Hi guys I just realized I have a brake fluid leak under my car.. What is properbly wrong and is it expensive/hard to fix?

It's a black 2001 vRS.

Regards from Iceland, Emil

Edited 7 September, 201114 yr by TheFamous

It could be leaking from the clutch slave cylinder joint. The hydraulic fluid pipe on mine failed, I only noticed when the gf sat at a junction with her foot on the clutch and it caused more fluid to leak out....

You first step should be to determine where the fluid is leaking from.

- fluid reservoir

- pipework

- caliper

- clutch

Take off the engine undertray and have a look, with the tray on the leak could be elsewhere from where the puddle of fluid has appeared on the ground.

Where is it leaking from?

Where is it leaking from?

At this point we will have to put on our clairvoyance glasses. Other than "the car", we don't have much info to go on!

At this point we will have to put on our clairvoyance glasses. Other than "the car", we don't have much info to go on!

I'll have to take a better check, but I can tell you that it's leaking near the left rear tire, if that's any help at all..

I'll have to take a better check, but I can tell you that it's leaking near the left rear tire, if that's any help at all..

Guess you had better check the pipework (there is a joint in the flexi to solid pipework on the rear beam or nearby (iirc), the bleed nipple and maybe the piston/caliper assembly too.

have you driven over any rocks recently or something which might have damaged/dislodged something?

Guess you had better check the pipework (there is a joint in the flexi to solid pipework on the rear beam or nearby (iirc), the bleed nipple and maybe the piston/caliper assembly too.

have you driven over any rocks recently or something which might have damaged/dislodged something?

No, but I did just purchase the car and will take it to the previous owner and see what he says..

But would it be an expensive fix if it would take it to a shop?

Edited 7 September, 201114 yr by TheFamous

Took a little better check and it's all wet inside the rim, could it be the brake caliber or some hose that connects to it?

No, but I did just purchase the car and will take it to the previous owner and see what he says..

But would it be an expensive fix if it would take it to a shop?

As we don't know why the car is leaking fluid we can't guess at how much it would cost to fix it. Some investigation work will need to be carried out by you first.

One might wonder if the seller knew the car has issues and was selling it on rather than fixing them. I might be doing the sell an injustice though.

As we don't know why the car is leaking fluid we can't guess at how much it would cost to fix it. Some investigation work will need to be carried out by you first.

One might wonder if the seller knew the car has issues and was selling it on rather than fixing them. I might be doing the sell an injustice though.

Yes, he is a very nice guy and will probably take a look at it for me..

I would check the joint between the brake pipe and caliper. The sealing washers used to corrode on the early MkIV Golfs and I thought that VAG had cured it, but the symptoms are similar to those described.

Check it's not leaking from the nipple. If it is, then it could be dirt preventing the nipple from fully closing.

The extra detail is making me think of:-

1) The seal washer where the flexipipe connects to the caliper. This is particularly likely if the car still has the original aluminium washers. The seller will probably know if they've ever been replaced.

2) The bleed nipple.

3) The caliper seal. If there is no fluid on the disc itself and/or the brake pads, you can probably rule this out though.

The extra detail is making me think of:-

1) The seal washer where the flexipipe connects to the caliper. This is particularly likely if the car still has the original aluminium washers. The seller will probably know if they've ever been replaced.

2) The bleed nipple.

3) The caliper seal. If there is no fluid on the disc itself and/or the brake pads, you can probably rule this out though.

Are we talking about this guy?

hope you guys understand the picture, not the best picture

I think you have circled the hand-brake cable. Not sure if the vRS has the same calipers on the rear as I have on my TDI.

I think you have circled the hand-brake cable. Not sure if the vRS has the same calipers on the rear as I have on my TDI.

Hmm ok, but I called the guy I bought it from (he owns a Skoda shop) and he says he has a RS brake pump he will replace if that's the case.. I will keep you guys updated as soon as I come back from him.

Thanks for your responses, really appreciate it. Great Skoda community here! Cheers

It's ok for me to add DOT-4 brake fluid right?

But it's a little weird that even though there's a leak and the car is alerting me. The brakes seem to work 100% (the pedal doesn't sink to the floor)

dot 4 should be fine. The pedal would only sink to the floor if the seal in the master cylinder was inverted, or if you were really low on fluid (and then the warning light should come on).

dot 4 should be fine. The pedal would only sink to the floor if the seal in the master cylinder was inverted, or if you were really low on fluid (and then the warning light should come on).

Ok, thanks again mate!

1) That looks like a handbrake cable to me too.

2) I'm not sure about the calipers, but I thought the RS had ventilated rear discs? If so, the caliper would need to be wider to accomodate the ~3x thickness discs. We all know that the same front calipers are run on several different diameter discs by changing the carrier brackets.

3) You should use DOT 4+, but there's no harm in using fresh DOT4 if you have it.

4) I think you'd get clutch failure before brake failure, since they use a common reservoir, and anything I've ever looked at took the clutch fluid off higher up the reservoir than the brake master cylinder feed so you got warning of possible brake failure.

1) That looks like a handbrake cable to me too.

2) I'm not sure about the calipers, but I thought the RS had ventilated rear discs? If so, the caliper would need to be wider to accomodate the ~3x thickness discs. We all know that the same front calipers are run on several different diameter discs by changing the carrier brackets.

3) You should use DOT 4+, but there's no harm in using fresh DOT4 if you have it.

4) I think you'd get clutch failure before brake failure, since they use a common reservoir, and anything I've ever looked at took the clutch fluid off higher up the reservoir than the brake master cylinder feed so you got warning of possible brake failure.

I took it to the previous owner, there was some rubber that was leaking, he fixed it for me for free! (He owns a Skoda/VW part shop)

I appreciate the feedback, thank you very much!

Edited 8 September, 201114 yr by TheFamous

2) I'm not sure about the calipers, but I thought the RS had ventilated rear discs? If so, the caliper would need to be wider to accomodate the ~3x thickness discs. We all know that the same front calipers are run on several different diameter discs by changing the carrier brackets.

Certainly that picture seems to show vented discs.

Certainly that picture seems to show vented discs.

So you are saying that I don't have the stock rear discs?