Can you see brake fluid leak?
Locating a brake fluid leak is usually just a simple matter of looking for visual cues around the vehicle. Sometimes, the leaks will be obvious and will show up as a puddle or as drips of some sort along the underside of the vehicle near one of the vehicle’s four corners.
What does brake fluid leak look like?
Brake fluid tends to have a light yellow to brownish color and leaves a slippery residue on your fingers when touched. If you can follow the path of the leak back to the brake lines or master cylinder under the center of the car or the rotors or drums near the wheels, brake fluid is likely leaking.
Where do you check the brake fluid level?
On most cars, the master cylinder is located at the back of the engine bay, on the driver’s side. There’s a reservoir above the cylinder itself. Check the fluid level in the reservoir. On most newer cars, the reservoir is transparent, with lines marked “Min” and “Max”; the brake fluid level should fall between these lines.
Where does the brake fluid go if there is no leak?
Feel around behind & below the brake pedal and feel the carpet, and you may notice it being wet if the leak has gone on for a while. Otherwise, if you lose fluid and have no leak around the outside, it’s going into the brake booster. Good luck!
What are the lines on a brake fluid reservoir?
On most newer cars, the reservoir is transparent, with lines marked “Min” and “Max”; the brake fluid level should fall between these lines. Cars older than the 1980s may have metal reservoirs, requiring you to remove the reservoir cap.
What should I do if my brake fluid is brown?
It is also possible to have the brake fluid reservoir full and not have the brake fluid reaching the master cylinder. If your brakes feel spongy even with the reservoir full, take your car to a mechanic. Check the brake fluid color. Normally, brake fluid is brown.