Do you suspect that your vehicle may have a leaky brake
system? Is your brake fluid level just a little bit low? Well, one explanation
for the low fluid level may be relatively simple: If your vehicle has worn brake
pads or brake shoes, the fluid level in your brake fluid reservoir will be
low.
Your braking system is comprised of series of rubber and
steel hoses, check valves, pistons and cylinders. They're all joined together,
and work in concert to slow and stop your vehicle. It may help you to
understand it all a little better if you imagine your brake system as a
cardiovascular system, pumping blood to several different areas of the body.
The vehicle's master cylinder acts as the heart and pumps brake fluid through
brake lines to the extremities, in this case, the calipers
and drums. This is where a lot of brake problems originate. At all four corners
of your vehicle, brake lines -- with fittings that serve to connect the master
cylinder to the different parts of the brake system that actually slow or stop
your wheels -- quite simply, can leak.
To properly diagnose a brake leak, you must first locate the leaking
point. The best way to do this is by parking your vehicle on a level
surface for a couple of hours, then observing the position of the brake
fluid that has accumulated beneath the vehicle. This will give you an
idea as to which fitting may be the culprit. If you find that the puddle
of brake fluid is beneath the rear of the engine -- not near one of the
wheels -- you may have a leak somewhere in (or near) the master
cylinder.
Whatever the situation, if you have a brake fluid leak, you
need to find and repair it as soon as possible. If you don't address the
problem, your vehicle will eventually run out of brake fluid, just Remember,
brake fluid is essential for the brake system to operate properly.
Content credited to: http://auto.howstuffworks.com
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