Chevrolet driver’s brakes feel ‘squishy.’ Then he pops the hood and realizes it’s missing something critical

A man says his brakes started feeling “squishy” after highway driving. A quick look under the hood revealed a much bigger problem.

TikTok user (@50_shades_of_grey_obs) says he noticed the change in braking after getting off the highway and decided to check the car himself.

“So I'm going to see what that's about,” @50_shades_of_grey_obs says, peeking under the hood of his car.

He then opens what appears to be the brake-fluid reservoir. At first glance, the container looks like it's holding brown liquid and “smoking.”

“Oh, it should not be smoking like that,” @50_shades_of_grey_obs says. But after looking closer, he realized the reservoir is actually empty.

“I hate how long it took me to realize,” @50_shades_of_grey_obs wrote in the text overlay of his clip. In the comments, he explains what he says had happened: “So that little tank is supposed to hold brake fluid, without it you don't have brakes. It all got out of the brake lines and I didn't have brakes.”

He also confirmed that the reservoir was “very much” empty. As of Monday, his video had more than 132,900 views.

Where did his brake fluid go? 

An empty brake fluid reservoir is not normal, according to Phoenix Systems, and it usually points to either a significant leak or major brake wear.

Brake fluid is what transfers pressure from the brake pedal through the hydraulic system to the calipers (or wheel cylinders on drum brakes) on each wheel.

AAA warns that low fluid levels can reduce hydraulic pressure, weakening braking force and making the pedal feel “soft” or “spongy.” If the pedal travels farther than usual — or sinks toward the floor — it recommends having it towed for inspection.

That certainly lines up with @50_shades_of_grey_obs' descriptor of how he says his brakes felt. Low fluid can allow air into the system, producing a spongy pedal.

But it's not immediately clear from the video or comments section why the reservoir was empty. CarParts.com says a low brake fluid level can indicate either work brakes or a leak somewhere in the hydraulic system. It suggests that possible leak points include the master cylinder or calipers. 

@50_shades_of_grey_obs says he also noticed “smoking” under his car's hood — another clue worth paying attention to. 

The “smoking” he noticed is another clue worth paying attention to. Firestone says brake pads worn down by aggressive driving can generate enough heat for moisture-contaminated brake fluid to boil, creating vapor in the system and reducing braking performance.

Brake fluid absorbs moisture and air over time, which lowers its boiling point.

Of course, this doesn't prove the vapor @50_shades_of_grey_obs saw came from boiling brake fluid. But paired with the empty reservoir and the change he noticed in braking, it gives another reason his car's system might need a closer look.

What went wrong with the Chevrolet?

Viewers quickly started guessing at what caused all the brake fluid to disappear.

“You blew a line,” one commenter suggested.

But @50_shades_of_grey_obs said that wasn't what happened.

“No, brakes wore down so much that the piston actually popped out of the caliper and I lost all my fluid…,” he replied.

Others were still stuck on how deceptive the reservoir looked at first glance.

“Looked full to me too from that angle, so we're both blind, I guess,” one person wrote.

Another viewer had the same reaction in real time.

“To be fair … I also thought there was fluid in there,” they commented.

Some took the video as a reminder to inspect their own cars.

“Remind me to check mine,” one viewer wrote.

“Brb, gonna go check my brake fluid,” another echoed.

“Reckon I better go check my fluids,” added a third.

Others were more concerned about the condition of the fluid itself.

“Well, first of all, it shouldn't be that color. Ever,” one commenter said of the seemingly brown liquid that was in the reservoir before it emptied.

@50_shades_of_grey_obs responded with a joke: “Meh, just send it.”

Subplot News has reached out to @50_shades_of_grey_obs via TikTok direct message for additional comment.

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