How to Bleed Brake Lines
Confirm you need to bleed the brake lines., Position your car on a flat surface., Take off any hubcaps and raise the car and secure it on jack stands., Release the hood and locate the Master Cylinder brake fluid reservoir., Eliminate the old, dirty...
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Confirm you need to bleed the brake lines.
The sinking brake pedal often does mean the brake lines need to be bled.
However, it is very important to confirm that the sinking pedal is not caused by something else.
Try this simple test when you are stopped and waiting at a red light.
With your foot, keep an even pressure on the brake pedal.
Does the pedal sink lower, even a little bit? If so, then you should have your car's brake system inspected by an ASE Certified Master Auto Technician to confirm the root cause is not something else.
If the pedal holds constant pressure, then there is no air in the system.
A sinking brake pedal could also be caused by other things that could be very dangerous.
For example, brake pedals can also sink if there is a hydraulic problem, like a failing master cylinder, a leaking rear wheel cylinder, a bad caliper or bad ABS.
So it is important to rule out these dangerous possibilities via professional inspection before proceeding. -
Step 2: Position your car on a flat surface.
Cars with automatic transmissions should be in park and those with standard transmissions should be in first gear.
The emergency (or parking) brake should be on at all times. , Remove all four wheels. , It's a fist size (or larger) transparent container that is bolted to the firewall on the driver’s side of the car.
It will be connected to an aluminum object the has metal tubes coming out of its sides.
These metal lines are the brake lines that direct the hydraulic brake fluid to your individual wheels.
There the brake fluid activates either the disc or drum brake components that stop your car. , Fill the Master Cylinder with fresh, clean brake fluid, making sure that it's the proper type for your car.
If you have questions, ask the parts person to look up your car's brake fluid when you purchase it. , Using a box-end wrench, loosen the bleeder screw.
Take a piece of rubber vacuum hose and put it on to the end of the bleeder screw and put the other end into an empty clear plastic bottle. , Have your partner pump the brakes slowly until the dirty fluid comes out of the brakes lines and into the bottle.
Allow enough fluid to exit so that the end of rubber hose is submerged in brake fluid. (Check the Master Cylinder frequently to make sure there is plenty of brake fluid.) , Close the bleeder screw with the wrench and have your partner pump the pedal 3 times and hold it.
Open up the bleeder screw briefly to allow the brake fluid to exit the rubber hose.
Have your partner tell you when the brake pedal is on the floor, and, have him/her keep it there while you close the bleeder screw.
Repeat this process two more times. (Remember periodically check the Master Cylinder fluid level, so it does not go dry!) After the third time, tighten the bleeder screw and repeat this process on the other three wheels and, in this order; Left Rear, Right Front and Left Front.
Depending on the vehicle, the bleeding procedure will vary in which wheel is bled first, second and so on.
The above sequence will work for a large portion of vehicles, however you should check with a website like Alldata or similar to verify bleeding sequence. , With the engine off, have your partner push down on the brake pedal and go around to all four wheels and check for leaks.
Then, push the brake pedal with your foot.
It should travel about 1–3 inches (2.5–7.6 cm) and stop.
The brake pedal should feel very hard at this stopping point. , Remember that brake fluid is considered hazardous waste and therefore should never be poured down the sink or toilet, onto the ground in your yard, in the garbage, or down the sewer drain or septic tank.Talk with your local auto shop or look for a household hazardous waste (HHW) recycling collection site., Lower the vehicle to the ground and properly torque the lug nuts.
Replace the hub caps if necessary. , If there are still problems, have your car inspected by an ASE Certified Master Auto Tech. -
Step 3: Take off any hubcaps and raise the car and secure it on jack stands.
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Step 4: Release the hood and locate the Master Cylinder brake fluid reservoir.
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Step 5: Eliminate the old
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Step 6: dirty brake fluid that is present in the Master Cylinder Reservoir.
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Step 7: Go to the right rear wheel
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Step 8: wipe off any dirt from the brake bleeder screw area and remove its rubber dust cap.
