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Brakes
Brake Fluid
The brake master
cylinder and, on manual
transmission vehicles,
the clutch hydraulic
system use the same
reservoir. The reservoir
is filled with DOT-3
brake fluid.
See Engine Compartment Overview on page 278
for the location of the reservoir.
There are only two reasons why the brake fluid
level in the reservoir might go down. The first
is that the brake fluid goes down to an acceptable
level during normal brake lining wear. When
new linings are put in, the fluid level goes back
up. The other reason is that fluid is leaking out of
the brake and/or clutch hydraulic system. If it
is, you should have the brake and/or clutch system
fixed, since a leak means that sooner or later
the brakes and/or clutch will not work well.
So, it is not a good idea to top off the brake/clutch
fluid. Adding fluid will not correct a leak. If you
add fluid when the brake linings are worn, you will
have too much fluid when you get new brake
linings. You should add or remove fluid, as
necessary, only when work is done on the
brake/clutch hydraulic system.
{CAUTION:
If your vehicle has too much brake fluid, it
can spill on the engine. The fluid will burn
if the engine is hot enough. You or others
could be burned, and your vehicle could
be damaged. Add brake fluid only when
work is done on the brake and/or clutch
hydraulic system.
When the brake fluid falls to a low level, the brake
warning light will come on. See Brake System
Warning Light on page 167.
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