Expert: Ben Deutschman - 8/15/2009

Question
I have a 1991 honda accord that for the last two weeks i have had to put three bottles of dot3 in to my brakes.i cant see a leak and any fluid on the ground. Any suggestions? I have brakes however they are loose. It is worse when i back up. I am limited on finances so i have no choice but to drive the car. Any help you can give on what might be wrong and the cost would be appreciated

Answer
If the fluid level is going down, there obviously has to be a leak somewhere. I have had it happen where the Master Cylinder was leaking past the Piston and Rod that runs off the Brake Pedal, and on some Power Brake equipped cars, it may be leaking into the Power Brake Booster, therefore you wouldn't see anything. The worse news, is Brake fluid can and will damage a Power Brake Booster Unit, adding substantial cost to the repair bill. I'd suggest having a qualified Mechanic check out this problem, before it becomes even more expensive than it already may be.

In terms of cost, a Master Cylinder from Autozone can run from $39.00 for a rebuilt unit, plus a Core Charge until you return the old Master Cylinder, of $20.00, to as much as $69.00 for a Brand new Master Cylinder. Labor charges vary, and only your Mechanic can tell you what he charges per hour.