I always watch when Sue gives these training videos. She is one of the best teachers on the net.

The brake system you are looking at on the vehicle is a split diagonal system. One port on the mast cylinder is connected to the right rear line and also connected to the left front line. The other port is connected to the left rear and also connected to the right front line. This design will keep the vehicle stopping straight in case you loose fluid pressure in one of the lines. This is in most vehicles today especially front wheel drive vehicles. You bleed the right rear then the left front. Or the left rear then right front. The system sue draws in the beginning is the front brake lines are using one port of the master cylinder and the rear is using the other. If one side looses pressure there is a proportion valve that will block off fluid to that system. Now you will have either front or rear brakes only. So let’s say you lose pressure to the front brakes and only have rear. The vehicle is not going to stop well and if it is bad weather even worse most likely spinning like a top. The split diagonal system if you loose pressure on one system you still have a front and rear brake to stop the vehicle straight.

I feel like I'm in Ford apprentice mechanic training! Detailed whiteboard explanation with practical video instructions. Can't believe she taught all of these for free. Thank you so much

Some cars (toyota) have ABS pump on the passenger side. So for the driver front it actually takes a longer journey for the fluid than the passenger front. So for that I start from driver rear wheel. Also when doing one-person bleeding, I apply a thick grease on the bleeder thread to prevent air from being sucked in via the threads.

When Sue is talking, I'm listening 👂🏾

Best video I've watched. I've watched three brake fluid bleeding videos tonight and by the time I got to this video I was stressed out of my mind. Now that I've watched this video, I feel so calm and confident. Thanks so much for the teaching, Sue

This is by far the longest and best video I’ve seen explaining how to properly bleed the brakes! Thank you so much, kudos to almost having 1 million views, and showing how it’s really done!!

Sue! You're a natural and talented teacher. Thanks for saving me time and money after I watched your Nissan Murano front brake video. I'm an old mathematics teacher who enjoys lightweight automotive maintenance. The brake-bleed kit makes this job look reasonable without a helper.

I watched the thing in its entirety even though I already know how to bleed the brakes because Sue is amazing! Love the videos by 1A Auto, they're both informative and entertaining.

Wow I have never said this on any video I’ve ever watched on KZfaq. And it’s not because the videos were bad but, I have to say this lady knows her stuff. I’ve watched many on bleeding the brakes and she’s the first one I’ve watched that I can say without a doubt that I can easily bleed my brakes without referring back to the video. Great job! And now you’re my go to person/lady from now on when I need to learn something on my vehicle. Thank you so much for a through video. Namaste 🙏

Glad you mentioned the Corvette brakes being different from the norm on the order that you bleed each wheel as well as which side of the caliper to do first. I had heard that and now you confirmed it. Getting ready to replace pads because of excessive brake dust and bleed system on a 2017 Corvette with 20k miles. The brake fluid is black...........long overdue for a brake system flush.

I greatly appreciate your video. Out of all the videos on here, yours was the best one. I just finished a rear brake job on my 06 HHR and it was a horrible experience. I don't ever want to go through that ever again. The worst part were the main springs. Took two days to finish. Thank you for all your help!

Great video. I came across an instructional video that states your order of bleeding depends more on the distance from the ABS motor to the wheel ( if equipped with ABS) than the distance from the master cylinder. Also, Peak brake fluid is rated for both Dot 3 and Dot 4. Kind Regards, Craig

This has to be the best video I’ve seen that was very explained in every detail, glad I found it thank you so much, looking forward to future videos.

As a woman who works on cars (DIY), it’s so refreshing and encouraging to learn from another woman on KZfaq!

Absolutely love when your teaching us stuff! The amount of detail and explanation is always on point

Fantastic video. So much better than how I learned with my dad barking orders at me to press the brake which is about all I learned 34 years ago

Funny, I was taught to renew the fluid whenever the system has had a repair and my friends thought I was crazy. GOOD JOB.

Sue, you are so good! Love your teaching style, confidence and humor! Very solid production!

Thanks for the thorough video. I bleed my brakes, they work fine but a little soft so I'm going to go back in and utilize the techniques you suggested the three pump in particular 👍

This is the 1st video that I've seen Mrs. Sue teach. Absolutely an amazing job. I'm glad I watched it. I learned a lot. I'm fairly confident I will be able to do a proper brake job from now on. But, we will see........

