How To: Bleed Your Vehicle's Brakes

Knowing how to bleed brakes (flush brakes) is essential to most brake repairs. We'll demonstrate how to properly bleed brakes by yourself. It’s possible for air to get into brake lines, and the result is spongy braking. This can happen any time you work on a brake booster or brake master cylinder, wheel cylinders or brake calipers, or any time the brake lines of your vehicle have been open. Brake bleeding, or brake flushing, is necessary to remove the air from brake lines.

Supplies Needed for This Job:

0:00 Welcome Back
0:43 Tips
0:55 Bleeding Order
1:23 Siphon Brake Fluid
1:39 Refill Brake Fluid
2:13 Bleed Your Brakes
3:18 Close the Brake Lines
3:31 Refill the Master Cylinder
4:00 Test Your Brakes

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First you’ll need to determine in what order the lines will be bled.
In most cases, it’s recommended you bleed the brake line farthest from the master cylinder first and work back toward it.
The position of the ABS system can affect this, so always bleed the lines according to the manufacturer’s specifications for your vehicle.
In the case of our Nitro, we’ll go: right rear wheel, left rear wheel, right front wheel, left front wheel.

You’ll notice we’re starting with the Nitro raised with the wheels off. For details on how to do this safely, see our video on how to jack up your vehicle.

[under hood]
Before you start, use a shop towel to wipe down the master cylinder and cap to keep any contaminants from getting into the master cylinder when you take off the cap.
It’s a good idea to siphon most of the old brake fluid from the reservoir… leave a small amount in the bottom.
A simple siphon tool can be used for this.
The old brake fluid will be dark-colored, and the new fluid will be clear.
Starting with new brake fluid in the master cylinder ensures the fluid going from the master cylinder to the caliper or wheel cylinders is new, fresh fluid.
Check your owner’s manual for the recommended fluid-change interval… brake fluid should be changed regularly.
And be sure to clean up any spilled brake fluid immediately… remember, it’s highly corrosive.
You can use the old, siphoned brake fluid in the bleeding tool bottle.

Once you’re done siphoning, top off the master cylinder with new brake fluid, and put the cap back on.
It’s important to make sure the master cylinder never sucks air or runs dry… fluid should always cover the holes in the bottom of the reservoir.
And only use the brake fluid specified by your vehicle’s manufacturer.
Go to your first bleeder valve and remove the cap… attach your box wrench… then attach the hose of your bleeder tool.
We’ll be using a simple, one-person bleeder tool to demonstrate this process.
Situate the hose and bottle so that the hose runs above the bleeder valve and down into the bottle… and make sure the end of your hose is submerged in fluid before you open the valve.
Turn the box wrench to open the valve… you’ll see fluid starting to move into the hose.
Inside the vehicle, push all the way down on your brake pedal with slow, steady pressure.
If you have a friend with you, have them apply the brake pedal pressure… and close the valve again before the pedal is released each time.
The bleeder valve must be closed before allowing the brake pedal to lift.
Be sure your friend in the vehicle is clear on when to let up on the brake.
The brake pedal can be pumped to create pressure, but only before the bleeder valve is open.
Never pump the brake pedal with the bleeder valve open.

*View video for full instructions*

[judsmith]

Thanks man I’m a teenager with no dad so this helps

[deborinquen]

Tried to remove my Infiniti G37S brakes to check for squeak, ended up with air in the system. Thanks to you and $10 on a one man brake bleeding kit and my problem is gone.

[brandondowner]

This video was very helpful for my 2005 Ford Freestyle. The spark plug wire puller was perfect for the parking brake spring. Thanks again

[smileysgarage]

you are a good teacher. thanks. am I wrong thinking brakes should be bled when pads are replaced?

[chriswebb]

Hi Chris, Chris Webb here. At 2:32 in the video you cut away and say "make sure the end of your hose in submerged in fluid". I must be missing something because I do not understand at this point and the video shows fluid in the line when it cuts back to the bleeder hose?

[sukhmaidickoff]

I have to change brake calipers on my Ford Grand C-Max from 2013. The car has a "manual" handbrake that functions via wire on the rear caliper. Is it advisable to bleed the brakes BEFORE mounting the hand brake cable - or doesn´t it matter if you do it or not? I have heard some people claiming that it can be more difficult to bleed the brakes if you mount the handbrake cable to the caliper before bleeding.

[pgo]

Thank You!!! Never can appreciate enough good advice and tips and for FREE too!!! Thank You!

[sashanealand]

I dont get how you can do this with only one person???? it says only open the bleeder bolt on the wheel when the brake pedal is fully depressed from inside the car, how can one person do that???

[nathanpage]

Do you bleed the brakes with the car on or off?

[JablesMullet]

This appears to be about how to replace your brake fluid. Not specifically how to bleed your brakes. Am I right?

[jeffreyoshea]

I hope the company was good to you bro. Bets car videos ever

[r.joseph]

I love that one-man bleeder with the magnet! Where can I get one?

[jamescole]

One person can't push the brake pedal. I noticed the brakes bleed with just gravity. Drip drip drip I wish I knew if the master cylinder was bad. It only has a few miles on it so I bench bled it again. A screw driver and a vice and all the strength I have. Mine has a very powerful spring inside. The only thing I haven't done is the front wheels again. I do have an ABS on a older Tahoe. I might take it off because it makes bleeding so much of a guessing game.

[trilblazin]

Hey I pumped the brakes with the bleeder valve open

[asn]

first, orilley's been good to me. i wonder if you've ever happened upon a case of a system having been bled many times and most every compoment swapped in the process yet the pedal frequently bottoms down on the floor or needs constant pumping up? best my mechanic can guess is a bubble somewhere in the system. any thoughts? totally analog system 76 chev parts, dual MC. mopar discs and drums in the back

[kalebwright]

Thanks man I like to help my mom with her car as much as I can as auto reoair can be expensive yhie vid helped a lot

[ermac]

Do you have to bleed all the brakes if you instead bench bleed the master cylinder?

[carolynhill]

I have replaced the manifold the part underneath the manifold was cracked I replaced it and flush the brake lines and I still have no brakes help

[jacjumpin]

Brake fluid is not corrosive it will take paint off it is flammable

[ericastanton]

my car battery went dead while bleeding my brakes. After i finished the brake flush, i jumped the engine but then immediately the check engine light turned on. I went to autozone and code ABS malfunction and traction off showed up on dash. not knowing what to do, i removed the battery, check engine light turned off for now but for how long?