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Brake Fluid Level

Discussion in 'Gen 3 Prius Care, Maintenance & Troubleshooting' started by jason petter, Apr 7, 2015.

  1. jason petter

    jason petter Junior Member

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    Oil change for 25k was yesterday at dealer, after they gave papers I noticed it on the last page for category “under Hood : Fluid level” checked the red mark “ immediate attention required” but they don’t specific mention what is it? So I went home and check everything is fine the only thing is Brake Fluid Level, I don’t know that is ok or it’s low? Thank you!
     

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    #1 jason petter, Apr 7, 2015
  2. Mendel Leisk

    Mendel Leisk Senior Member

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    Brake fluid level looks fine. If you let the car sit, then slip in through the front passenger door, and pop the hood, the level will be higher, around that top mark. When the car's been sitting and you open the driver's door the system pressurizes and drops the level, to about where it is, with the pads having some wear.

    It's normal for brake fluid level in reservoir to gradually drop, as the brake pad thickness decreases. It's actually a good barometer of pad thickness.

    And it's not necessary to top it up; you'd only do that as a stop-gap measure IF the system was leaking. Typically, pads wear, level drops, you eventually put in new pads, pushing the pistons back into calipers to accommodate the increase in thickness, and level is back where it started. Barring leaks.

    So mystery continues, lol.
     
    #2 Mendel Leisk, Apr 7, 2015
    Last edited: Apr 7, 2015
    Patrick Wong likes this.
  3. jason petter

    jason petter Junior Member

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    thank you so much !
     
    #3 jason petter, Apr 7, 2015
  4. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

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    odd they didn't mention it when you picked it up.
     
    #4 bisco, Apr 7, 2015
  5. Mendel Leisk

    Mendel Leisk Senior Member

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    I bet if you phone them they'll be stuck too, won't remember, or it was a screw up. Pretty stupid statement to put on an invoice, leaves you in the dark.
     
    #5 Mendel Leisk, Apr 7, 2015
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