Very informative as well as entertaining. Appreciated you showing/explaining the "mistake" as well.

It appears that Honda takes a difference stance on the traditional bleeding process. They recommend bleeding the LF first, then RF, RR, then LR. Thank you for the videos. Your an awesome teacher!

Very comprehensive and thanks because I will review this video again when doing all 4's with new brakes, calipers, and flush. I love the videos in general as it teaches me a lot

Bleeding the brakes is also dependent on where the ABS module is as well.

Good video. What I'd add: Always clean the outside of the reservoir and lid before opening. Use a flare nut wrench. Fill the reservoir from a pitcher with a nozzle or a funnel to get it where you need it and reduce the chances to spill any in the engine bay to next to nothing. Add a warning to immediately wash any spill off with water to not ruin parts and lacquer. The end should be bringing the old fluid back to a place that properly dispose of it. Torque specs of the repair manual should be followed.

Thanks Sue. You have been giving me the confidence to work on my 2005 EX Honda Element. I live in the rust belt of WI, so i can relate to your videos 100%. I have to replace my drivers side CV axle because the inner boot is ripped and leaking. I now have the confidence after watching your videos.

Thank you! Sue is a very good instructor. And she cleans up her messes lol! Great video.

Thank you SO MUCH for this!! I've always paid to have it done because i was intimidated to do it on my own or mess things up. But your patient explanation gave me the courage to get the kit and do this own my own the next time I need to work on my brakes. Thank you!!

Great video. But, how did the initial air in the hose magically disappear?. How did you fill the hose with fluid so the air in the hose was not sucked back into the caliper on the first press? Also, how do you prevent air from being suck in through the bleeder threads when out so much?

Wow what a friendly and incredibly likeable soul and talented mechanic! My son and I will be doing this with confidence this weekend thanks to your awesome, thorough job and explanations with fantastic live demonstrations!

Hi Sue, Your video is terrific. The tips you provide make complete sense and explanation for bleeding all four wheels even if only doing fronts makes it a no brainer to do. I've done brakes for years without issues but always with a peddle-pusher to assist. Your education for use of the single person kit has given me the confidence to go get one and try it on my own. I like your delivery. Thank you.

Watch the pedal travel when first pumping up the pedal. Do not want to ruin seals in master cylinder. Small pushes until it builds pressure

This was a excellent video, im trying to return to the automotive field, and these videos really help me. Keep up the great work!!!!

Thanks for the time to do this kind of videos, with such level of detail.

Thank you for making this video, as a person who has not ever done the actual bleeding of brakes himself only doing with the help of others usually the one who just does the pumping for the person who is. I now have a clear understanding of how this process is to be done along with some other additional wise pointful choices that mafe since. Such as when only doing the fronts to also take the time to do the back as well. Which this is something that I recently did not do this past weekend, when I replaced new front brakes & calibers. So I now think I can do this myself. Now to to try to tackle what I think is either a bad master cylinder or brake power booster or both.

Great video. Super clear and easy to understand. Maybe consider recommending a flare nut wrench for bleeder screws. If you round one of those, you'll be sorry. Also, brake fluid boils because brake fluid tends to absorb water (the reason for periodic fluid flushes). The water will boil, causing vapor to be created which is a compressible gas. Air bubbles are compressible (unlike brake fluid) and so you get the soft pedal or need to pump up the pedal to brake. Thanks again for the video.

supposed to put a block of wood or something under the brake pedal so it does not travel so far, as it can damage seals in master cylinder, when you move it out of normal range.

Nice work! 👍 Only thing I might add and I'm not sure if I've ever experienced this before but I've seen comments where a few people say that air can get past the bleeder screw threads and cause bubbles in the bleeder line leading you to believe that it's air in the brake line when it's actually air getting through the bleeder screw threads and they say to put some grease around the bleeder screw so no air can get through the threads. IDK, just throwing it out there. Another thing I've noticed with the clear bleeder line that goes over the bleeder screw is that when the line is cold and hard or when it's old and hard that it might not make a good seal on the bleeder and air can get past that seal and into the line leading you to again think that it's air in the brake line. I think they need to come up with a better line or flexible fitting that won't harden like regular clear bleeder line like maybe silicone line or Tygon fuel line or something that stays maliable better in colder Temps or when it ages. Regular PVC hose or line seems to harden and not make a good seal in cold temps or after it gets some age on it.

