How to Bleed Brakes

Knowing how to bleed brake lines can be an important part of keeping your car running safely on our Omaha roads. Brake lines can become clogged with dirt and debris, which can cause them to fail. So, we’ve composed a list of instructions on how to bleed brake lines by yourself. But feel free to schedule an appointment with the professionals in our service center so that they can handle it for you.

How to Bleed Brakes by Yourself

A lot of intrepid do-it-yourselfers among our Lincoln customers have managed to take on the rather complicated task of bleeding brakes successfully. However, while this guide may be called, “How to bleed brakes by yourself”, you will need an assistant for a couple of the steps below.

How to Bleed Brake Lines

1. Check your owner’s manual for the correct type of brake fluid to use.
2. Jack up your car on level ground and set it on jack stands.
3. Remove all of the wheels.
4. Locate the caliper bleeding screw near each wheel.
5. Gently loosen the caliper bleeding screws, being careful not to snap or strip them.
6. Tighten the screws back so that they are snug.
7. Raise the hood, unscrew the top of the brake reservoir and set it aside. Fill the brake fluid to the correct level.
8. Starting at the wheel farthest from the master cylinder, loosen the bleeding screw and tightly attach a piece of clear tubing over it.
9. Place the other end of the tube in a catch pan or used plastic bottle. Hold the pan or bottle above the screw.
10. Have an assistant pump the brakes until they feel solid pressure under the pedal. Have them tell you when they feel this pressure. They should stop pumping but continue pressing the pedal.
11. Have the assistant alert you just before the pedal reaches the floor. Re-tighten the screw immediately.
12. Check the brake fluid reservoir and add fluid if necessary.
13. Repeat the last four steps at least five times at this wheel, then tighten the screw. Now, do the same at the other three wheels, one at a time.
14. Watch the fluid in the reservoir while your assistant firmly presses the brake pedal all the way down, then abruptly lets up on it. If there is only a little movement in the fluid, there are no air bubbles and the brakes have been completely bled. If there is a lot of movement in the fluid, there are still air bubbles in the lines, and the brakes will need to be bled again
15. Make sure again that all the bleeder screws have been tightened, but not over-tightened.

Schedule an Appointment with Sid Dillon Chevrolet-blair Inc of Blair

Sounds simple, right? Well, if a 15-step process sounds like a little more than you bargained for, schedule an appointment with our brake experts. They know how to bleed brake lines and are happy to help. And, if you’d like to learn more, check out these posts on why your brakes may be grinding and how car brakes work. We’re just down the road from Fremont, so drop by or contact us today.