Help on EXCESS BRAKE FLUID USEAGE?

rab4jc

Registered User
My brakes appear to work FINE, but then the TWO lights on the dash ABS and 'something' else, red and amber anyway, COME ON,
the red one first, then a few days later the red one. So, then tired of seeing the 'lights' I check the BRAKE FLUID LEVEL, and its VERY LOW, taking almost 1 qt. of fluid. I checked the pads front and rear, they are OK. DOES ANYONE HAVE ANY IDEA WHY THE EXCESSIVE FLUID LOSS?? This has been happening for the last 1 and a half years.
 
Get it up on a lift.

Check all the lines and fittings. You should find fluid leaking somewhere. Brake fluid doesn't evaporate. ;)
 
Check the backs of all of the tires to look for fluid. That would come from a blown caliper piston or broken line.

Check for fluid on the ground.

None of that? Have you only had to fill the master cylinder once? Did it drop any more? If it only took it once or twice, you have no leaks, and it doesn't need anymore, it could be that the Acumulator has failed. The accumulator is nitrogen gas filled seperated from the brake fluid by a rubber membrane or bladder. If the rubber membrane or bladder fails, the nitrogen gas escapes leaving a void in the brake system that needs to be taken up by additional fluid.

The failure of this part also causes your ABS light to come on often as the acumulator acts as a pressure storage device in the ABS braking system. Without that, the ABS pump struggles to keep high pressure for the entire time it is needed.
 
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