What happens to my car when there’s no brake fluid? Your brakes won’t work. What happens is the brake fluid runs through the brake lines under your car to each wheel. Stepping on your brakes triggers the master cylinder. From there the master cylinder pushes brake fluid to each of your brakes. The fluid then pushes against your pads and causes you to stop. When you push on your pedal and it goes closer to the floor or the pedal kicks back at you have your brakes checked. #ryansservicenter