Brakes

Maintenance/Repairs
1

I have a 1996 Dodge Interpid 3.3L. Yesterday the brake became soft when I push on them. I checked for leaks and didn’t find any. Tried to bleed them thinking many be air got in the lines some how. When I opened the value and started th bleed them the fluid started to come out from the master clc. cap. Now the brakes go to the floor.

2

If you didn’t keep adding brake fluid to the reservoir as you bled the brake you likely have drawn air into the system.

It takes two people to do this properly and at least a QUART OR MORE FLUID.

3

Have the car towed to a professional before you kill yourself or someone else…

4

sounds like you don’t have the procedure down pat for bleeding out brakes and changing brake fluid and have made the car undriveable at this point.

5

Brakes are kind of important. If you are not 100% certain of what you are doing, you should not be working on he brakes. Especially if you ever drive behind my car. I agree with a tow to the shop.

6

Two part reply

  1. IF you have ABS, there may be special requirements when you bleed the brakes.

  2. If you want to bleed your own brakes, go to the FLAPS (friendly local auto parts store) and buy a power bleeding kit. I think that works better than the old have a friend pump and hold the brakes while you open and close the bleeders.

BUT if you want to do it, here is the correct procedure. Start at the wheel farthest from the reservoir, have your friend pump the pedal a couple of times, then while you open the bleeder, your friend pushes and hold the pedal to the floor. You then tighten the bleeder and your friend releases the pedal. Continue the pump and hold until only fresh clean fluid come out. MAKE SURE THE RESERVOIR STAYS FULL!!!. If the reservoir get too low, you will have to start over because air will be introduced into the system.
Now move to the next wheel, repeat, then the next, and the next.

7

If the fluid was squirting up like a geyser out of the master cylinder when you step on the brakes, I would think you need a new master cylinder. The only exception might be if you have ABS, but I’ve never seen ABS cause this either. I really think the seal between the front and rear chambers of the MC has blown.