Brake fluid is a critical component to your vehicle’s braking system. When you press the brake pedal, the brake fluid transfers the pressure to your brake calipers and presses the brake pads against the rotors. Over time, the brake fluid can absorb air and moisture, which will allow the brake fluid to compress under pressure. This results in spongy and even ineffective braking.
Overall, this is an easy procedure that someone with some experience working on cars can do. To perform this DIY, check out the helpful tutorial above from YouTuber, CarFanatic. Detailed steps can be found below.
Tools Required:
- Motive Power Brake Bleeder, For European Vehicles
- Motive Brake Fluid Catch Bottle Kit
- K Tool International Low Profile Jack (3.33 Ton)
- ESCO 10499 Low Profile Flat Top Jack Stands (Pair) (1 required)
- Wheel Chocks
- Socket For Porsche Center Lock Wheels
- Torque Wrench For Center Lock Wheels
- 3/4 Inch Drive Breaker Bar, 40 Inch Long (to remove center lock wheels)
- 11mm Combination Wrench (for brake bleeder valve)
- Safety Glasses
- Disposable Gloves
Parts Required:
Torque Specs & Fluid Capacities:
Brake bleeder valves: 6 ft-lbs (just hand tighten until snug)
Brake fluid capacity: 0.45 liters
Wheel center locks: 443 ft-lbs
Wheel bolts (for vehicles without center locking wheels): 118 ft-lbs
Step-by-Step Instructions:
Step 1: Prepare your vehicle and work area.
- Park your car on a flat surface.
- Gather tools and parts.
- Put on eye protection and gloves.
Step 2: Setup the power brake pressure bleeder.
- Fill it with 0.9 liter of brake fluid; save the 0.1 liter of fluid to top off your reservoir at the end.
- Then pressurize it to 15 psi.
- Note: Brake fluid is extremely corrosive, so do not let brake fluid touch anything on your car that is painted.
Step 3: Connect the power brake bleeder to your brake fluid reservoir.
- Pop your vehicle’s front storage compartment (aka “frunk”).
- Remove a plastic panel on the driver side to access the brake fluid reservoir.
- Unscrew brake fluid reservoir cap and remove mesh filter; you DO NOT need to extra brake fluid from the reservoir.
- Screw on the power brake bleeder adapter onto the brake fluid reservoir.
- Connect the power brake bleeder to the adapter using the supplied hose and fitting
Step 4: Prepare to bleed each brake caliper in the following order.
- Start with the rear passenger side and drain: 0.3 liter (split 50/50 for outer & inner bleeder valve)
- Move to the rear driver side and drain: 0.25 liter (split 50/50 for outer & inner bleeder valve)
- Move to the front passenger side and drain: 0.15 liter (split 50/50 for outer & inner bleeder valve)
- Finish off with the front driver side and drain: 0.1 liter (split 50/50 for outer & inner bleeder valve)
- Note: While the brake fluid capacity is ~0.45 liters, we recommend more to ensure all the old fluid has been flushed.
Step 5: Break the wheel center lock loose
- Break the wheel center lock loose while the wheel is on the ground.
- Loosen the center lock as shown in the video from Jeff Strimel.
- Start by popping off the cap on the center lock wheel.
- Use a special center lock socket (listed in the tools section) and 3/4″ breaker bar to break the center lock loose.
Step 6: Remove the wheel on the corner you will be working on
- You will need to remove your wheels to access the brake calipers.
- We recommend you work on one corner at a time.
- We recommend you work on one corner at a time. Check out the video from Car Fanatic to see how it’s done.
- Before you lift your car, be sure to chock off the wheels on the opposite side to prevent your car from rolling. NEVER rely on a jack to support your vehicle!
- To get a rear corner on a jack stand, place the jack on the front jack point (under the car and behind the front wheel) on that side of the vehicle and raise that side until you can slide a jack stand underneath the rear jack point. Then lower your car, so the jack point sits on the jack stand.
- To get a front corner on a jack stand, repeat the prior steps but jack that side of the vehicle up by the rear jack point.
- Remove the wheel.
Step 7: Bleed the brake caliper.
- Drain the outer and inner brake caliper bleeder valves by connecting the catch can and loosening the bleeder valves with an 11mm wrench.
- Monitor how much brake fluid you are collecting, so you don’t drain too much.
- Once you’ve drained enough fluid from each bleeder valve, tighten it to stop the flow of brake fluid; DO NOT OVER-TIGHTEN the bleeder valves or you can easily brake them. Just make sure they’re snug.
Step 8: Re-install your wheel and lower the vehicle.
- Place the wheel back onto the hub.
- Using the center lock socket and special torque wrench listed in the tools section, torque the center lock to 443 ft-lbs.
- Remove the jack stands.
- Remove the wheel chocks.
Step 9: Step 9: Repeat the steps 5-7 for the remaining corners.
Step 10: Top off your brake fluid reservoir.
- Depressurize the power brake bleeder and disconnect it from the brake fluid reservoir.
- Remove power brake bleeder adapter from the brake fluid reservoir.
- Top off the brake fluid reservoir with the remaining fresh brake fluid to get the level just under the “max” line.
- Re-install the brake fluid reservoir filter, cap, and plastic cover.
Step 11: Clean up your work area.
- Empty your old brake fluid into the now empty brake fluid container.
- DO NOT dispose of your old brake fluid by pouring it out or putting it in the trash; brake fluid is extremely corrosive and bad for the environment, so be sure to take the old fluid to your local auto parts store for recycling.
- Put all of your tools and supplies back where they belong.
- You’re all done!