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Step 9: Hold onto the box wrench while holding the plastic bottle.
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Step 10: When the brake fluid becomes clear
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Step 11: direct your partner to hold the pedal to the floor.
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Step 12: In order to make sure your brakes are not spongy and there aren't any leaks in the system
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Step 13: perform this test when your are finished bleeding the brakes.
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Step 14: Get rid of any surplus brake fluid in a proper and safe manner.
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Step 15: Replace all four wheels and hand-tighten all the lug nuts.
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Step 16: Go for a test drive to verify that the brakes are functioning correctly.
Detailed Guide
The sinking brake pedal often does mean the brake lines need to be bled.
However, it is very important to confirm that the sinking pedal is not caused by something else.
Try this simple test when you are stopped and waiting at a red light.
With your foot, keep an even pressure on the brake pedal.
Does the pedal sink lower, even a little bit? If so, then you should have your car's brake system inspected by an ASE Certified Master Auto Technician to confirm the root cause is not something else.
If the pedal holds constant pressure, then there is no air in the system.
A sinking brake pedal could also be caused by other things that could be very dangerous.
For example, brake pedals can also sink if there is a hydraulic problem, like a failing master cylinder, a leaking rear wheel cylinder, a bad caliper or bad ABS.
So it is important to rule out these dangerous possibilities via professional inspection before proceeding.
Cars with automatic transmissions should be in park and those with standard transmissions should be in first gear.
The emergency (or parking) brake should be on at all times. , Remove all four wheels. , It's a fist size (or larger) transparent container that is bolted to the firewall on the driver’s side of the car.
It will be connected to an aluminum object the has metal tubes coming out of its sides.
These metal lines are the brake lines that direct the hydraulic brake fluid to your individual wheels.
There the brake fluid activates either the disc or drum brake components that stop your car. , Fill the Master Cylinder with fresh, clean brake fluid, making sure that it's the proper type for your car.
If you have questions, ask the parts person to look up your car's brake fluid when you purchase it. , Using a box-end wrench, loosen the bleeder screw.
Take a piece of rubber vacuum hose and put it on to the end of the bleeder screw and put the other end into an empty clear plastic bottle. , Have your partner pump the brakes slowly until the dirty fluid comes out of the brakes lines and into the bottle.
Allow enough fluid to exit so that the end of rubber hose is submerged in brake fluid. (Check the Master Cylinder frequently to make sure there is plenty of brake fluid.) , Close the bleeder screw with the wrench and have your partner pump the pedal 3 times and hold it.
Open up the bleeder screw briefly to allow the brake fluid to exit the rubber hose.
Have your partner tell you when the brake pedal is on the floor, and, have him/her keep it there while you close the bleeder screw.
Repeat this process two more times. (Remember periodically check the Master Cylinder fluid level, so it does not go dry!) After the third time, tighten the bleeder screw and repeat this process on the other three wheels and, in this order; Left Rear, Right Front and Left Front.
Depending on the vehicle, the bleeding procedure will vary in which wheel is bled first, second and so on.
The above sequence will work for a large portion of vehicles, however you should check with a website like Alldata or similar to verify bleeding sequence. , With the engine off, have your partner push down on the brake pedal and go around to all four wheels and check for leaks.
Then, push the brake pedal with your foot.
It should travel about 1–3 inches (2.5–7.6 cm) and stop.
The brake pedal should feel very hard at this stopping point. , Remember that brake fluid is considered hazardous waste and therefore should never be poured down the sink or toilet, onto the ground in your yard, in the garbage, or down the sewer drain or septic tank.Talk with your local auto shop or look for a household hazardous waste (HHW) recycling collection site., Lower the vehicle to the ground and properly torque the lug nuts.
Replace the hub caps if necessary. , If there are still problems, have your car inspected by an ASE Certified Master Auto Tech.
About the Author
Stephanie Hill
Writer and educator with a focus on practical lifestyle knowledge.
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