Quote:
Originally Posted by cheshired5
Not at all.
It's fluid pressure which pushes the caliper piston onto the back of the brake pads to maintain braking force.
As the pads wear down, the piston needs to travel further out of the caliper and the brake fluid level will fall accordingly to maintain braking pressure.
Occasional brake fluid top ups can be a normal part of maintenance but are usually unnecessary if the fluid is changed every 2 years.
OP needs to check for pad thickness, caliper operation, air in the system and fluid leaks but low fluid isn't automatically caused by a fluid leak.
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Alright, yes you are absolutely correct. I've never actually measured, but I'd expect the relevant slave cylinder displacement to be only marginal compared to the size of the reservoir pot.
Also the level would drop over time and not suddenly all at once, in which case the fluid level warning light would've been flashing on around sharp bends for considerable time. I kinda presumed the OP would've said so if that was the case, so I'm guessing it's all suddenly dropped all at once which would strongly imply a leak
Nevertheless, I do agree the level will appear to be "consumed" through use, due to gradual wear. I thought it was bad practice to top up this usage? Otherwise when you replace the pads, when the piston is forced back to top, all the extra fluid overflows....?
Anyway thanks for the correction.