It seems like mine should last longer......I refill it about the same time I get my oil changed. Is this normal?

 

Mine has been pretty much full since I bought my car. I put over 9000 miles on it and it's still near the top, I'd say about 80-85% full.

Also, about your sig... Is that just a bulb? If so where can I get one? That looks pretty damn cool

 

NO NO NO. in fact i've never bled my brakes or opened the line up for any reason, and i only have to top off brake fluid like every 25,000 miles? maybe?

if you have to refill bf every 3k, you've got a leak mon frere

 

Ok, big guy, how's your brake fluid look like? clear color? or dark brown?

I change mine like once a year, with a full flush. Yes, you'll need a second person to step on the brake pedal while you drain the old fluid.

 

I believe that's a piece of red cellophane tape put under the plastic cover.

edit: or a red cellophane tape over the bulb

both should do the trick.

 

It's a red bulb inside my gear shifter. VERY easy to change. Just to go to autozone or wal mart and get a red #194 size bulb.

 

you can get a one-person brake bleeder from griot's garage. it sucks the brake fluid out somehow. i don't know how well it works tho, i've only ever done the two-person brake job.

 

Your brake fluid should never drop on its own. The only time that brake fluid will go down is when the pads are wearing out. Once you put the new pads in, the brake fluid should come back up. If you are refilling the brake fluid that often, check your brake lines. They run inside of a plastic housing inside of the rocker panel on the drivers side. If they have rusted out, have fun. While the parts are inexpensive, it took me about 12-15 hours of labour to change them. That was on a hoist with the proper tools. Follow Nissans instructions exactly to bleed the brakes after.

 

They work well. It's basically a hand vacuum pump. You open the bleeder valve and put the tubing over it. It run into a container and another piece runs out of that to the pump. You're basically pulling the fluid through the line from the caliper end instead of pushing it through from the master cylinder with the pedal. Just make sure you keep the reservoir topped off and don't let it run dry. You'll get air in the lines.

 

you can buy a vacuum bleeder from any parts store for about $30. I have two, but don't even use them- I prefer the helper to force the fluid through. otherwise, you risk leaving tiny bubbles in the lines that the vacuum actually makes larger. the pressure bleeding will squeeze the bubbles into almost non-existance, then are forced out with the old fluid.


as for your problem, yes you've got a leak. for that slow, I'd put money on it being in the wheel cylinders on the rear brakes. drum brake cylinders are very common to leak after this long, and will leak fairly slowly. pull the drum off and take a look at the cylinder at the top. you'll know immediately if there's a leak or not.
the new cylinders are about $35 each from most parts stores and have a lifetime warranty.

 

it's a serious problem right? I should get it looked as ASAP?

 

this is serious. when the master cylinder blew on our acura legend, we had to apply engine brake to stop the car...on GA 400 and all the stop lights.

not a fun experience.

changing master cylinder takes 10 minutes...bleeding takes 30 minutes.

 

In a properly working brake system you NEVER need to refill it because it should never lose any.

If you have to refill it then you have a leak and that's BAD! That's dangerous! That's unsafe.

And since you have to fill it every 3K miles you have a serious leak and need to get it fixed ASAP before you run into someone.

 

But.....my brakes seem fine. They always work..(knock on wood) - They'll still lock up when I slam on them too....

 

they will.. until you run out of fluid and forget to fill it up.. then WHAM!! you have no brakes.

get it fixed, it's as simple as that.

 

hehe, well - the brake light will come on too. But, I understand what you're saying.