2000 Neon with 68K - brake fluid issue
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2000 Neon with 68K - brake fluid issue
In a little under 20 years my mother put a little over 60K on her 2000 Dodge Neon before she passed on.
Since then I've lightly used it and it's up to about 68K. I use it on and off for about 6 months of every year, by my calculations about 300/miles on the months that I do use it.
I don't think I have one specific question at this point, just a ramble.
I'm not a car person. At this point I'm starting to have troubles distinguishing between actual problems and just signs of age.
About a year ago the brake light would sometimes come on when accelerating. I checked it, it seemed a little low, and I topped it off to the proper level. All then seemed fine. However, recently it sat unused for three months (in a garage). I had a battery maintainer hooked up to it which worked great (battery still has life in it, but doesn't like sitting for months). When I eventually drove it around I started getting the brake light again. I checked under the hood and the fluid was way low. I believe I noticed some leaking under/near the rear passenger wheel but that may have been due to snow. I eventually put down paper but didn't seem to capture anything.
I put a bit more brake fluid in about 20+ days ago and have checked it periodically and the level always seems about the same. And I don't think I see any liquid on the floor near the wheel. Is there something that would cause it to leak during winter and/or after the vehicle wasn't used for awhile?
My mother often took the vehicle into the dealership to get it checked out and I've only done that once so far but may be doing it again soon.
Since then I've lightly used it and it's up to about 68K. I use it on and off for about 6 months of every year, by my calculations about 300/miles on the months that I do use it.
I don't think I have one specific question at this point, just a ramble.
I'm not a car person. At this point I'm starting to have troubles distinguishing between actual problems and just signs of age.
About a year ago the brake light would sometimes come on when accelerating. I checked it, it seemed a little low, and I topped it off to the proper level. All then seemed fine. However, recently it sat unused for three months (in a garage). I had a battery maintainer hooked up to it which worked great (battery still has life in it, but doesn't like sitting for months). When I eventually drove it around I started getting the brake light again. I checked under the hood and the fluid was way low. I believe I noticed some leaking under/near the rear passenger wheel but that may have been due to snow. I eventually put down paper but didn't seem to capture anything.
I put a bit more brake fluid in about 20+ days ago and have checked it periodically and the level always seems about the same. And I don't think I see any liquid on the floor near the wheel. Is there something that would cause it to leak during winter and/or after the vehicle wasn't used for awhile?
My mother often took the vehicle into the dealership to get it checked out and I've only done that once so far but may be doing it again soon.
Captain
Joined: Jul 2016
Posts: 529
Likes: 18
From: SW Va
Welcome to the 2nd Gen Neon forum.
I see you don't have any replies yet, so will see if I can get things started. On the missing brake fluid without any External leak signs clues, First thing that came to mind, with no External leak signs, is a failing brake booster rubber vacuum diaphragm. If its dry-rotting & beginning to crack, when the engine is running, it applies engine vacuum to one side of the diaphragm, so if its leaking, brake fluid will be sucked into the intake manifold & burned by the engine. To check for this, remove the booster vacuum line to see if its wet inside with brake fluid, if so, replace the brake booster & flush the brake system with new specified DOT-3 fluid.
As brake fluid absorbs moisture over time, its boiling point drops, so to prevent loss of braking action or internal system corrosion problems, from the fluid boiling on a panic stop, or say heavy use in the mountains, or internal system parts binding from corrosion problems It's a good idea for us to flush the brake system with a high quality DOT-3 fluid every 3 years. I use Motorcraft DOT-3 fluid, its high quality, so is the Castrol DOT-3 fluid, which some have speculated are the same, because of like specification numbers!!!! Motorcraft is easier for me to come by & is less expensive, so I've used it for 43 years.
Some beginning thoughts for consideration, let us know wat you find.
