Mercury Tracer Brake Master Cylinder Replacement Costs

Estimate price near me

Service Location

Customer Ratings

Included for free with this service

Online Booking

Mechanic comes to you

12-month / 12k-mile warranty

Free 50 point safety inspection

Our certified mobile mechanics can come to your home or office 7 days a week between 7 AM and 9 PM.

See availability

Customer Ratings

Brake Master Cylinder Replacement Service

How much does a Brake Master Cylinder Replacement cost?

On average, the cost for a Mercury Tracer Brake Master Cylinder Replacement is $217 with $103 for parts and $114 for labor. Prices may vary depending on your location.

Car	Service	Estimate	Shop/Dealer Price
1987 Mercury TracerL4-1.6L	Service typeBrake Master Cylinder Replacement	Estimate$524.13	Shop/Dealer Price$632.66 - $931.27
1989 Mercury TracerL4-1.6L	Service typeBrake Master Cylinder Replacement	Estimate$319.47	Shop/Dealer Price$382.86 - $545.99
1997 Mercury TracerL4-2.0L	Service typeBrake Master Cylinder Replacement	Estimate$360.87	Shop/Dealer Price$431.86 - $613.29
1990 Mercury TracerL4-1.6L	Service typeBrake Master Cylinder Replacement	Estimate$500.13	Shop/Dealer Price$608.66 - $907.26
1993 Mercury TracerL4-1.8L	Service typeBrake Master Cylinder Replacement	Estimate$386.47	Shop/Dealer Price$463.88 - $664.53
1998 Mercury TracerL4-2.0L	Service typeBrake Master Cylinder Replacement	Estimate$360.87	Shop/Dealer Price$431.86 - $613.29
1994 Mercury TracerL4-1.8L	Service typeBrake Master Cylinder Replacement	Estimate$483.07	Shop/Dealer Price$582.67 - $850.36
1996 Mercury TracerL4-1.8L	Service typeBrake Master Cylinder Replacement	Estimate$483.07	Shop/Dealer Price$583.19 - $851.27

Show example Mercury Tracer Brake Master Cylinder Replacement prices

What is the brake master cylinder and how does it work?

The brake master cylinder has a piston that pressurizes fluid in the brake lines to each wheel cylinder as you apply force to the brake pedal. That pressure moves the pistons that are in the wheel cylinders. As the pistons in those wheel cylinders move, they force the brake pads or shoes tightly against the rotors or drums allowing the car to stop quickly.

The size of the pistons in the master cylinder and in the wheel cylinders are carefully selected when designing a car. This allows drivers to apply moderate pressure on the brake pedal when stopping, but creates tremendous pressure applied at the wheel cylinders. A car can then stop quickly even at high speeds. Depending on how much force is applied to the brake pedal, the pressure in a car’s brake lines will typically be in the range of 800 PSI to 2,000 PSI.

Master Cylinder

When to replace the master cylinder?

External fluid leaks. There should be no fluid visible on the external surfaces of any portion of the master cylinder or the plastic fluid reservoir.
Low, slowly falling, or spongy brake pedal. Faulty internal seals on the piston can cause internal leaks and also seepage of brake fluid into the power assist brake booster. Internal leaks will typically be accompanied by a low pedal, a spongy brake pedal, or a pedal that slowly sinks as you maintain pressure. In all cases, you will experience reduced braking abilities.
Discolored brake fluid. No brake fluids, other than those specified for the year, make, and model, are fully compatible with a car’s internal rubber seals in the master cylinder. Discoloration of brake fluid can also occur due to moisture and particulate contaminants in the fluid.
Warning lights on the dash. If the brake system warning light illuminates, there are several potential causes but failure of the master cylinder is in the list of causes that would have to be investigated.

How do mechanics replace the brake master cylinder?

