Hello, I am trying to start to use a car that has been sitting for 5 years. The engine runs and the electrical system works fine still because i put a new battery in. Drive and reverse seem to work. The only problem are the brakes. They do not work right now. When I press on the brake in neutral it starts to make a hissing sound like its blowing out air. I was suggested to put brake fluid in the car because it may be dried out. What do you think is the problem? Is there any other problems I should expect? Price Range? It is a 1993 Lincoln Mark VIII.
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the hissing sound could be the brake booster ! if the brake fluid keeps going down then check all brake lines and hoses for any leaks ! also the master cylinder might be leaking fluid back into the brake booster because of the rear master cylinder seal leaking !
You need to get someone to push the brake and you look under the bonnets with the engine running. You should hear the noise it will be a vacuum hose, so listen and look. If you see a crack or Broken hose put your finger over it or round it it should stop it. Then you need to replace it. Sometimes it is at the push on joint and you can just cut the fractured end off and refit without replacing the hose. Other wise it could be the power booster, but that does not happen very often.
Brake fluid does not tend to dry out. They do deteriorate and because brake fluid absorbs moisture (aka water) it will also lose it's viscosity. I strongly suggest you flush out your entire brake fluid system. Additionally, if you had the car sitting for 5 years you have to understand parts will start rusting on your brake system. Your brake calipers might be seized causing the vacuum pressure in your brake booster to hiss. But then again, your brake booster diaphragm might just be worn causing a leak (since it was sitting for 5 years). Because the diaphragm is rubber it also deteriorates over time. Or the vacuum hoses for your brakes could be cracked/worn as well. You should really bring your vehicle to a reputable shop and have them check it out. I cannot give you a price range because there are so many variable at play. It could be something cheap like $50 bucks all the way into the hundreds.
