2009 Dodge Ram 1500 Pickup Owner Manual - Page 466

464 MAINTAINING YOUR VEHICLE WARNING! Riding the brakes can lead to brake failure and possibly an accident. Driving with your foot resting or riding on the brake pedal can result in abnormally high brake temperatures, excessive lining wear, and possible brake damage. You would not have your full braking capacity in an emergency. Brake Fluid Level Check The fluid level of the master cylinder should be checked when performing under the hood service or immediately if the brake system warning lamp indicates system failure. The brake master cylinder has a translucent plastic reservoir. On the outboard side of the reservoir, there is a "MAX" dot and an "MIN" dot. The fluid level must be kept within these two dots. Do not add fluid above the MAX mark because leakage may occur at the cap. With disc brakes the fluid level can be expected to fall as the brake linings wear. However, an unexpected drop in fluid level may be caused by a leak and a system check should be conducted. Use only the manufacturer's recommended brake fluid. Refer to "Fluids, Lubricants, and Genuine Parts" in this section for the correct fluid type. WARNING! • Overfilling the brake fluid reservoir can result in spilling brake fluid on hot engine parts and the brake fluid catching fire. • Use of a brake fluid that may have a lower initial boiling point or is unidentified as to specification, may result in sudden brake failure during hard prolonged braking. You could have an accident.