First time viewer,subscriber and buyer.Thank you Sue for showing us the essentials,tips and tricks to bleeding the vehicles brake system properly.Very informative.Thanks again.

Thanks for this very valuable video. I'm wondering ..... how to flush the abs pump, to avoid some of the pump pistons/plungers to stick? Thank you again

I've always had excellent results with the basic gravity bleed. Nothing fancy and it works

Thank you Sue, you explained how to do in clear detail. Love your humor!

Sue your simply the best ! So clear ,no crappy music ,to the point and yet very detailed .thanks again for sharing .

If you're doing a brake job & spill fluid on your paint, make sure to clean/wash it with soapy water.

Thought you should know. Great video, you'd be fun to work with. Went to your site to check out the bleeder kit and got this. "No results found for "brake bleed kit", Check the spelling, try a more general term, or select a category below." Thanks!

I always check to see where the anti brake lock module is located to see what the sequence for bleeding the brakes or flushing the system will be. Sample the camaro has the master cylinder on the left side in front of the driver, but the anti lock brake module is on the passenger side. Looking at the lines the furtherest caliper is the right rear, left rear, right front left front. That would be the sequence. Personally I always flush the system whenever I'm replacing any brake set. A 32 ounce brake fluid bottle with a hose to the bottom and zip tight to keep it place is what I used to bleed or flush the brake system by myself. DOT 4 brake fluid is the way to go when DOT 3 or DOT 4 is called for. Love your videos.

HI Sue, followed your instructions and my brakes are now perfect! Thank you again!

Great tutorial. What about the ABS pump, though?

Great thorough video ! Gives us DIYers better confidence to get it done ourselves instead of paying a shop to do it

Now I know your name! Sue thank you so much, I always watch your Mazda 3 videos from around 2 years ago when I work on my car. I can't tell you how helpful they are

You explain things better than anyone on KZfaq thank you 🙏

The shop manual for my 1956 Oldsmobile 98 says, "The correct sequence for bleeding is left front, right front, left rear, and right rear." My Olds has a single reservoir master cylinder, not the dual reservoir MCs commonly found on today's cars -- Could this somehow impact the bleeding order? It would appear that when fluid is pushed from the master to the only open bleeder (by way of depressing the brake pedal) the other three lines, under pressure, couldn't back flow any brake fluid or air to the master or to the open bleeder. If so, the bleeding order appears irrelevant. The shop manual also cautions that the vacuum reservoir associated with the power assist brakes be depleted by applying the brake pedal several times with the engine off before bleeding the system. Also, I've seen it commonly mentioned that one should use a socket to first loosen and re-tighten all of the bleeders so you'll know whether any get damaged in breaking them free. Others also suggest using petroleum jelly or grease at the base of any bleeders that leak air during bleeding operation. Lastly, in replacing brake lines, is it a potential brake fluid contamination problem to apply anti-seize grease to the threaded fittings?

Could you please explain is there any difference in bleeding a car's brake system with abs and without abs. I do believe that there is brake fluid in the lines leading to the abs pumps. By the way this was a amazing video, like always 😊

I have to say that this was the BEST how to video. Great instructor that doesn't make a newbie feel dumb. 1A auto is going to be my first place I go.

My kit consists of: 1 Coke Bottle hung with a coat-hanger, 1 clear hose from Home Depot, 1 baby bugger suction pump or a turkey-baister, a small funnel and a couple of different size gear wrenches... and O... make sure Not to get brake fluid on the vehicle paint! Good Upload! Note: in some cases you might want the engine on while you do this, and keep safety in mind first! When done, press the brake pedal several times till it feels hard before moving the vehicle!.

This mechanic knows her stuff !

Keep in mind air sometimes gets introduced from the threads of the bleeder screw itself as well To fix the problem remove the screw and apply a thin layer of chassis grease to the threads and reinsert screw to bleed without the air being introduced when bleeding resumes Also when i bleed brakes i put a small block of wood on the floor restricting full travel of the brake pedal and the reason for that is the master cylinder is not extending into uncharted territory scoring the seals and creating an additional problem due to internal master cylinder leaking

I used to have a 1979 Buick Lesabre in mint condition and I loved working on it even if there was nothing wrong with it. Love the videos , great information for sure.

