How to Bleed Brakes?

How to Bleed Brakes?

If your brakes are starting to feel spongy when you hit them on Caledon streets, it’s possible you’ve gotten air in your system. If you’re wondering how to bleed brakes by yourself, read on for a thorough overview of the steps on how to bleed brakes. To be frank, the process of brake bleeding is more involved than it sounds, and if you feel out of your depth, don’t be shy. The Mercedes-Benz Brampton service centre is here to help with a bevy of service specials to make most maintenance and repairs exceptionally affordable.

Why is Bleeding the Brakes Important?

If you’re wondering how to bleed your brake lines, the first step is to understand why you should regularly bleed them in the first place. Simply put, the moisture resistance of your brake fluid will wear down over time and begin to absorb air. When you get air into your brake system, it’s going to make stepping on your brake pedal feel soft and spongy. If you want your brakes to remain responsive and firm, you should bleed them from time to time. Let’s take a quick look at how to bleed brakes.

How to Bleed Brakes By Yourself

The first thing that Orangeville drivers should do when following our steps for how to bleed brakes is to gather a box-end wrench, a fluid holder and tubing, some brake fluid, and an assistant to help you out. Once you’ve assembled all of your tools, follow these instructions on brake bleeding:

Step 1:

You’ll first want to check your owner’s manual to identify the correct type of brake fluid that your car uses, as well as the correct interval for how often you should flush it.

Step 2:

Once you’ve verified that you have the correct fluid, find solid, level ground and jack up your car. Once it’s raised, remove all of your wheels.

Step 3:

Locate the brake bleeding screws of your calipers and loosen them. If they’re stubborn, don’t twist hard with your wrench. Instead, keep oiling the screws until you loosen them with a gentler touch. If these screws strip or snap in the process, do not proceed further. Reach out to our garage immediately.

Step 4:

Once loosened, tighten the screws again. Brake bleeding is a slow process. You need to bleed each one individually. The other three screws will need to be tight while you bleed one brake in order to avoid air bubbles.

Step 5:

Next up, you’ll want to pop your hood and take a look at the master cylinder reservoir brake fluid level. As you bleed your brakes, leave the master cylinder cap slightly unscrewed but still attached. The first brake that you’ll want to bleed is one furthest from the master cylinder. That said, consult your owner’s manual. In rare cases, your vehicle may require a different order.

Step 6:

You’ll then want to secure the end of the clear tubing you gathered earlier over the bleeder screw of the first brake. Then take the other end of the tubing and place it over a catch of some sort. If you purchase a brake bleeding kit from any auto store, it will have all the tools you need! Make sure that the tubing end can fully cover the bleed screw entirely so that no air moves back into your brake line as you siphon it out.

Step 7:

This is the step where you’ll need some help from a friend. First, turn off your car engine. Then, ask your friend to pump the brake pedal a few times until they feel resistance pushing back against the pedal. Ask them to keep pressure on the brake pedal. As they do this, unfasten the bleeder screw. Fluid will shoot through the tube and the pedal will begin to lower. Make sure that your helper continues to apply pressure to the brakes!

Step 8:

Make sure your helper notifies you the second the pedal lowers all the way to the floor. You’ll want to close the bleed screw immediately. Once you’ve done that, check the master fluid reservoir once again.

Step 9:

Repeat the last two steps five times for each bleeder screw.

Step 10:

Once you’ve bled all of your brakes, have your helper apply the brakes again, and then quickly release the pedal. As they do that, check the fluid in the master cylinder reservoir. If it’s bubbling significantly, there’s still air in the system, and you will need to repeat the above steps again. If the fluid just stirs slightly, you’re fine.

Step 11:

Tighten the bleeder screws one more time before you put your wheels back on to make sure that they’re securely fastened. Remember not to use too much strength.

Have Questions about How To Bleed Brakes?

If these steps on how to bleed your brakes seem a little confusing, Caledon drivers can contact our service centre for tips by calling us. We’re more than happy to help. That said, 99% of drivers should leave this somewhat complex job to our mechanics. After all, your brake system is your vehicle’s most important safety system. Do you have other questions about car care? Take a minute to explore our parts tips and tricks for more reads about how to keep your car healthy in the cold and others!

2024 Mercedes-Benz Sprinter Cargo Van 4500

2024 Mercedes-Benz Sprinter Cargo Van 4500
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Photo for illustrative purposes only.

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