i have noticed the last 30-45 days that my brake fluid is getting depleted. it is not emptied... its about on midpoint level now. i have 66200m and i have both the cpo 100k/3yr and the platinum 100k/7yr warranties... if this is a leak, will it be covered?
does anyone have the same problem before. one thing i remember is that before i purchased my GX as cpo, the dealership mentioned me that they serviced the brakes... can i go back to them for work warranty if they did not do it correctly? I have at least put on 7K miles since.
thanks for your input.

 

You have a leak. Brake fluid does not evaporate like water.

It could be your brake line, master cylinder, or the caliper bleeder bolt being untightened.

What dealers dont cover is brake service such as the rotor and pad wear. But if you your brake line or master cylinder is damaged, it will be covered. Those are not considered wear and tear items like pads/rotors.

 

do you notice any stains in the spot you park overnight, hows your driving, has it increased mileage wise, brake fluid tends to drop when the pads wear down, most importantly how does the pedal feel

 

Either you have a leak in the brake system or your pads are rapidly wearing. If you're brake-knowledgeable, pull the wheels off and inspect the calipers. Check for signs of leaks. Also check the pad thicknesses. New thickness is ~10mm, totally shot is 1mm. I would find it hard to believe that the pads could have worn that much in one month. Does the brake pedal feel spongy?

If the brakes are leaking, the warranty should cover it. If it's merely thin pads, warranty doesn't cover that, as pads are a wear item like tires. If it's your master cylinder, you definitely want to get it covered. BTW, you should have your brake fluid flushed about every 2 yrs (esp. if you live in a humid climate), as brake fluid absorbs moisture/water like a sponge. The water in the fluid not only reduces the boiling temperature, but also corrodes the brake system inside out. Ask me how I know? I inherited a 14 yr old Toyota 4Runner from a family member 7 yrs ago. Brake fluid was dark brown, had never been changed since Toyota didn't spec a change interval back then (and all the recommended service had been done). After driving it for 6 months, the brake fluid dropped, causing the warning light to turn on. The rear brakes were leaking, fluid all over the pads. I immediately replaced the rear brakes & pads, and eventually had to replace the master cylinder since the water in the fluid rusted the inside of the brake system, leaving this brown sludge at the bottom of the master cylinder resevoir. This was a So. CA car, garaged most of its life, too.

Since it sounds like you're still under warranty, I'd have the dealer look at it. The worst case is you have to pay to replace the pads (if you haven't done that yet, 66K is a lot of miles on factory pads). They're only like $50/axle plus labor, not a killer. OTOH, a new master cylinder/electronic brake booster is like $1.5K, part only! (at least on the LX)

 

thanks guys for your input. i have checked my garage floor for fluid and cannot find any. i am not as mechanically inclined and not sure if there are leaks on the system somewhere or cannot really see any visible leaks from just looking from outside of vehicle... might be internal. the dealer did mentioned that the front pads were replaced and that the rear is still about 80% life ( so i guess that meant only front was serviced. i did noticed from the beginning that the brake pedal was a little low compared to my other cars. i have gotten used to that and i read once here in the forum that our GXs brake pedals are such because of the "booster" something... so i just admitted the fact that it was such. but this brake fluid getting depleted really concerns me. I will have the dealer look at it and i hope it's not a big problem or is covered by warranty.
i have noticed too that the "hiss' sound coming from the master cylinder i guess is becoming more noticeable and happens more often now than before... is it because fluid level is lower? should i tap off the reservoir? i was thinking just to leave it so i can show it to the dealer that it is lower.
thanks again you all for your input i really aprreciate your time.

 

I would take it to the dealer ASAP. Brakes are crucial, so they can't brush it off like there's no problem. They know that if they sign off on it and say it's okay (get it in writing) and the brakes fail soon after, they are liable.