How To Do a Complete Brake Flush and Bleed

Mar 8, 2021

Your brakes are probably the most important part of your car. And no matter how up to date the brake parts that car has, they are no better than the least expensive component in its brake system — the brake fluid.

If your brake fluid is bad, you can take your car to a shop and spend the big bucks they charge.

But can you learn from auto YouTuber Chris Fix and do it yourself?

In this video, you will learn:

What causes water to build up in brake fluid, and what that can cause.
Why and how you need to do a complete brake flush.
How to perform a brake flush even if you don’t have anyone to help you.

Before watching the video, here is some important information Chris says you need to be aware of.

Why You Need a Brake Flush

Unfortunately, too many drivers wait until their brakes, rotors or pads fail and must be replaced — or worse. Even if you replace your car’s brake pads and other components when needed, you may still question if you really need to flush your brake system on a regular basis.

The answer is, absolutely. While your local mechanic or brake shop generally charges more than $150, you can do the same thing for the cost of a used water bottle, a bit of plastic tubing, and new brake fluid.

The reason you should follow the steps in this video is that brake fluid plays an essential role in your car’s overall brake system.

Brake fluid is hygroscopic, meaning it absorbs water (around 3% of its weight in water each year) causing air bubbles to form over time. A brake flush not only removes old, dirty brake fluid from your brake system but the air bubbles that can cause a sudden unexpected brake failure.

How a Brake Flush Works

The Two-man Method

First, you locate the brake fluid reservoir and remove all the old fluid. One person pumps the brakes and then holds down the brake pedal while another person opens the valve and old brake fluid empties into the container.

The One-man Method

In this video, Chris shows how you can use an empty water bottle to perform the same procedure by yourself.

With either method, the process of pumping and holding down the brake pedal is repeated until the container shows that clean, new fluid has reached all four brakes. You must always conduct a road test to ensure your brakes are working optimally.

Getting the most out of your car isn’t just about mileage. It means doing the simple things that ensure the most important parts are protected.

If you want to learn everything you need to know about your auto, check out its Vehicle History.

Frequently Asked Questions

May 10, 2022

Which wheel do you bleed first when bleeding brakes?

When you are changing out your brake fluid or installing a new set of brakes on your vehicle you should bleed the lines in the correct order. The first line that you should bleed would be the one that is farthest from the brake booster and cylinder. Most vehicles have the brake system on the driver's side of the car so it is best to start with the rear passenger wheel.

If your vehicle has brake equipment on the passenger side in the engine compartment, you should start with the rear driver wheel. Once you have completed bleeding to one of the wheels you will want to move to the other rear wheel. After that rear wheel is done you will want to move to the front.

When bleeding the fronts should also start with the front wheel that is farthest from the brake equipment, and wrap up with the closest wheel. Bleeding your brakes is important to do whenever you work with the fluid since air can be introduced into the lines.

Can I drive with air in my brake lines?

You should never drive with air in your brake lines at all. This is a dangerous thing to do since it can affect the brake feel on your car. Often there are small bubbles that develop in brake lines when you work on them and some people ignore these. This is a dangerous practice because all of these small bubbles can join together over time and become one large bubble.

Having a bubble in your brake lines will result in the brake system not working right. If there is air then the brakes will pulse on and off as they gain and lose hydraulic pressure. The air does not have enough pressure to actuate the calipers on your brakes.

When you drive with air in your brake lines you are just increasing the chances of getting into an accident. You also will usually notice that you have a longer braking distance than when your lines are free from air bubbles.

Why does my brake pedal go to the floor after bleeding?

When your brake pedal goes all the way to the floor after bleeding that is a sign that there is a problem with one of the pistons in the brake master cylinder. If this is the case you should try pumping your brakes rapidly to see if the piston in the master cylinder frees up, or it could be a sign that the master cylinder will need to be replaced with a new one.

Another thing that you should check if your pedal goes all the way to the floor after bleeding the lines is the brake fluid level. As you bleed you do lose some brake fluid so it is important to make sure that everything is properly filled. If it is low be sure to top it off with some more fluid and try again.

If your pedal goes all the way to the floor and neither of those is the problem then there is likely air in the lines and you will need to start over and re-bleed the system. Bleeding brakes can be time-consuming and frustrating if air gets introduced to the lines.

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Tim G