Brake Job Gone Bad...Please Help

So I replaced the passenger rear caliper on my 03 Wagon today. Everything went smoothly until I had to bleed the brakes. I didn't do a very good job explaining to my wife what to do. (Yes, it is completely my fault for not explaining the whole process first.) Long story short, I believe that the brake reservoir ran dry. I put in new fluid and attempted to bleed the passenger rear brake again but I cannot get the firmness back in the pedal. If I jam on the brakes, they work, but then it slowly depresses down to the floor. Normal steady pressure will not help me stop.

 

Do I have any options aside from taking it to a shop and having the entire brake system bled properly?

 

Thanks in advance everyone.

If your reservoir ran dry, then you'll need to bleed all 4 brakes this time. You may have the posibility of having air in another brake line(s). Always make sure that reservoir stays full while bleeding the brakes.

If your reservoir ran dry, then you'll need to bleed all 4 brakes this time. You may have the posibility of having air in another brake line(s). Always make sure that reservoir stays full while bleeding the brakes.

 

thats true. there are several tools that you can buy pretty inexpensively that will allow you to self bleed w/ no need to have a helper pump the brakes. the one i use is a pnuematic vacuum system that has a bottle you fill w/ brake fluid and attach to the reservoir. then the other part is a catch can that you attach an air hose to. then all you have to do is put the bleed line from the can onto the bleeder screw, loosen the screw, and viola; instant unassisted bleeding. when you don't see any air coming through the line, move on to the next wheel. you will need to do all four wheels though. starting at the right rear, left rear, right front, then left front. the tool was only like $12 at harbor freight. i'm sure you can pick one up where ever tools are sold.

 

there is also bleeder screws that have check balls in them that wont let air back in but you still need to have someone watch to see when only fluid is coming out. there is still the good old fashion pumpfest too. best of luck fixing it.

You didn't fail to tell your wife what to do. You failed to fill the reservoir. The bleeder is respomsible for the reservoir. This was not a failure to communicate leading to your wife phucking up the brakes. You fucked up the brakes. Own it.

 

That being said, the whole system needs to. Be flushed. Be more careful this time.

 

Edit. Fucked is okay, but phucking is not? Weird.

bleed all the brakes starting fartherest from the master. if it is still there, then the master may have gone bad.

Lojasmo...There's no reason to be an ass to a guy who's asking for help because he made a mistake. She repeatedly jammed the pedal to the floor and I was not quick enough in tightening the bleeder valve. Hence, I lost a lot of fluid.

 

Now...after regrouping from MY MISTAKE we went back and bled the brake again after filling up the reservoir. No air made it into the master cylinder. After a couple more minutes of bleeding the air bubble came out of the line and it is all well.

 

So, I OWNED the right failure as the master cylinder didn't run dry. There's no reason to be like that in here.