Thank you so much! This has been an excellent video and now I am going to attempt to do it this way-the right way-I thought I had bled my brakes but did not know about the correct order-and even then, I was doing it all wrong! I haven't risked taking my Honda CRV out onto the road because my brakes were soft, spongy and ineffective. Many Thanks from the UK!

Excellent vid, some of those bleeder kits have a check valve so I'm not sure if it's necessary to keep the bottle partially filled with fluid before starting to avoid air going back into brake lines.

you've gotta be careful how far you twist that caliber bleed screw too, it can't be tto loose or it will still suck in air.

1A Auto channel is awesome. I learned how to change my brake pads and rotors on my Honda Pilot and Subaru legacy by watching their videos. They saved me hundreds of dollars. I called Honda dealer and they priced me 1299 + tax. It cost me 300.00 total to do it myself. Thank you 1A Auto.

Great job on this video. Some additional tips.. If you are using a vacuum bleeder add some teflon plumbers tape to the threads of the bleeder screw, otherwise you will suck air bubbles all day long thru the loose threaded bleeder connection. Not so much when you are using pressure from the pedal as the pressurized fluid will seep out of the threads slightly. Also use a zip tie around the bleeder hose-to bleeder screw for a tight seal. Another tip. If you are not sure about the order of the locations to start and finish, start at the back and just keep bleeding until the air bubbles stop.👍✌

What do you do when the brake fluid starts to come through the threads of the nipple? Can you use teflon tape there? Thanks

Just what I needed! And a girl any motor-head could fall in love with.

That turkey baster thing must cost a lot, my uncle had one and kept it under his bed, I guess for safe keeping. I never knew he was a mechanic! Thanks !!!

Sue you're an absolute beast. Thanks for the teaching!

Too much knowledge to comprehend here. We just need to go back to the Flintstone days and use our hairy legs and bare feet to stop the vehicle.

If you don't do something to seal the threads of the bleeder nipple, you will always see air bubbles in the clear hose getting in via the threads. I would also recommend not pushing the pedal to the floor on each stroke, you can put a block of wood under it to be a temporary stop to limit the travel. Also you would need to use much more flushing and fluid to get most all of the old fluid out, at least a couple of pints

Can we get a playlist of just Sue's content? Best mechanic and presenter you guys have by far. She's awesome.

Looking at the underneath of that vehicle reminded me why I moved from New England to the south. I don't miss shoveling snow.

The reason air bubbles make brakes overheat is because air compresses and decompresses, and bubbles act like a spring in the line (while hydraulic fluid doesn't compress). What happens is when you brake, the air bubble will compress, and then when you release the pedal, the air bubble will keep holding pressure and keep the piston pushing on the pad. Not a pressure anywhere as strong as when you brake, but just enough to keep a certain friction going and heat building up. You can check if your wheels are warm after driving on a highway for a while without braking. That "may" be a sign. Mainly if one wheel is much warmer than the others.

one of the best vids ever ! Im struggling with getting em brakes bled the right way after changing my calipers. Will try doing it again tomorrow with a fresh mind following you.

I was only looking for a refresher on the tire order of a system bleed, which came out right away, but you were so interesting I stayed for the whole thing! Nice job, thanks!

Really appreciate your video's, always helpful. I have watched over a dozen brake bleeding video's you are the only one that cleaned the bleeder when finished with brake clean! Thanks for your post's!

Great video! Ive been doing my brakes all my life, never once had anyone do my brakes and i been bleeding them wrong! Thanks for the info!

Thanks this helps me alot. I have this problem on my F150 Ford 2002. Will do it in the morning.

Watching this video is a real confidence builder. Thanks .

Whether old or new, I anneal the copper washers by heating them to bright red then letting it cool down. It softens the copper for a better seal.

Fun, informative, entertaining and charming. Thank you so much for this video! Just recently replaced a caliper myself and wanted to make sure my method of bleeding the brakes was correct! Unfortunately im going to be bleeding them again due to not adding the fluid in when bleeding them to avoid air intake back in... Welp, glad i watched this vid!

Great tutorial. I would add checking and lubricating the slide pins on the brakes even if you didn’t replace parts. An ounce of prevention while the wheel is off.

