Brakes are not working. Brake fluid reservoir is empty. What's the next step?  With no brake fluid, how can I find out where the leak is?  Is it okay to just add more fluid and then look for leaked fluid on the ground?

Sounds like it's worn out, best take into the shop for repair, should only cost $20 with parts.

you broke a brake line this is my linkhttps://www.facebook.com/TedsRepairs

Clean up any oil leaks.
Have someone sit in the car and depress the pedal while you check around for leaks.
You need to check all brake lines, and calipers etc.
Locate your leak and repair or replace parts as necessary.

Were the brake pads worn or making noise the initial reason for "changed the brakes"? If you are "emptying the brake fluid really fast" then you have a leak. The leak may not be at the brake caliper but at the master cylinder/ vacuum booster. Thus why you seem to have brake pressure when the car is off. Check closely around the master cylinder and booster mounted on the firewall (inside and outside of the car) for signs of brake fluid leaking.

If you have no evidence of leaking outside the drum, most likely your brake piston is leaking or the drive shaft seal is leaking. Pull off the drum and look for the piston which spreads the two brake pads normally situated at the top. Inspect for leaks. If the fluid is thin, it is most likely brake fluid. If it is heavier like oil and really stinks, it is gear oil from a leaking seal.

There are a few reasons to replace the front brake hose on your vehicle. The most common reason that you would need to change the hose is a leak. If you have a leak in your brake hose, it can cause your brakes to malfunction. The front brake hose supplies brake fluid to your front brakes. The front brake hose runs from your brakes' master cylinder to your front brake calipers. When the brake calipers do not have the required amount of brake fluid, they will not push down the brake pads on the rotor and stop your vehicle. However, replacing the front brake hose on your vehicle is not a hard project. Though this is an easy repair, there are a few very important steps that you must follow to ensure your vehicle is safe. Follow these steps to replace your front brake hose and get your vehicle safely back on the road.

Step 1 - Set Up

The first thing you need to do for this repair is to jack up your vehicle and remove the tire. Place your jack stand in safe area so that the vehicle can not fall. This is a very important safety measure. Next, place a container under the front brake hose. This will catch the brake fluid for proper disposal.
Step 2 - Remove Old Hose

Before you can put on your new front brake hose, you have to remove the old one. To do this, take your line wrench and back out the hose fitting in the master cylinder. After you have that fitting loose, remove the fitting on the brake caliber. Once you have the hose loose, use a screwdriver to remove the hose clamps that hold the hose in place.
Step 3 - Installing New Hose

Now that you have the old front brake hose removed, you are ready to install the new hose. This is the reverse process to step 2. First, take your line wrench and tighten the hose fitting back into the master cylinder. Next, attach the other end of the hose into the brake caliber. Finally, reattach the hose clamps to keep the hose in place.

When tightening the hose, it is very important not to cross tread the fitting. This will cause the fitting to leak. Also be careful to not overtighten. You can easily break or crack the fitting.
Step 4 - Bleeding the Brakes

The final and most important step in the repair is to bleed the brakes, which involves getting all the air out of the front brake hose. This will make your brakes work properly. To bleed the brakes, you need someone to work the brake pedal on the inside of the vehicle. You need to stay near the brake caliber.

Have the person inside the vehicle pump the brakes 3 times and hold the pedal down on the third time. While he is holding the pedal, you need to back off the nut and the caliber. Do this process a few times until all the air is out. Then replace the wheel and test drive your vehicle.


Car Performance Chip

Hi:
All modern cars have a dual brake system, this way if you would happen to spring a leak in your rear brakes, your front brakes still work. When one system fails, you get a brake light. In your case, the first place to start your troubleshooting is to check the fluid level in the brake reservoir. If either the front or back of the reservoir is empty, you have a leak. If both are still full, the most likely problem is your master cylinder failing. If you think you have a leak, look at the inside edges of all 4 wheels, and look for signs of brake fluid .

Hi:
If your brakes do not work, the lights that are on are supposed to be on . First , do not drive the car!, Check under the hood to see if the brake fluid is low or empty. If it is low or empty, you have a brake system leak. Check the back side of each wheel and look for wetness or fluid leakage. If you don't see anything, or the brake reservoir is still full, it could be a master cylinder fail , so get your car towed somewhere to get the brakes repaired!

1 Siphon off the old brake fluid in the master cylinder reservoir under the hood.
2 Fill the reservoir with new brake fluid (don't reuse old fluid as it holds moisture and will corrode your brake system).

3 Start with the brake farthest from the Master cylinder, usually rear wheel, passenger side. Pull off the rubber cover on the bleeder valve. Attach the aquarium air line to the nipple on the bleeder.

4 Have your assistant pump the brake pedal up and down 3-4 times, then hold the pedal down fairly hard.
5 Open the bleeder, let fluid flow out through the air line into a waste container. (preferrably a clear bottle so you can see any air bubbles escaping the system). When the fluid stops and your assistant's foot hits the firewall (brake pedal all the way down), close the bleeder valve immediately!
6 Go to step #4 above and drain more fluid out of the bleeder valve until clean fluid comes out. Check the master cylinder every time and top it up as necessary. This procedure uses lots of fluid.

7 Now move to the rear brake on the driver's side. Go to step #4 and repeat the same procedures above until clean fluid comes out of the bleeder valve and no bubbles.
8 Next is the front brake, passenger side, same procedure. Then the drivers side and the same procedure.
9 When finished check for any leaks, remount rubber covers on the bleeder valve nipples. Remount all wheels, re-torque lug nuts after 50-100 miles of driving.
10 Start vehicle and depress the brake pedal. It should feel much less spongy than before this procedure. If not, there is air in the system, start over. Bleed everything again.
Note: if you assistant releases the brake pedal before you can close the bleeder valve then air will be introduced into the brake lines. This is no good! Before you start tell your assistant you will tell him/her PUMP, HOLD DOWN, RELEASE commands.

That's it, you're done. Congratulate yourself on saving some cash instead of handing it over to a mechanic.

I have changed brake pads before and did not lose any fluid but air can get in the lines. Brake fluid is not compressible while air is, so if you get air in your lines it compresses when you hit the pedal there fore the pedal goes down to floor and your brakes dont grab that good. You can either bleed the brakes your self by starting at the wheel furthest away from the brake fluid reservoir and unscrewing bleeder hose and letting the fluid just bleed out. (get something to catch it and dispose of it properly). Make sure you keep the reservoir under your hood full of brake fluid while letting the other stuff by tires bleed out. Work your way from the furthest tire first and the closest one to the reservoir last. GOODLUCK!