How to Loosen and Bleed Automotive Brakes

You should always maintain your car well, especially your brakes. Bleeding the brakes helps your brakes work properly and keeps the brake fluid fresh. Every time you work on your brakes, you should bleed them because it removes air from the lines and helps remove moisture-contaminated brake fluid.

Difficulty: Moderately Challenging

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Wrench

1. Raise your vehicle so that the tire is a few inches off the ground. A floor jack and safety stand work well, if you don't have a hydraulic lift. Remove your tire with a tire iron or a pneumatic gun.

2. Locate the caliper housing if you're doing disc brakes. The caliper sits on the router.

3. Find the bleeder screw above the caliper. The bleeder screw has a rubber cap on it and when you remove the cap, you'll see a nut and a little hole where the brake fluid will come out of.

4. Find another person to help you for a few minutes. Ask your assistant to get in the vehicle and step on the brakes.

5. Loosen the bleeder screw and wait for fluid to drain for a few seconds. Tighten the screw again. Be sure to do this while your assistant is still pressing the brake. It will prevent air from getting into the brake lines.

6. Continue Steps 2 and 3 until you get a spurt of brake fluid.

7. Repeat Steps 1 to 6 on the other three wheels.

Tips & Warnings

• To bleed brakes faster, you can pressure bleed them. Attach a pressure tank to the master cylinder reservoir to force the brake fluid through the lines quickly. You'll need to make sure you have the right adapter.
• Brake fluid is corrosive. Don't spill any on your car or yourself.