Brake Fluid

This is a very common picture of a brake master cylinder. It is located under the hood on the left side (driver’s side) in the engine compartment, back near the firewall. The firewall separates the driver from the engine compartment. The picture to the right shows three components. The reservoir holds extra brake fluid for the brake system. It is designed to hold a specific amount of fluid. A common mistake during an oil change is for the lube technician to top off this reservoir. REQUEST ONLY TO INSPECT THE CONDITION AND LEVEL. DO NOT ADD FLUID. The reason for this is, as the break lining wears, the brake fluid level drops in the reservoir. If the level drops too low the fluid level sensor will warn the driver to check the brakes. There are two reasons for the level to drop and trip the sensor. One is a leak in the system. The other is lining wear. So anytime the light comes on the complete break system needs to be inspected!


A good rule of thumb is to have a BRAKE FLUID FLUSH every couple years regardless of mileage. Brake fluid attracts moisture, and this moisture can rust the inside of the brake system. This moisture was not that big a deal ten years ago, but on ABS brake systems of today, the rust and other debris that accumulates in the fluid can do a lot of internal damage. This can be very costly. Brake fluid can break down over time from excess heat that is created from within the brake system. The fluid can also absorb moisture over a period of time from condensation making is useless or even harmful to the system.