If your vehicle has hydraulic brakes, there is a brake master cylinder. Refer to the Maintenance Schedule to determine when to check your brake fluid.

Caution: Do not add brake fluid before checking the level or there could be too much brake fluid. Brake fluid could spill on the hot engine and it can catch fire. You could be burned and the vehicle could be damaged. See "Checking Brake Fluid" in this section.

Checking Brake Fluid

Apply the brake pedal several times with the ignition off. Then clean one of the reservoir caps and the area around the cap, and remove it.

The fluid level should be even with the bottom ring of the filler opening. If it is low, add enough fluid to fill the reservoir to the proper level.

What to Add

Use the proper fluid listed in your Maintenance Schedule. Use new brake fluid from a sealed container only.

Always clean the brake fluid reservoir cap and the area around the cap before removing it. This will help keep dirt from entering the reservoir.

Caution: With the wrong kind of fluid in the brake hydraulic system, the brakes might not work well. This could cause a crash. Always use the proper brake fluid.

Notice: 

The brake drums should be removed and inspected each time the tires are removed for rotation or changing. When you have the front brakes replaced, have the rear brakes inspected, too.

Brake linings should always be replaced as complete axle sets.

See your dealer if the brake pedal does not return to normal height, or if there is a rapid increase in pedal travel. This could be a sign of brake trouble.

Every time you make a brake stop, your brakes adjust for wear.

Your vehicle has four-wheel disc brakes.

Some driving conditions or climates may cause a brake squeal when the brakes are first applied or lightly applied. This does not mean something is wrong with your brakes.

Brake linings should always be replaced as complete axle sets.

The braking system on a vehicle is complex. Its many parts have to be of top quality and work well together if the vehicle is to have really good braking. Your vehicle was designed and tested with top-quality brake parts. When you replace parts of your braking system -- for example, when your brake linings wear down and you need new ones put in -- be sure you get new approved replacement parts. If you do not, your brakes may no longer work properly. For example, if someone puts in brake linings that are wrong for your vehicle, the balance between your front and rear brakes can change -- for the worse. The braking performance you have come to expect can change in many other ways if someone puts in the wrong replacement brake parts.

If your vehicle has air brakes, it is important to get rid of moisture in your system. Moisture will damage your system if it is not removed daily.

There are two ways to do this. One is automatic through the air brake vehicle's air dryer with its automatic moisture ejector that purges air from the system through a self-contained reservoir. The other way to drain moisture from the air brake system is to manually activate drain valves at each reservoir. Drain the air reservoirs occasionally to be sure the air dryer is working properly.

Drain them at full system pressure. To be sure you are at full pressure, check your air pressure gage. It should read at least 100 psi (692 kPa).

If your vehicle has air brakes, it will have an air dryer. This collects and removes dirt, moisture, or other foreign matter from the air prior to entering the brake system. The air dryer also serves as a moisture ejector. It automatically ejects the moisture when the compressor cycles. The purge tank is equipped with a manual drain valve that must be drained every day. See "Air Brake Systems" for the manual drain procedure. The dryer is mounted on the driver side frame rail.

The dryer has a filter that you need to change at intervals. See Scheduled Maintenance for more about servicing this filter.

Normal clutch pedal free play is 1.5 to 2 inches (38 to 51 mm) measured from the floorboard. If the free play is less than 1.25 inches (32 mm), adjustment is required.