She's so charming and you can tell she has a ton of experience to back up her teaching. Great work, thank you!

Always your videos really help. I'm UK-based. Our systems ever since I was a child, I learnt from family and then an apprenticeship. In the UK we have always had dual brake lines running from ft to back. Because of us driving on the other side to Europe, the position of the master cyc varies. The master cyc has always been a screw-fit cap not a push-on fit, even when I worked on really old cars, they were a screw-fit cap not a push-fit. When I lived in CA, I had a Toyota and a Honda, both were screw-fit caps. I have no knowledge of other cars in the USA. Mostly for us, its 2 pipes running to the back side by side, they split and cross when they are close to the rear of the car. Bleeding very much as you said, especially on complex cars with multiple bleed nipples. knowing Europe has the double pipe may be useful to some. You talking about the hydrocarbon breakdown is what we learn at college, probably something your home mechanic has not thought about before. Excellent that you introduce those thoughts to home mechanics. On Vauxhalls, they needed a pressure bleed tool. At that time, most could be bleed with a peddle pump. Please if you are working on breaks buy a pressure bleed tool. They can be very cheap from any motor part shop, the cheap ones use pressure from a tyre. They will really help you and the low-end ones work excellently and are only a few pounds, I think the last one I bought was around £10, it has caps to fit most master cylinders. Something which very few car owners think off is they should flush their brake and if they have a hyd clutch fluid every few years, not only because of heat break down, almost the oil absorbs moisture from the air. Water in the oil is not good. I can explain but oil break down is going a lot off topic. Its what we learn at college when we do a real apprenticeship :) Hope my comments help.

I love this lady, I’ve been literally stranded for nearly 10 weeks. I Had to change out the booster and the master cylinder on a 2000 Bravada, a stubby 15 mm flex ratchet wrench was THE tool. It’s been a nightmare.

This is an excellent video. Much better than most on the internet. Thank you!

Modern cars come with ABS standard and often the proportion valve is diagonally split system... Some of the manufacturers service manual I have read actually tell you bleed the wheel that is closest to the ABS module first and work your way out. Anyways...As long as you don't introduce air into the brake system then you can bleed whatever order you want.

Great video. well explained and cleared up a lot of mistakes ive made in the past. Thank you! 1A Auto is great.

Got training video! Thanks for putting out awesome education for the young folks!

Sue is a national treasure

Nice job Sue. I used to do this in the 80’s with my cousin who was a mechanic. Not much has changed last 40 years

Sue is my favorite her personality makes the video enjoyable thank you 1Auto

i replaced 3 main lines in my 2001 chevy pickup... i will need an extra 32oz bottle of dot 3...thanks for this great video...this is my first major brake fluid job...Used the nicop 1/4 line... it was amazing..so glad i stayed away from using pain steel or even pre made stainless...

Love how through you are in your explanations. One thing I need a more mechanical explanation is what do you mean by "happy with the way brake feels"? Should it be really stiff? Soft? All the way to floor or half way? Thank you

Doing fluid change and front pads on 1978 Ford E-150. Hard lines as well as hoses are in full rust mode but I wasn't prepared to open Pandora's box on replacement until you mentioned the new flexible brake lines that are available, fully meriting a thumbs up and subscription. Thank you.

She so awesome. I actually removed my first engine ever after watch one of her videos do it. While it was 100% it was in the ballpark for sure. Total Goat of a mechanic that i would trust and listen to over all the others. Im surprised to see the line cracked open a full turn or turn and a half...i would think it would leak around the threads

Easy to follow instructions. Thank you. Bleeder screw leakage with a nice snug closure has always been my problem, even with new calipers.

Great video. Thanks for confirming how a brake pedal should feel immediately after bleeding before and after starting the car. I first got very nervous when the pedal went to the floor after starting (when before starting, it was EXTRA firm). When idling, I pumped the pedal and it improved, but still SEEMED softer than before I guess because that EXTRA firm pedal threw-off my reference as to how it should feel. I stepped away for a half hour and came back brake pedal now feels normal :) Thanks again.

I use a hand-squeeze vacuum to pull brake fluid with good results . Is it as effective as pumping the pedal 3x?

Love these car maintenance videos I'm like a sponge I use all these tips myself thanks 👌🏾😅 your doing a great job of keeping us informed 👍🏾👍🏾