Chevrolet 2008 Avalanche, Owner'S Manual

Page: 398 / 528

Brakes
Brake Fluid
The brake master cylinder
reservoir is filled with
DOT-3 brake fluid. See
Engine Compartment
Overview on page 5-14
for
the location of the reservoir.
There are only two reasons why the brake fluid level in
the reservoir might go down. The first is that the brake
fluid goes down to an acceptable level during normal
brake lining wear. When new linings are put in, the fluid
level goes back up. The other reason is that fluid is
leaking out of the brake hydraulic system. If it is, have
the brake hydraulic system fixed, since a leak means
that sooner or later the brakes will not work well.
It is not a good idea to top off the brake fluid. Adding
brake fluid will not correct a leak. If fluid is added when
the linings are worn, there will be too much fluid when
new brake linings are installed. Add or remove brake
fluid, as necessary, only when work is done on the brake
hydraulic system.
{
CAUTION:
If you have too much brake fluid, it can spill on
the engine. The fluid will burn if the engine is
hot enough. You or others could be burned,
and your vehicle could be damaged. Add brake
fluid only when work is done on the brake
hydraulic system. See “Checking Brake Fluid”
in this section.
When the brake fluid falls to a low level, the brake
warning light will come on. See
Brake System Warning
Light on page 3-39 .
Refer to the Maintenance Schedule to determine when
to check the brake fluid. See
Scheduled Maintenance
on page 6-4 .
5-38