BRAKE FLUID LEAK? Anyone else?

[TheCorneringStore]

Hi everyone,

I just purchased my tb 14' Fiesta ST less than 3 weeks ago with 20k on the odometer. I sold my 02' MR2 Spyder with a 2zz/6sp swap (baby Elise) to give one of these a go. I've always had a love for hatchbacks. 97 GTI VR6 w/Vortech supercharger, 99 M Coupe, 83 GTI, 11'GTI, and lots of other cars.

I've just been getting to know the car and today I noticed a bit of black fluid behind the front left wheel on the ground. It was black so I thought maybe it was oil, but it didn't feel like oil so I started looking things over a little closer and saw that it looks to have dripped from the wheel well. Then I saw that it was slung all around the inside of the wheel well. I popped the hood and saw that the brake fluid reservoir right over the left front wheel was completely empty. I felt around all the lines with my fingers including the lines that I could reach behind the wheel and I can't find any wet spots to explain how or why brake fluid could be getting into the wheel well area. The inside of the wheel does not show any signs of fluid or wetness so I don't think it's leaking at the caliper. Strange..... I've NEVER had a car leak out brake fluid or run this low normally.

I'm going to buy and add some recommended fluid and I guess get the car into the shop asap. I'm wondering if the brake line split or something and is spraying some fluid out upon braking. I'd guess this must have just started last night. I hope this is not the start of how this car will be to own.

Has anyone else had their car read super low or totally empty the top reservoir by the shock tower? I see fluid still in the reservoir that the line from the filler runs to so I know there is at least still some in there.

 

[BryanD]

If it is in fact a brake fluid leak, you should NOT drive the vehicle. Have it towed to your dealer immediately, empty reservoir and all. If fluid is leaking out and allowing pressure to escape, you run a high chance of complete brake failure on the way to the shop.

 

[TheCorneringStore]

After I looked things over again with a blazing led shop light that I could get in there with I don't think there is a problem. Not sure what in the world it is that I ran over that is still showing in the wheel well looking like some kind of oil that won't dry up. The top filler reservoir has what looks to be a line on it and I assumed that must be the fill line.... BUT upon further inspection of the 2ND Reservoir (not sure why there are two, but it's the 2010's so I'll just go with it) I see that there is actually a marking on there for min fluid level. I guess the line on the top reservoir is just part of the design/mold. I'm happy again that all is good. Once I do a full detailing of the car I should be pretty intimate with her.

You are totally right about not driving it with a possible brake fluid leak Bryan. I'm about 1 mile from the ford dealership and I could make it there using the ebrake if I ever had to haha. Hopefully that day won't come.

I'm looking forward to starting a build thread soon, which will help me get some direction for the car.

 

[dave_f]

I think that second reservoir is for the hydro clutch.

Good news it's nothing serious

 

[SpooledUpST]

Time to resurrect this thread.

I just changed my original brakes with new Motorcraft brakes on my 2014.

Build date: 8/13
Mileage: 35,380

I work at Firestone and my technician came up to me and said to come look at my right front caliper. Pushed aside the piston boot and saw some brake fluid sitting in the well behind it. Tech said it was a super slow seep and hadn't got on the brakes or even really run out of the boot.

Did a brake flush with Motorcraft fluid and bled the whole system running a total of 6 full quarts thru it. I have had no issues with my brakes or seen any fluid aside from during the brake job.

An aside, I've noticed that my right rear pad and rotor may not be contacting properly since the brakes were done as I can still see the grind marks on the rotor and untouched areas on the rotor unlike my other three rotors where the pads are bedding in nicely. Seems odd.

I'll be in to Ford soon to get the caliper done under warranty but was wondering if anyone else has had issues with proportioning or uneven contact of pads?

 

[obsandrew]

Time to resurrect this thread.

I just changed my original brakes with new Motorcraft brakes on my 2014.

Build date: 8/13
Mileage: 35,380

I work at Firestone and my technician came up to me and said to come look at my right front caliper. Pushed aside the piston boot and saw some brake fluid sitting in the well behind it. Tech said it was a super slow seep and hadn't got on the brakes or even really run out of the boot.

Did a brake flush with Motorcraft fluid and bled the whole system running a total of 6 full quarts thru it. I have had no issues with my brakes or seen any fluid aside from during the brake job.

An aside, I've noticed that my right rear pad and rotor may not be contacting properly since the brakes were done as I can still see the grind marks on the rotor and untouched areas on the rotor unlike my other three rotors where the pads are bedding in nicely. Seems odd.

I'll be in to Ford soon to get the caliper done under warranty but was wondering if anyone else has had issues with proportioning or uneven contact of pads?

Do you have any pics of the rotor/pads in question

 

[me32]

How where the stock rotors?

 

[SpooledUpST]

I'll get out to the car in a bit to take a picture of the rotor/pad in question. Did not take any pics while the car was on the lift...was busy dealing with customers.