On vehicles with power brakes, the master cylinder is bolted to the metal housing of the power brake booster. There is usually an electrical plug connecting to a brake fluid level sensor on the master cylinder reservoir and that plug must be disconnected.
Once all steel brake lines are disconnected from the master cylinder, the master cylinder is unbolted from the brake booster and removed from the vehicle.
The new master cylinder must be bench-bled to expel air from internal passages that contain the piston. Then the new master cylinder is bolted to the brake booster and the brake lines are reattached. The electrical plug for the fluid level sensor is reconnected.
Whenever a new master cylinder is installed, brakes lines to wheel positions must be bled to remove air, old fluid and contaminants. If your vehicle is equipped with anti-lock brakes, the mechanic may use a bidirectional scan tool during brake bleeding to actuate the ABS pump, thus ensuring that all air is removed from the complex valving in the ABS system.
All brake line connections that were removed during the master cylinder replacement are inspected for any leakage and the vehicle is road tested to ensure normal operation of the brakes.

Is it safe to drive with a master cylinder problem?

No, any fault in the master cylinder, which is part of the braking system creates a safety risk. A fully operational brake system is essential to quickly stopping your car. Driving a vehicle isn’t safe, if the master cylinder is leaking or has other faults, as braking distances might be longer than normal. The braking system on a vehicle is among the most important safety systems and must be fully functional to safely drive your vehicle.

When replacing the master cylinder keep in mind:

The master cylinder is only one component of many in a vehicle’s braking system. During replacement of the master cylinder, all vehicle braking system components should be inspected to ensure maximum braking power is available.
The amount of friction material remaining on the brake pads and brake shoes should be verified.
Brake lines and flexible rubber hoses at each wheel position should be inspected for corrosion and deterioration.
The power brake booster should be evaluated to ensure that power assist is working properly.

Fast and easy service at your home or office

Backed by 12-month, 12.000-mile guarantee

Meet some of our expert Mercury mechanics

Real customer reviews from Mercury owners like you.

Excellent Rating

(22)

Rating Summary

21

1

0

0

0

21

1

0

0

0

SEE REVIEWS NEAR ME

Stephen

28 years of experience

132 reviews

Request Stephen

Stephen

28 years of experience

Request Stephen

by Tommy Prosser

Tracer 1999 - Brakes, Steering and Suspension Inspection - Wheat Ridge, CO

He did an excellent job! I thought my car was having major costly issues, but he found a vacuum leak on a very bad spot. He fixed the leak and my car is right back at it! Thank you very much.

Excellent Rating

(22)

Rating Summary

21

1

0

0

0

21

1

0

0

0

SEE REVIEWS NEAR ME

Recent articles & questions

Car Safety Ratings: Who to Trust and What They Mean

When When searching for a new or used vehicle to purchase, safety plays a major part in the decision. Luckily, you have a selection of agencies available that rate vehicles for safety according to a variety of factors, including the...

How to Make Your Car Payment

Typically, Typically, you don’t have the whole purchase price in cash when you purchase a vehicle. When that happens, you can set up a loan with a financial institution or lender to borrow the funds you need to pay for...

P2605 OBD-II Trouble Code: Intake Air Heater A Circuit

P2605 code means voltage variations have triggered the Check Engine Light due to open or shorted wires or connectors, or faulty heater element.

I unhook the positive cable to the battery to stop the engine from running did it affect any of the electrical components or anyth

You may have caused electrical voltage spikes in the system. If you could not get the vehicle to go in park, then you may have a transmission or computer system failure and can be covered under one of the recalls...

Looking for a ohms / resistance chart for the water thermal sensor switch on a 1985 toyota celica.

Hi there. Get a digital ohm meter and check the resistance on the coolant temperature sensor (water thermal sensor). You are looking for readings that are more than 200 ohms in variance between a cold and a warm engine. If...

Mixing incandescent bulbs with LED's in a car

Generally speaking, mixing incandescent lights with led's should not be a problem. However, it has been my experience that there are a some vehicles that will use a lighting control module to control accessory lighting, and led's have much less...

How can we help?

Our service team is available 7 days a week, Monday - Friday from 6 AM to 5 PM PST, Saturday - Sunday 7 AM - 4 PM PST.

1 (855) 347-2779 · hi@yourmechanic.com