When replacing the brake pads on a 2001 oldsmobile alero do you have to bleed the brakes? and how do you do that? One website said all you have to do is take out 2 bolts (we did that and cant get the caliper off). Another site said 4 bolts so we found 2 more bolts. when I loosened the first the brake fluid started dripping out. Now we aren't sure what to do. Anyone know what we should do now?

YES YOU HAVE TO BLEED BRAKES WHEN YOU REPLACE BRAKES, FIRST YOU NEED NEW BRAKE FLUID AND BLEEDING HOSE AND A CALIPER SPANNER, TO BLEED BRAKES YOU PUT HOSE ON CALIPER LOOSEN CALIPER WITH SPANNER THEN GET SOMEONE TO PUMP BRAKE PEDEL UNTILL FLUID FLOWS FROM CALIPER AT THIS MOMENT CLOSE CALIPER , REPEAT ON ALL FOUR CALIPERS ,BUT REMEMBER TO COLECT BRAKE FLUID IN CONTAINER AND REFILL BRAKE FLUID RESERVOIR SA YOU BLEED EACH BREAK.

Normally, just a pad replacement would not necessitate brake bleeding. Most calipers are held on by two bolts, so I think the website was right. The reason you could not get the caliper off (and I am guessing here) is that you did not push the piston(s) back into their bores before trying to remove the caliper. Pushing the pistons back is always necessary to give you enough room to get the new pads into place. A C-clamp does this job well. Before pushing on the pistons with the C-clamp, you need to remove the cover of the brake fluid reservoir under the hood and put a towel or something over the top of it. Pushing the pistons in will push brake fluid back through the lines into the reservoir and will often cause it to overflow.

It sounds like the bolt you removed that started the brake fluid dripping was in fact what is called a bleeder valve. Now that the brake lines have been opened, you may in fact have to bleed the brakes after you get the new pads installed.