I see you don't have any replies yet, so will see if I can get things started. On the missing brake fluid without any External leak signs clues, First thing that came to mind, with no External leak signs, is a failing brake booster rubber vacuum diaphragm. If its dry-rotting & beginning to crack, when the engine is running, it applies engine vacuum to one side of the diaphragm, so if its leaking, brake fluid will be sucked into the intake manifold & burned by the engine. To check for this, remove the booster vacuum line to see if its wet inside with brake fluid, if so, replace the brake booster & flush the brake system with new specified DOT-3 fluid.
As brake fluid absorbs moisture over time, its boiling point drops, so to prevent loss of braking action or internal system corrosion problems, from the fluid boiling on a panic stop, or say heavy use in the mountains, or internal system parts binding from corrosion problems It's a good idea for us to flush the brake system with a high quality DOT-3 fluid every 3 years. I use Motorcraft DOT-3 fluid, its high quality, so is the Castrol DOT-3 fluid, which some have speculated are the same, because of like specification numbers!!!! Motorcraft is easier for me to come by & is less expensive, so I've used it for 43 years.
Some beginning thoughts for consideration, let us know wat you find.
Grand Champion
Joined: May 2019
Posts: 5,156
Likes: 723
From: S.W. Indiana
In a little under 20 years my mother put a little over 60K on her 2000 Dodge Neon before she passed on.
Since then I've lightly used it and it's up to about 68K. I use it on and off for about 6 months of every year, by my calculations about 300/miles on the months that I do use it.
I don't think I have one specific question at this point, just a ramble.
I'm not a car person. At this point I'm starting to have troubles distinguishing between actual problems and just signs of age.
About a year ago the brake light would sometimes come on when accelerating. I checked it, it seemed a little low, and I topped it off to the proper level. All then seemed fine. However, recently it sat unused for three months (in a garage). I had a battery maintainer hooked up to it which worked great (battery still has life in it, but doesn't like sitting for months). When I eventually drove it around I started getting the brake light again. I checked under the hood and the fluid was way low. I believe I noticed some leaking under/near the rear passenger wheel but that may have been due to snow. I eventually put down paper but didn't seem to capture anything.
I put a bit more brake fluid in about 20+ days ago and have checked it periodically and the level always seems about the same. And I don't think I see any liquid on the floor near the wheel. Is there something that would cause it to leak during winter and/or after the vehicle wasn't used for awhile?
My mother often took the vehicle into the dealership to get it checked out and I've only done that once so far but may be doing it again soon.
Since then I've lightly used it and it's up to about 68K. I use it on and off for about 6 months of every year, by my calculations about 300/miles on the months that I do use it.
I don't think I have one specific question at this point, just a ramble.
I'm not a car person. At this point I'm starting to have troubles distinguishing between actual problems and just signs of age.
About a year ago the brake light would sometimes come on when accelerating. I checked it, it seemed a little low, and I topped it off to the proper level. All then seemed fine. However, recently it sat unused for three months (in a garage). I had a battery maintainer hooked up to it which worked great (battery still has life in it, but doesn't like sitting for months). When I eventually drove it around I started getting the brake light again. I checked under the hood and the fluid was way low. I believe I noticed some leaking under/near the rear passenger wheel but that may have been due to snow. I eventually put down paper but didn't seem to capture anything.
I put a bit more brake fluid in about 20+ days ago and have checked it periodically and the level always seems about the same. And I don't think I see any liquid on the floor near the wheel. Is there something that would cause it to leak during winter and/or after the vehicle wasn't used for awhile?
My mother often took the vehicle into the dealership to get it checked out and I've only done that once so far but may be doing it again soon.
Look under the car at the backing plate where you think you saw fluid puddling. If the brake cylinder is leaking, it will have a wet streak down the plate. You may have a streak of brake fluid on the tire. Considering the age of the car, now would be a great time to flush the brake fluid and get some fresh fluid in there.
Captain
Joined: Jul 2016
Posts: 529
Likes: 18
From: SW Va
Scroll down to the graph, to see where your old brake fluid is on the boiling point curve. Why Change Brake Fluid (aa1car.com)