Rotors were boxed and sent down from local dealer Kings Ford. There was nothing to suggest any issues with either rotors or pads when I looked them over prior to my tech installing them. I've never had an issue like this before

 

[SpooledUpST]

This is a silly question but how do you upload photos? When I go to "advanced" and try to upload from phone my files are way too big. Help?

 

[obsandrew]

They have a few apps for resizing files. Or you could try to move them into a new folder. Sometimes when you move things out of your image gallery it will resize automatically. Kind of like when sending an sms.

 

[SpooledUpST]

I give up I can't figure out what I'm doing I hate technology and I'm only 30!

 

[obsandrew]

I give up I can't figure out what I'm doing I hate technology and I'm only 30!

Lol no worries. I'm 29 so I'm right behind you ha ha. I would suspect it was more of an installation error the last time the car got brakes. You haven't noted any pedal pulsations, lack of brake power or any abnormal drive quality. Have the dealer do a once over of the brake system when you have it in for that caliper. If at any point you feel something is off with the brakes it's always best to pull over and have it towed to a shop. For your own saftey and everyone else we share the roads with.

 

[SpooledUpST]

Lol no worries. I'm 29 so I'm right behind you ha ha. I would suspect it was more of an installation error the last time the car got brakes. You haven't noted any pedal pulsations, lack of brake power or any abnormal drive quality. Have the dealer do a once over of the brake system when you have it in for that caliper. If at any point you feel something is off with the brakes it's always best to pull over and have it towed to a shop. For your own saftey and everyone else we share the roads with.

Agreed. The car is braking fine though I don't think it is at 100% but I have also been very ginger with the brakes after bedding in to insure transfer of pad material film to rotor. Did six 45-5 MPH followed by four 60-5 MPH for bedding in but despite that the RR pad does not seem to be biting onto the rotor properly and is leaving white film on the outer edge of rotor maybe 1/4" thick as well as not rubbing off grinder marks properly. May have my tech look at it again this week and if he can't figure it out I'll have ford look it over when I'm in for the caliper. Just slightly disconcerting.

Thanks for the input. I'll post findings regarding issues when I get info.

 

[obsandrew]

Hmm maybe the piston is hanging up slightly. If the calipers had been painted at one point some over spray, or incorrect rebuild of the caliper could cause a sticky piston. Could be something as simple as just some air in the lines at that caliper. I have also seen lines that appear 100% ok but at one time or another the line was crushed internally (improper clamping) not allowing proper flow. I have been on this forum for about a year now and haven't heard any caliper/brake issues like this. I'd try to get a new line and caliper on that RR side also after trying a very thorough bleed of the system.

 

[CSM]

bringing this back from the dead in hopes someone can help.

My 2014 has 33k miles on it, and today I spent the morning attempting to do new pads/rotors on all fours. Got to the last corner, the front passenger side, and when I compressed the piston in to retract it (using the proper tool), a little bit of fluid started to leak out of the piston boot. I thought it was odd, and the car didn't seem to be driving unusual to me. pedal feel was decent.

Has anyone done a caliper rebuild before? I am wondering how easy it is to do. Or I might just bight the bullet and pick up a caliper assembly

 

[Intuit]

Read this...
http://www.fiestastforum.com/forum/threads/10443-Brake-job-mistake
...and consider that this does not have ABS.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I4FzXGrSrmU
ABS can throw a monkey in the wrench works.

 

[CSM]

Read this...
http://www.fiestastforum.com/forum/threads/10443-Brake-job-mistake
...and consider that this does not have ABS.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I4FzXGrSrmU
ABS can throw a monkey in the wrench works.

Thanks a ton for the help.

I went ahead and tore down the leaky caliper. I didn't have a compressed air gun, so I just gently tapped the back of the piston with a wooden dowel (where the brake line enters the caliper). Came right out.

The square seal and piston seal look fine...the piston has some scoring along the side and some serious rust issues within the cavity and also around the lip where the piston boot seals. I imagine the rust buildup caused a slight leak at the piston seal.

Gonna order a new piston and a seal kit and I should be good to go...luckily those parts are only like $15 total from Rockauto

 

[CSM]

New piston, seal, and dust boot are installed. Using my motive power bleeder, I tried to bleed the entire system yesterday. Took it around for a test drive today and pedal feel is AWFUL. Very spongy. Did another bleed and still same thing, pedal will actually go to floor over time. Currently trying to find the leak, I'm thinking perhaps I installed one of the seals wrong, gonna pull the rebuild caliper later today and take a look.

This whole brake job has been a headache

 

[Intuit]

Your description sounds like the fellar in the thread I linked to.

 

[CSM]

Your description sounds like the fellar in the thread I linked to.

Yeah i thought so to, so I re-read that entire thread. Sucks that Boombots sold his ST... It seems like having the dealer bleed the system with the ABS tool helped pedal feel but he still suffered from crappy brakes.

I spent basically the entire day trying to figure this thing out, and only thing I can think of is that its the ABS issue. Going to take it to the dealer Thursday and have them sort it out.