ok, so heres the problem. i have a ‘98 taurus lx edition. great car, great condition. however, recently the brakes have gotten weird in a hurry, and im worried theyre going to cause me to wreck. i just got brand new drum brakes a couple months ago in the rear, and the front pads, although i havent checked them lately, are under a year in age. suddenly, when i try to brake, i have to put my brake pedal almost to the floor to get any stopping power, and it feels like its grinding terribly. my rotors are slightly pitted, but they have been for a long time, so im not sure its that. as for having to put so much pressure down, my only theory is i need to add brake fluid. if thats the case, how to i put the brake fluid in, what kind does my car need? thank you all )
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. Have your brakes serviced.
Sounds like you have a hydraulic problem. Check the fluid in the master cylinder (it is under the hood right in front of the driver. Plastic reservoir with black cap.) If it's low add Dot 3 or Dot 4 fluid. You may also have a leak in the system. Any leaks will cause a low pedal
Could be many things. A broken brake hose is the first suspect. Go to ANY available shop and have things visually inspected. The rear brakes may NOT have been properly adjusted (drum). Brake fluid levels go down due to wear on friction components of brake system. USE ONLY GENUINE FORD BRAKE FLUID, to prevent chemical reactions within the brake system. DONT use universal brake fluid, it can cause piston seal and master seal decomposition. YOu may just need to have your thinned rotors replaced.Get an inspection, and bring your own Ford brake fluid!!!
