I just did my brakes, so I know my pads, rotors, and calipers are good.
My brake pedal goes all the way to the floor and the car barely stops. The fluid in the reservoir is nearly full, only down about 1 cm.
There is fluid leaking near the tires and when I braked, the tires were smoking, from what I assume to be burned brake fluid from the heat.
It is a 2006 Camry with the brake system being original, so something must have failed or broke. I was in a rush to work and didn’t get a chance to check the brake flex hoses.
Does this sound like a brake flex hose problem or a master cylinder problem?
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I think you answered your own question? You have a leak. That isn’t a master cylinder problem when the leak is at one of the wheels… Find out where the leak is and rectify.
After you finished the brake job, did you depress the brake pedal several times with the engine off? If not, that’s why you have no brakes. You have to depress the pedal all the way to the floor several times until you get a firm pedal. That pushes the piston out from the caliper until it contacts the pad backing plate.
There is fluid by which tire? All of them? Just one?
I got home to a huge puddle by just one tire. Took the wheel off and yes, it’s leaking right by the tire
Usually, for me, that happens when my brake booster is about to give out. It goes super soft then firm then almost unbrakable.
You have to repair what is leaking brake fluid and then bleed the air out. If you don’t feel comfortable doing this send it to a shop.
Brake fluid should never leak, it’s a closed system. You need to look at the line and caliper at the wheel that has the leak.