So it’s come the time to break the pads on my car which is a Kia Rio. I’ve looked up a few things and the job seems doable by myself which saves a lot of money.
The only thing that I can’t seem to find a concrete answer is if they actually need to be bled once the new pads are installed?
Thank you
You should bleed the brakes, because brake fluid absorbs water over time and goes bad.
There are a few ways to do it by yourself, but the first step is making sure all 4 bleeders open and aren’t seized.
Edit: Brake fluid should be replaced every 2 years or 20,000 miles. Brake pads need replacement every 20,000 to 40,000 miles. Average driver in the US goes 14k miles a year. Bleed your brakes until the fluid is clear when you replace brakes, even if the caliper wasn’t replaced.
You don’t need to bleed brakes for a pad change. Change the fluid if it’s time to be changed, which also happens to be convenient to do while the wheels are off. Brake pad wear might coincide with fluid change timing, but not always.
Then, you should not only bleed, but actually replace the brake fluid, i.e. keep bleeding it until the fresh brake fluid, you have been filling into the reservoir, comes out of each bleeder.