Hi guys i have a 2005 cobalt ss that has been leaking brake fluid at the rear drivers side near the ebrake mechanism, i put it off and then one day while i was adding brake fluid i lost the reservoir cap and had to drive a couple of miles with it off. It was fine for a while but now my brakes are the floor and cant get them to stay up. I thought i had it fixed but let it sit over night and now there to the floor again. I guess tomorrow I will get a new caliper and put it on. Is there still air in the line or has the master cylinder gone bad? I tried to bleed it agian today but realized the caliper was leaking pretty bad and might as well wait and try and change it first. After i put the wheels back on it acted like it didnt want to go in gear at first. ANy help will be greatly appreciated again. Thanks please try and help!!

 

It sounds like all the break fluid is just leaking out of the caliper. If it is your not going to have any brake pressure. Fix the caliper then go from there, I don't think that the master cylinder is messed up, but you won't know till you fix that caliper.

 

Wait you left the reservoir cap off? if you did that then you need to flush the entire system. Brake fluid absorbs moisture, and moisture will lower the boiling point. and then you brake fluid will boil, thus causing air in the system. Never leave that cap off. and dont use brake fluid that has no cap on the bottle orhas been used and put on a shelf for a long time

 

Even if i drove it like 2 miles tops, how hard is it to change the caliper? If there is a how to for the caliper i havent seen one thanks again!!

 

Hola, easy to do....... .... Real easy bro.

 

hey man how are you, its been leaking for awhile but not bad i just think the leak has gotten worse... now i cant seem to get air out and its starting to be a pain in the ass!! i will see if i can get the caliper in the morning from local parts store and swap out... whats the best way to get all the air out of the lines after i get done!! Like step by step car off or running etc!! Thanks man... one more thing the ebrake is messed up now also the button is loose and hangs out the end, its like the ratchet is not working anymore... thanks again

 

My drivers side caliper also went out on my 2006 ss/sc.Bought the replacement at advance auto, has been fine since.Any leak in your brake system is serious DO NOT DRIVE THE CAR! A hint when replacing the caliper to help bleeding is to get a baby syringe(the kind you give medicine with) and fill it with clean brake fluid,take out the bleeder and fill the caliper before you start trying to bleed the system.Saves a lot of time not having to push all of the fluid through the system.I didn't have to bleed the passenger side when I replaced mine.E- brake not catching is probably a broken part under the console.Good luck.

 

Did you bleed the brakes with the key on and the car off or the car running?

 

If its a rear system just gravity bleed it

 

Whats the best way to do that, gonna do a two man job on the rest i guess...

 

To bleed it you need to do is locate the little bleeder nipple on each caliper slightly open it and have someone press the brakes, watch the brake fluid come out when you see a steady stream of brake fluid with no air in it tighten the nipple while the fluid is coming out. Do that to each side and you should be good. As for your ebrake take apart the center console and have a look at it. All the pieces are snap in.

 

Car off. Like I said put the new caliper on,take out the bleeder and fill it with fluid with the syringe that way you don't have to push all that fluid through by pumping the pedal.After you fill it it should only take a couple of pedal pumps to get the air out. And only use NEW clean fluid.

 

New caliper seem to fix the problem so far... Have not driven it yet today but only time will tell.. This site is always the best when it comes to useful knowledge. Thanks again off to order the ebrake mechanism

 

You can Gravity bleed, but you neeed to pressure bleed after to make sure its all out.

 

Make sure you get a brake fluid flush or do one yourself (theres some how to-s on here somewhere).
If you left the cap off the brake fluid is now saturated with moisture that can cause your brakes and clutch-release systems to fail (they use the same reservoir of fluid).

They fail because under hard braking or heat from your clutch, the fluid is now able to boil much easier and when it does its creates air in your lines and air = no brakes / clutch release.

Just a thought?