# Brake Fluid Leak **URL:** \ **Category:** Maintenance/Repairs\ **Tags:** fluids, volkswagen, passat, brakes, leaks\ **Created:** [December 27, 2009, 8:09pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/brake-fluid-leak/41343 "2009-12-27T20:09:30Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 4\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![tedschrey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/cab0a1/32.png) [@tedschrey](https://community.cartalk.com/u/tedschrey)\ **Post date:** [December 27, 2009, 8:09pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/brake-fluid-leak/41343/1 "2009-12-27T20:09:30Z")
There is a clear, yellow-tan fluid leaking. Sniff test on the newspaper under the car give little odor. I think it is brake fluid… topped off the reservoir to check. Leak seem to be under the break reservoir area, but not positive. Are brake line leaks an expensive fix? ---
**Author:** ![BustedKnuckles](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/bustedknuckles/32/25_2.png) [@BustedKnuckles](https://community.cartalk.com/u/BustedKnuckles)\ **Post date:** [December 27, 2009, 8:19pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/brake-fluid-leak/41343/2 "2009-12-27T20:19:09Z")
Not as expensive as a brake failure. In traffic. With the van full of pre-schoolers in front of you. Hang the cost. Get it fixed. ---
**Author:** ![VDCdriver](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/vdcdriver/32/30_2.png) [@VDCdriver](https://community.cartalk.com/u/VDCdriver)\ **Post date:** [December 27, 2009, 8:31pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/brake-fluid-leak/41343/3 "2009-12-27T20:31:46Z")
BustedKnuckes is absolutely correct. This is not the type of repair that one debates about. Either get it fixed tomorrow or park the car until you have the funds to repair it. ---
**Author:** ![Docnick](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ecae2f/32.png) [@Docnick](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Docnick)\ **Post date:** [December 27, 2009, 11:15pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/brake-fluid-leak/41343/4 "2009-12-27T23:15:35Z")
Losing your brakes is a scary situation. It happened to me on a Chevy with no dual master cylinder, and leaf springs in the rear. A spring broke and cut through the brake fluid line just as I was descending a steep hill with a T junction at the bottom! Once the pedal went to the floor, I downshifted to second gear (manual), and started pulling the hand brake (no step-on brake on these old car). I brought the car to a stop and pulled off the road. Luckily I could get a local garage to fix it since it was on the weekend. Moral; you don’t fool around with brakes.