6 Bad brake master cylinder symptoms

The brake master cylinder is one of the most important components of the braking system and vital to reliable brake operation. The brake master cylinders are usually located inside the engine room and attached in front of the brake booster.

It serves as the main valve that pushes brake fluid through the brake lines so the brake callipers can squeeze the brake pads against the rotors. Once the brake master cylinder starts to go bad and shows several problems, certain noticeable symptoms will arise. Below are the top 6 signs of brake master cylinder problems and symptoms that you will surely notice.

1. Leaking brake fluid

The first bad master cylinder symptoms is leaking brake fluid. Meanwhile, the brake master cylinder needs adequate fluid levels to exert the right hydraulic pressure to slow down the car. You can see this leak appears right at the back of the brake cylinder connected to the brake booster component. Leaking brake fluid will reduce the amount of brake fluid level in the reservoir tank.

Suppose you let the brake master cylinder condition continue to leak and lack brake fluid. In that case, this will impair the braking ability to slow down the vehicle and affect the car's entire braking system. The car becomes difficult to stop due to the failure of the brake system.

2. Brake warning light

The next bad master cylinder symptoms is the brake warning light illuminates on the dashboard. The most common cause is a very low level of brake fluid inside the reservoir tank. But more than that, the brake warning light indicates some problem with the braking system, so it might not necessarily mean that the brake master cylinder is at fault.

Some modern cars use brake fluid pressure sensors to monitor brake systems. If the braking system sensors detect the brake fluid pressure is dropping, it will likely be due to a bad brake master cylinder. It will result in the warning light to ON.

3. Spongy brake pedal

Another bad master cylinder symptoms is the spongy brake pedal. A spongy brake pedal means that if you press the brake pedal, you will feel the pressure on the brake pedal is too soft, but the braking process does not work properly. You need to press the brake pedal repeatedly so the brake system can work.

The most cause of this problem is worn out rubber seals inside the brake master cylinder. If these rubber seals were worn out or damaged, there would be an internal brake fluid leak. The result is a spongy feeling in the brake pedal.

4. Sinking brake pedal

Sinking the brake pedal would be a bad master cylinder symptom. When you press the brake pedal, it's not returning to the top after you've removed your foot from it. Instead, it will slowly sink to the floor.

This symptom could become a real driving hazard, so you'll need to fix the bad brake master cylinder right away and immediately.

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5. Contaminated brake fluid

Other bad master cylinder symptoms are contaminated brake fluid. Brake fluid has an age and usage period. Thus it can be contaminated with other material such as air, dirt, and the ashes from worn-out rubble seal inside the brake master cylinder.

Contaminated brake fluid can be observed from changes in colour and thickness of brake fluid. In most cases, brake fluid colour will turn into a dark brown colour or black colour.

Sometimes, the brake fluid contains sludge that settles at the bottom of the reservoir tank and enters the brake master cylinder. This settling mud will damage all components in the brake master cylinder and affect the brake system's entire work.

6. Abnormal braking conditions

The last bad master cylinder symptoms are abnormal braking conditions. The brake master cylinder is the component that generates all of the pressure for the braking system. If it develops any problems sealing or distributing pressure, you may feel this in the brake pedal.

Meanwhile, the breaking changes from the brake pedal also affect the entire braking conditions in the car. Such as pressing the brake pedal many times quickly, or the car becomes more difficult to stop.

A vehicle with a bad brake master cylinder that cannot operate properly can be very dangerous. You may not use it for driving because it's unsafe. For this reason, if you suspect that your brake master cylinder is having a problem, make the brake system diagnosis. Conduct a professional technician immediately to determine if the car needs a brake master cylinder replacement.