Well, If you are loosing fluid like that, there HAS to be a leak somewhere... So you just have to find it...

As for the fluid getting so low, I am guessing that it got air into the ABS system, which will require a special scan tool to open that up and bleed it when the leak is fixed.

 

Brake fluid has a unique smell and feel to it. It's also really rough on paint. It's possible one of the calipersis leaking. However, you may hve a line, either steel or rubber, that is the culprit. Since you're in Michigan, I wouldn't be surprised to find rusted apart steel lines. You may have several about to go and one is already leaking.

 

+1 on the several about to go part. I looked at my brake lines going down from the brake unit, and they look terrible. Now is the worst time to replace them though. I have 12" of snow in my driveway and all around, and the temperatures are supposed to get to negative double digits tonight. I THINK I may have seen some fluid draining from between the master cylinder and the brake booster, but I can't be certain. If I can find some way to bench test the master cylinder by itself to see if it has failed, I'll do that. Re-doing the brake lines would be a MUCH bigger job, as I've never done flaring before, and I don't know where the brake line's path is. The guy I go to when I get stuck and need the car working quick is not taking any work right now due to the weather, so I'm on my own unless I want to pay top dollar to get some answers.

 

If the red "BRAKE" light on the dash is on, the pedal is low, and the fluid level is low, you probably popped the steel line that goes to the rear brakes. The line runs along the frame from the ABS unit to the flex line in the center of the next to last rear crossmenber. They like to rust out and leak under the driver seat area. Common place is right next to the fuel filter in a plastic bracket. No need to flare any lines. There is a fitting inside the driver wheel well you can attach to, and run all new line to the flex line in the rear. If that's the problem, let us know and we can help you bleed it. Very specific procedure to bleed ABS successfully.

 

Exactly right. The leak was at the rear axle near where the steel line goes into the rubber line. I replaced the whole thing from there all the way up to the ABS unit next to the master cylinder. I learned how to cut and flare brake lines in the process!

The problem now is that the pedal is not any more firm. I actually had to replace the d@*n whole left rear brake caliper because the bleed screw broke off inside. I tried bleeding the brakes at only the left rear brake caliper, but even after this the brake pedal showed little to no improvement. Is this because the right rear and the master cylinder need to be bled also? I would have done that today to be sure, but I ran out of time.

I recorded some of what I did, so I might make a video out of it. However, recording and working at the same time turned out to be such a pain that I might not have enough to make a video of.

Advance auto parts would not warranty that brake caliper. I wrote them a letter about that, because I had to pay $45 to replace a caliper which is no more than 2 years old because someone in cost management didn't want to spring a few more pennies per caliper to make a higher grade bleed screw.

Anyway, thank you so much for the help thus far. Hopefully I'll be able to pay it forward by making this into a video, but like I said, I don't have much recorded yet. If I ever end up getting one of those POV cameras like a GoPro, it'll be much easier.

 

If you still have a soft pedal, you still have air in the system. You need to start out by bleeding the master cylinder using short tubes that reach back up into the reservoir, practically touching the bottom of the reservoir. Go until you no longer see bubbles or fluid pushing back in from the ports where the master cylinder & reservoir meet.

 

You'll also need to bleed at both rear calipers. Your 2000 has ABS and if the master went dry, as Kyle mentioned, you might need to bench bleed it. You can try gravity bleeding both rear calipers, one at a time, until the fluid comes out clear, (no bubbles). Don't pump the pedal, and don't let the master run dry during the gravity bleed. Usually takes 15 minutes or so for each wheel. After the fluid comes out clear, make sure the bleeders are closed. Have an assistant hold constant medium pressure on the pedal, (don't pump it) while you quickly open and close each bleeder, (don't allow the pedal to go all the way to the floor). Should only take one, maybe two times on each wheel. Then you'll need to perform the ABS automated bleed. It's done with a scan tool capable of initiating it. The procedure operates each solenoid in the ABS unit and expels any air into the steel lines. Then all 4 wheels need to be bled in the normal fashion.

 

I went out to pull the master cylinder today and discovered that the front part was empty again. So either the fluid filled up the empty line as I was driving it, or it's leaking at different place. I guess i'll just fill it back up and see what happens, if it continues to keep going down. If it stops drinking fluid, then I'll bleed the master cylinder and then gravity bleed the rear axle brakes. IDK Can't do the ABS bleed procedure by myself because I don't think my actron ABS scan tool can do something that advanced. Guess I'll have to take it in for that. Does it matter that the ABS on my rig already doesn't work? How much do you think having belle tire do it will set me back?

ps, i've been a member here for over 3 years. Why does it still show me as being a starting member?