Forums Forums Enthusiast Forums A - Z Autowirral Brake Fluid Empty

Hi

I'm after a bit of advice.

I have a Porsche Boxster S which I have offroaded for the past 7 months.

I have just come to run the car up and down the drive (which I do every month) and the brakes are stuck with the brake pedal feeling spongy and travelling very easily to the floor.

I have looked at the brake fluid tank and it's empty!

I could get some new fluid and a brake bleeding kit but want to know:

A) could I just add the fluid without the kit and see if there is a leak?
B) if bleeding the brakes is easy to do?
C) if it's something a mobile mechanic could do and if so the rough cost?

There is a problem in that the garage doesn't really have enough space to work on the car and with the brakes stuck I don't want to try and put some power down to reverse the car without being able to then stop it!

Any advice would be greatly received.

Thanks Neil

I could help you do the brakes, pm me if you want a hand, it will be much cheaper than garage.

Defo sounds like there is a leak. I'm not familar with the brake bleed procedure on a porsche but on most other cars it's real easy to do. Info on it should be easily available on the net on porsche forums.

You just open each wheel in order as you pump the pedal and add the fluid. You only need the bleed kit if the system has been drained. You can get the kit from motorworld for washers if it's needed for your car.

Have you check round the brake bleed screws on the back of each wheel for signs of fluid leakage?

I'd be tempted to jack up each wheel and see where it's seized first, but remember to chock the front if you lift up the back!

if there's no oil on the floor outside the car, check inside near the pedals, under carpet ect....
A brake bleed is pretty simple, nothing i'd bother get a mech out for, but anything else I would. If after the bleed they still feel spongy or different, call out a mechanic, most will price the job for free if its straight forward.

Thanks for all the replies.

I will try and investigate a bit further this weekend and update the thread.

Could the brake fluid being empty cause the brakes to stick?

Thanks again.

The brake fluid does act as a lubricant, if it has run very dry, especially in the calipers, then a lack of fluid wont be helping to free them off.

Bleeding the brakes is pretty straight forward, but check there are no complexities with bleeding them up, and getting the fluid through any ABS unit that the car has fitted.

chances are the brakes are just stuck, do you leave the handbrake on?

as stuymac said check that you can just bleed the brakes as normal, some abs systems can be fiddly shall we say to bleed.

also don't start the car just to move it up and down the drive, it's the worst thing you can do!!

Also heared of the fluid being leaked into the Servo, causing strong smell and smoke when run!

Hi All

The handbrake is left off with bricks wedging the wheels. It is a semi-auto so can't be left in neutral or you have to leave the keys in it!

I move the car out of the garage (in order to avoid flat spots on the tyres when sitting) and leave it running until it's up to temp. The car has a pulse battery charger connected so has never had any problems starting.

Having read on other forums, the brake system appears to be standard and quite easy to bleed. However I think I need to take the wheels off to gain access to the bleed valves which gives me two problems in that i) there isn't enough room in the garage to be able to take the wheels off and ii) I can't move the car (but will try a bit move force when I get time).

Thanks again.

don't start it unless you're going to drive it, just letting it run is bad for the motor.