Brakes - Pontiac 2005 Bonneville Owner's Manual

Brakes

Brake Fluid
There are only two reasons why the brake fluid level in
the reservoir might go down. The first is that the
brake fluid goes down to an acceptable level during
normal brake lining wear. When new linings are put in,
the fluid level goes back up. The other reason is
that fluid is leaking out of the brake system. If it is, you
should have your brake system fixed, since a leak
means that sooner or later your brakes will not work
well, or will not work at all.
5-54
Your master cylinder
reservoir is filled with
DOT-3 brake fluid.
See Engine Compartment
Overview on page 5-12
for the location of the
reservoir.
So, it is not a good idea to top off your brake fluid.
Adding brake fluid will not correct a leak. If you add fluid
when your linings are worn, then you will have too
much fluid when you get new brake linings. You should
add or remove brake fluid, as necessary, only when
work is done on the brake hydraulic system
CAUTION:
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If you have too much brake fluid, it can spill on
the engine. The fluid will burn if the engine is
hot enough. You or others could be burned,
and your vehicle could be damaged. Add brake
fluid only when work is done on the brake
hydraulic system.
When your brake fluid falls to a low level, your brake
warning light will come on. If your vehicle has the Driver
Information Center, the BRAKE FLUID LOW message
will also be displayed. A chime will sound if you try
to drive with this warning light on. See Brake System
Warning Light on page 3-41.