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398
Vehicle Care
Brake Fluid
The brake/clutch master
cylinder reservoir is filled with
GM approved DOT 4 brake
fluid as indicated on the
reservoir cap. See Engine
Compartment Overview 0 373
for the location of the
reservoir.
Checking Brake Fluid
Place the vehicle in P (Park) or
Neutral with the parking brake
applied if equipped with a
manual transmission. On a
level surface, the brake fluid
level should be between the
minimum and maximum marks
on the brake fluid reservoir.
There are only two reasons
why the brake fluid level in the
reservoir may go down:
Normal brake lining wear.
When new linings are
installed, the fluid level goes
back up.
A fluid leak in the brake/
clutch hydraulic system.
Have the brake/clutch
hydraulic system fixed. With
a leak, the brakes will not
work well.
Always clean the brake fluid
reservoir cap and the area
around the cap before
removing it.
Do not top off the brake/
clutch fluid. Adding fluid does
not correct a leak. If fluid is
added when the linings are
worn, there will be too much
fluid when new brake linings
are installed. Add or remove
fluid, as necessary, only when
work is done on the brake/
clutch hydraulic system.
Warning
If too much brake fluid is
added, it can spill on the
engine and burn, if the
engine is hot enough. You or
others could be burned, and
the vehicle could be
damaged. Add brake fluid
only when work is done on
the brake/clutch hydraulic
system.
When the brake/clutch fluid
falls to a low level, the brake
warning light comes on. See
Brake System Warning Light
0 120.
Brake fluid absorbs water over
time which degrades the
effectiveness of the brake
fluid. Replace brake fluid at the
specified intervals to prevent
increased stopping distance.
See Maintenance Schedule
0 469.
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