Bleed after a pad job if the pedal is soft

Brakes

Bleed brakes by yourself with a $5 bottle

A second person pumping the pedal is the classic bleed. If you are alone, a bottle of fluid and a clear hose that stays submerged keeps air from getting sucked back in. Still: never let the reservoir go empty.

Brakes

Replace brake pads and rotors

Pads are the sacrificial blocks. Rotors are the discs they squeeze. When pads hit the wear tab you hear a squeal. When they are gone you hear grinding — that is metal cutting the rotor. A complete job is pads, hardware, greased pins, and rotors measured against the discard thickness stamped on the hat.

Brakes

Check and adjust the parking brake

The parking brake is a cable (or an electric motor) that locks the rear brakes so the car does not roll. If the handle climbs to the sky or the car rolls on a driveway, the cable is slack or the little shoes inside a rear disc hat are worn. Adjustment is model-specific. If you have an electronic EPB, do not yank the cable — you need a scan-tool retract.

Fluids

Flush and bleed brake fluid

Brake fluid absorbs water. After a few years it boils easier and rusts the expensive parts inside. A flush pushes new DOT 3 or DOT 4 through each corner until the old brown fluid is gone. This is not the same as topping off a low reservoir — low fluid often means worn pads.