How to Bleed Brakes

Having properly working brakes is crucial for safe driving around Cabo Rojo. That makes brake service incredibly important. Generally, brake service includes many smaller repairs to keep the overall brake system in working order, and one of those tasks is brake bleeding. This brake service is necessary when there is air trapped in your car’s brake system. Curious about how to bleed brakes? The process isn’t terribly complicated, but it can be time-consuming. We recommend scheduling brake bleeding service at the Lexus de Ponce service center, but still, it’s important to know what brake bleeding entails. Discover how to bleed brakes by yourself in this guide from Lexus de Ponce so that you can drive confidently around Cabo Rojo.

Why is Bleeding the Brakes Important? 

Bleeding the brakes is an essential component of overall brake care. As brake fluid wears down, its moisture resistance lessens, which causes the fluid to begin to absorb water. What’s more, air can also enter the brake system, which makes the brake feel soft or spongy when you press it. Both instances can present safety issues on the Mayaguez roads, so you need to bleed the brakes to help remove any trapped air and restore a firmer feel for the brake pedal.

How to Bleed Brakes By Yourself 

Interested in bleeding the brakes on your car at home? Make sure you have brake fluid, a box-end wrench, a fluid holder and tubing, and someone who can assist you throughout the process. Once you have these materials ready, follow these steps on how to bleed brakes by yourself.

Step 1: 

Confirm that you have the correct brake fluid. Your owner’s manual should have this information, along with the replacement intervals for brake fluid for your vehicle. There are different types of brake fluid available, so it’s important to know what kind your vehicle requires.

Step 2: 

On solid and level ground, jack up your car and remove all wheels.

Step 3: 

Locate the four caliper bleeding screws. Loosen them, and tighten them again.

If the screws don’t loosen immediately, spray them with penetrating oil and wait about 30 minutes before trying again. Don’t attempt to twist the wrench harder. If you discover that a screw strips or snaps, bring your car to our service center immediately.

Step 4: 

Check the master cylinder reservoir’s brake fluid level under the hood of your car. Add more fluid if needed. Keep the cap unscrewed on the master cylinder reservoir while you bleed the brakes.

Step 6: 

Secure one end of a piece of clear tubing (about 1/4 inch in diameter) over the first bleeder screw, and put the other end into a plastic bottle or other receptacle. The tubing should be long enough that you can place the bottle above the bleeder screw’s height to avoid air returning to the brake caliper.

Step 7: 

Ask your helper to pump the brake pedal several times until they feel resistance. At this point, they should keep pressure on the pedal. Meanwhile, you will open the bleeder screw slightly, allowing fluid to move through the tube. The pedal will begin dropping closer to the floor, and your helper must continue to apply pressure.

Step 8: 

Ask that your helper notifies you just before the pedal reaches the floor. When they do, you will need to tighten the bleeder screw immediately. Check the brake fluid level under the hood and add more if needed.

Step 9: 

Repeat steps 7 and 8 about five times at the same bleeder screw or until the fluid stream has no bubbles.

Step 10: 

Then, repeat steps 7, 8, and 9 on the remaining three screws in the correct order. Check your owner’s manual or consult a technician for guidance on what order to bleed your brakes.

Step 11: 

Once you have bled all four brakes, have your helper apply the brakes and quickly release the pedal. As they do this, observe the fluid in the master cylinder reservoir. If you notice the fluid is bubbling significantly, then there is still air in the brake system, and your job isn’t done. However, if the fluid moves only slightly, then you’ve successfully bled the brakes.

Step 12: 

Before reinstalling your wheels, tighten the bleeder screws. Apply just enough pressure to make sure they’re secure.

Schedule Brake Service at Lexus de Ponce

Do you believe that your vehicle requires its brakes bled? Prefer to have a professional take care of the task? Get in touch with the team at Lexus de Ponce to schedule brake service near Cayey. That way, you don’t have to worry about how to bleed brake lines on your own. Remember that every new Lexus purchased at our dealership comes with a maintenance plan that’s good for four years or 50,000 miles, whichever comes first. We look forward to assisting you!