bleed the brakes
When you "bleed the brakes," you’re pumping air out of the brake system so that when you press the pedal, the brakes work smoothly and don’t feel spongy.
Bleeding the brakes is a maintenance procedure that removes air bubbles from the brake lines, ensuring that hydraulic pressure can reach the brake calipers or drums for proper braking performance.
Hear It Discussed
"And when he was finished installing them, he asked me if I could help him bleed the brakes."
#2616: Non-traditional Repair Materials The Best of Car Talk
"I got to bleed the brakes on that."
Shannon At The SEMA Show and Your Calls Under The Hood show
"so I said, okay, well we gotta bleed the brakes. Well, the first time we bleed the brakes, I said, where's the fluid going?"
Ron Ananian, The Car Doctor - January 17, 2026 - Hour 2 - All Calls, Busy Hour Revisited Ron Ananian The Car Doctor
Cars Known For This
Episodes Mentioning "bleed the brakes"
Christopher Clingerman Compares Fleet Life to the Dealership
The Jaded Mechanic Podcast
A Bankruptcy That Will Affect You, Plastic EV - Shift & Steer EP567
Shift and Steer
Nostalgia & Build Updates - EP.180
Right Hand Drive Guys
Changing and Filling Fluids, Oil Change Frequency, Airflow Issues
WCCO's Car Care
Car Movies Redux
Auto Off Topic
#2616: Non-traditional Repair Materials
The Best of Car Talk
Ron Ananian, The Car Doctor - January 17, 2026 - Hour 2 - All Calls, Busy Hour Revisited
Ron Ananian The Car Doctor
Shannon At The SEMA Show and Your Calls
Under The Hood show
Help Improve This Entry
Spot an error or have a better explanation? Let us know.