Symptoms
- Low brake fluid icon lit on the dash
- Brake pedal may feel normal at first, or slightly softer than usual
- Sometimes appears alongside the ABS or general brake light
Likely causes
- CommonWorn brake padsAs pads wear down, fluid naturally moves into the calipers and the reservoir level drops.
- PossibleLeak in a brake line, caliper, or wheel cylinderA drop in fluid with no pad wear points to a leak.
- PossibleLeak at the master cylinderCan cause both low fluid and a soft or sinking pedal.
- Less commonFluid recently topped off incorrectly or overfilled reservoir cap not seatedWorth checking if this is a new or unusual event.
What to do
- Check the brake fluid reservoir level against the min/max marks.
- Inspect brake pad thickness at each wheel if visible, or check maintenance records for when pads were last done.
- Look for wetness or drips near each wheel, under the master cylinder, and along brake lines.
- Top off the reservoir with the correct DOT-rated fluid if it's just low, without overfilling.
- Press the brake pedal and note if it feels normal, soft, or sinks toward the floor.
- If the pedal feels off or a leak is visible, avoid driving and have it inspected right away.
- Have brake pads replaced if they're worn thin, and the fluid level rechecked afterward.
- Have a mechanic find and repair any leak rather than just repeatedly topping off fluid.
Tools and parts
Brake fluid, DOT rating from owner's manualSearch: “DOT 3 or DOT 4 brake fluid for your car”
Brake padsSearch: “brake pads for your car make and model”
When to call a pro
See a mechanic to check pad wear and look for leaks if fluid keeps getting low or the pedal feels different.
Safety
Use caution
If the brake pedal feels soft or sinks toward the floor along with the low fluid light, don't drive the car until it's inspected.