Air in your brake lines can lead to a sense of softness or mushiness when you apply your brakes. It lowers the effectiveness of your car and can increase the possibility of accidents if you have to stop quickly. Luckily, it's possible to get the air bubbles out of your brake system without losing the fluid as well. Mechanics use a comparatively simple technique that requires only a basic knowledge of cars.
Raise the hood on your car and add brake fluid to the brake fluid reservoir. You want to make sure there's plenty of fluid in the system while you bleed out the air.
Place a jack under the car and lift the tire off the ground. If you have access to a hydraulic lift, that's even better. You should start with the rear wheels first and then work your way to the front.
Loosen the lug nuts with a wrench and remove the tire. Set the lug nuts aside somewhere where you won't lose them.
Locate the caliber body behind the tire and remove the rubber cap from the bleeder screw. Set the cap aside with the lug nuts.
Use a box-end wrench to cover the bleeder screw. Fit a length of plastic tubing over the nipple. Make sure the other end of the tubing is positioned over a proper waste storage container for the brake fluid.
Hold the wrench firmly in one hand and the container firmly in the other.
Ask a friend to work the brakes for you, first by pumping them several times and then holding them down until the end of Step 8.
Open the bleeder screw with the wrench. Let it stay open for several seconds. Then close the screw again, and tell your friend to release the brakes.
Double check the brake lines for any air bubbles and add more fluid to the reservoir if needed.
Replace the wheel and tighten the lug nuts before lowering the car back to the ground.
Repeat the process with the remaining three wheels as necessary.
Test your brakes by pumping them several times with the engine turned off. They should firm up within a few seconds.
