So, I‘m trying to sell my 97 Honda civic hatchback. I had someone look at it today and he pointed out to me that the brake fluid was half full. It‘s my understanding that the fluid doesn‘t evaporate. The last time it was all looked at was Nov 08 brakes where changed and the fluid was topped up as far as I know. I also heard that the fluid will go down when you need to replace the brakes. I haven‘t seen any leakage. Also when I had the brakes changed Nov 08 the back wheel brake on the drivers side has always squeaked for the first lil bit of driving it, then it goes away. I asked a mech friend of mine and he said that the garage prob put that brake on to close to the wheel. I‘m so confused because I haven‘t noticed a difference in the brakes performance. Anyone have any ideas for me? I‘ll include more info if asked. thanks a lot!
I suspect worn out brake pads and shoes. its been 2 years! there is different ways to tell if there is a leak. Rear 1. remove tires and brake drums. look at where the brake cylinder holds the brake shoes(12 o clock) if it looks damp or wet that is the problem if not, spray clean everything there with water. let it dry once it looks clean go for a drive. remove tire and drums again if you see fluid around the brake cylinder, then obviously there is a leak, Front remove front tires and remove brake caliper bracket look at the center of brake caliper, there is a rubber seal there and a metal piece(brake piston) in the center if the rubber piece around the piston is wet then its bad. you can always visit a recommended shop and have them do a free brake inspection. if the problem is just worn out brakes you can either reduce the price of the car a bit or have then serviced and increase the price a bit as well. Brake Master Cylinder and Brake Booster visual inspection the BMC is the one where you add the brake fluid. the Brake Booster is the round black thing behind it. look where the BMC meets the BB( 6 o clock) if that area is wet the BMC is defective. if you look inside the car towards the BB there is a rod that is pushed inside the BB by the brake pedal if that area is wet as well the MBC is defective. gl
NEVER ADD BRAKE FLUID!! The brake master cylinder is designed to hold just the right amount of brake fluid for your brake system. There are two things to note. 1) As the brake pads wear out, the calipers piston has to move farther out to press on the brake pads. As the piston moves farther out, the area behind the piston becomes filled with more fluid from the master cylinder, and the level of fluid in the master cylinder goes down. When the fluid level in the master cylinder gets too low, a light should come on indicating that your brake fluid is low. That does NOT mean you need to add brake fluid. It means your brake pads are VERY close to being worn out. 2) If you add brake fluid today, and have your brakes done tomorrow, when the mechanic compresses the caliper piston ALL the excess brake fluid is going to spill out of the master cylinder all over the engine compartment and make a huge mess. Not to mention ruining your car. Just a note: Brake fluid does not evaporate. So, unless you have a leak, NEVER add brake fluid. ADDED: How many miles have you driven it since the brake job? Perhaps they have some wear on them? I would be concerned if the reservoir was EMPTY. But half full, that's normal if you actually drive the car.
I asked a mech friend of mine and he said that the garage prob put that brake on to close to the wheel. The read could have been adjusted a little tight, but sounds like it has self adjusted. The fluid will go down with ware on the shoes and pads. Look for any leaks, if you find none you are ok.
