1992 Festiva Brake Problem?

[zocheyado]

So about a month ago my E-brake light came on, check to make sure it wasnt the actual E brake so i figured must be a brake problem in general. and noticed my brakes kept getting less and less pressure, so I checked brake fluid and noticed it was out completely. So I got some more put it in and it was better for like 5 seconds....but apparently my brother was telling me that air probably is still in their so i need to do a brake flush? and he also said that if it went out completely I probably had a leak, but I rarely drive my car, so after about 2 months since it started and only driving probably 10 miles? car is down to about 1/4th brake fluid after being completely filled....tips? / advice?

[All systemz]

You should crawl under it and look for a rotted brake line

[Pu241]

You have a leak somewhere.
Check wheel cylinders, calipers, proportioning valve, brakelines themselves, and lastly the master cylinder.
The leak will be apparent if it is anything but the master cylinder, ie there will be a puddle of fluid to see.
If it's the master cylinder it will likely be leaking into the vacuum booster, where it will not be seen.
You need to fix the leak, you can not bleed the system effectively if you do not, it will only get worst and you will lose all braking ability.
Just refilling it is not a viable option.
I recommend not driving it till it is fixed.

[georgeb]

look for splatter on the inside of tires (caliper, wheel cyl) and/or lay cardboard underneath while pushing hard on pedal. Wet booster means bad master cyl.

[pyrothehitman]

def have a leak if it is going empty that quickly. get under the car and have someone pump the brakes....so you can locate the leak...whether it be a line or the calipers....etc. then you can go from there.

if you ask me, now would be a good time to change everything you can, including the master cylinder

[WmWatt]

Two things make the brake warning light come on. One is that the emergency brake lever is not fully released. Two is low brake fluid level in the master cyclinder.

I think if you pump the brake pedal and the pressure improves then that's air in the brake line and you can "bleed" the brakes.

However if the level in the reservoir is falling then, like people wrote, the car is leaking brake fluid somewhere. You have to find the leak before you can fix it.

Of course you could have both air in the line and a leak. In that case fix the leak then bleed the brakes. It's all generic and ancient stuff you can find in any auto repair book from the public library and there's also sure to be text and videos on the Internet.