the different types of fluid in a car and a short summary of their use?

A fluid is defined as anything that flows, hence for our purposes a gas or a liquid. I know that there is fuel, engine oil, engine coolant and brake fluid. Also air is normally taken in through a ...
7 votes
5 answers
153k views

Spongy brakes after brake pad swap - moisture or bubbles?

I changed the rear brake pads on my BMW last week, following the steps outlined in this video. Unfortunately the brake pedal now feels spongy. The pedal feel was firm prior to the brake swap, so it ...
3 votes
2 answers
16k views

Brake caliper leak while pushing piston back

I'm a bit worried about my front brake calipers on my MX5 MK1. I was replacing the front brake pads, and I had to push the caliper piston back in order to fit with the new pads. I used a C clamp to ...
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99 Honda Odyssey had brake fluid flushed 4700 miles (27 months) ago. Does it need to be replaced again?

99 Honda Odyssey had brake fluid flushed 4700 miles (27 months) ago. The mechanic claims that it is in serious need of replacing due to having 300+ copper parts per million (they were the ones who ...
10 votes
3 answers
49k views

Using DOT4+ in clutch/brakes when DOT3 is recommended?

Looking at Wikipedia's DOT 3 page, it looks like it's been effectively superseded by DOT 4 fluid, but it's still sold and is still recommended on many forums. This question has an answer saying DOT 4 ...
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Clutch pedal hits floor

I have a Kia Soul 2011 with 140000 km on it which I bought used at 130000 km. Since I bought it I noticed that the clutch pedal touches the floor when I press it (but it comes back up) so I checked ...
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1 answer
2k views

Container holding brake fluid is bubbling

The brake fluid container of my 2010 Honda has started to bubble (clear reservoir).
7 votes
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11k views

Brake pedal soft after changing pads

I have a 2003 Ford Focus. I decided to change the brake pads myself, as they were worn out (especially on the left side). I replaced the pads on the left side and drove a little to test them out (1&...
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3 answers
10k views

Brake master cylinder rubber seals - replaceable or not?

This is probably a completely newbie question, but it's my first car and I'm yet just learning. So my master cylinder is defective, the brake pedal sinks and even though I can live with it, it has ...
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3 answers
2k views

Is there a reason vacuum bleeding can't be done with a syringe?

So, I was looking through the auto store while picking up a mightyvac break bleeder vacuum kit. I noticed there was a syringe meant for mixing two cycle gas with a clear hose, and I thought "why am I ...
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1 answer
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Degrading factors for brake fluid and suspension oil

My bike's manual suggest that I shall change the brake fluid and the suspension oil every 2 years. I am curious if it is really time dependent (i.e. do these fluids go bad with time) or use dependent (...
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1 answer
22k views

Recommended brake fluid type for 2012 Ford Focus

My 2012 Ford Focus manual says to use DOT3 brake fluid, but the cap on the brake fluid reservoir says only use DOT4. Which one do I use?
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4k views

Does power steering fluid go bad quickly?

I've always heard that brake fluid goes bad real fast (IIRC, it absorbs the moisture in the air). What about power steering fluid? Can you buy a large container and use it over the years? Or, like ...
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2 answers
235 views

Can spongy brakes lead to skidding?

I recently flushed my non-ABS motorcycle rear brake line with new fluid using a little hand vacuum pump, but accidentally initially let the brake fluid drop below the "low" marker on the master ...
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0 answers
449 views

Stuck in neutral; throwout bearing still applied?

So, rebuilt a dodge neon. Started driving it and felt fine. Made it about 7 blocks and I hear a light click and then I'm coasting. Still goes into gears just fine, but it seems like the clutch is ...
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5 answers
51k views

Mixing DOT 4 with DOT 4 synthetic

I couldn't see an existing question about this but please link to it if you know of one ... I should point out I'm English and the products described are bought in the UK, in case it makes a ...
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2 answers
30k views

Mixing brands of DOT4 brake fluid

I have changed my DOT3 brake fluid to DOT4 brake fluid. Will it hurt to mix DOT4 fluid with another brand of DOT4 fluid?
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1 answer
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How much dirt and oil to contaminate brake-fluid?

How easy is it to contaminate brake-fluid in a car, what is the consequence, and what is the correct way to clean it? A mechanic just changed my brake-fluid. He was sloppy and did not clean the small ...
2 votes
1 answer
459 views

Brake fluid ran dry (ABS system)

I have a 2000 Dodge Durango with an ABS system. Earlier this week, I realized that one of my wheel cylinders had a leak, and I ran out of brake fluid (good thing it was not while driving). Anyways, I ...
3 votes
1 answer
4k views

Purpose of brake-fluid filter?

What is the purpose of the small filter-mesh inside the brake-fluid reservoir of a car? What is it supposed to keep out? A mechanic was changing the brake-fluid in my car and to get this small filter ...
2 votes
1 answer
570 views

Do cars have a specific brake and power steering fluid or are they universal?

I am servicing my standard hyundai coupe 2006. Things like the engine oil, air filter and coolant have to be the specific ones for your car. However what about power steering and brake fluid, I can'...
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2 answers
5k views

Brake fluid heat

When reading the excellent answer to the question Is failing to change brake fluid a life safety issue? I started to think about the physics of brake fluid heating up. The brake lines are fairly long ...
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412 views

Is failing to change brake fluid a life safety issue?

While I recognise the the brake system in my car is redundant, is it possible that failure to replace brake fluid could result in a fatal accident? or is there sufficient redundancy and warning ...