Change Brake Fluid ?

Lesformore · Jun 8, 2009

Recently when I took my Chevy van into the dealership,they wanted to change the brake fluid. They had a color comparison thing which showed the fluid was darker than it should be. They said it was because of moisture absorbsion, and if not changed the brakes could fail do to a lower boiling point of the fluid, and/or corrosion of the lines. I've driven many vehicles, never changed the brake fluid and never had that kind of failure. Your comments please.

kyhayman · Jun 8, 2009

Sounds like another way to seperate you from your money. Its a new one on me.

RodinNS · Jun 8, 2009

I've always felt that brake fluid got changed readily enough when I change lines, wheel cylinders and calipers.
I agree... they're trying to separate you from your money. Times are tough I spose...

Rod

Anonymous-0 · Jun 8, 2009

I change the fluid for both reasons you mentioned,moisture asorbtion and heat generated by extreme pressure deterioats fluid in my opinion. However,I don't always replace the caliper kits at "first"pad/shoe replacement as is reccomended.I have not had a single leak eventhough most vehicles arenot replaced at less than 200,000 miles.

John B. · Jun 8, 2009

When I worked for our local School Bus Company we had to change the brake fluid once a year. We had test strips to test the fluid. The srips were looking for metal in the fluid. That's what we were told any way. I owned a car for 17 years and only changed the fluid once because I put new rear wheel cylinders on it. Heat from the engine compartment can cause condensation in the resevoir. And if you think about it the fluid in the lines really doesn't move very far when you apply the brakes. Makes you wonder how or what makes the fluid change color over time!!

Be sure to inspect new wheel cylinders before installing them, I've had too many leak after installation. Took the new ones apart and they were pitted on the inside from sitting on the shelf at the parts store or their warehouse.

S.Crum · Jun 8, 2009

Of course I've changed the fluid in all my 90's era GM and Ford vehicles. They got all new fluid when they got all new lines after all the factory lines rusted from the OUTSIDE and blew out. Usually during a hard stop when you least wanted a blown line.

Anonymous-0 · Jun 8, 2009

If the fluid in your reservoir is still clear, tell 'em to suck eggs. If your fluid is discolored, that's contamination. Whether that contamination will cause you problems, I can't tell you...but are you willing to bet your family's lives that nothing will happen?

Consider it insurance, like replacing a timing chain when you overhaul a car or truck engine. If it prevents problems down the road, it's worth every penny. But you'll never know that neglecting to change fluid was wrong until something fails in your system...and then it's too late. If your fluid gets contaminated with moisture, and the fluid boils and you lose your brakes during a panic stop...and someone gets killed...will saving that money by NOT flushing the brake fluid still be a bargain?

Are you too much of a tightwad to have car insurance, too?

hay · Jun 9, 2009

now that is a new one on me. i have never ever changed brake fluid in any vehicle i ever owned in the last 42 years. the only fluid i used was when i worked on the brake system and had to bleed/add. it think this is just another scam. brake fluid, as i was taught by my high school auto shop teacher, is made to certain specs. it is non-freezing, non boiling, non-corrosive, does not retain moisture, non flammable and does not wear out. i just never heard of changing brake fluid. maybe a ploy by the government to take more money from us in the name of safety. i feel so safe now that the government is in charge.

MarkB_MI · Jun 9, 2009

You don't say the age and mileage of your vehicle. Brake fluid, with the exception of DOT5 (silicone) fluid, absorbs moisture which leads to corrosion in the system. But if your vehicle has less than 100,000 miles or is less than 5 years old, I wouldn't change the fluid. Just make sure and flush the system out good the next time you do a brake job.

rbel · Jun 9, 2009

but are you willing to bet your family's lives that nothing will happen?

Guvmint speak

I have driven vehicles since the 40s and never ever "changed my brake fluid" As for School busses, when I was driving one the test strip told if the fluid was contaminated if so the fluid was changed if not it was left alone.

dhermesc · Jun 9, 2009

Do it. As mentioned below if the fluid in your reservoir it dark - imagine what its like down in the lines near your wheel cylinders and calipers.

As for never having that kind of failure - I see it all the time in older vehicles. Rust and contaminates build up until you have to replace wheel cylinders/calipers and lines so your brakes will work. With everything have ABS brakes the mechanics of the system has to be in good/excellent shape for the computer to operate correctly.

People will say they never had to replace brake fluid “in the old days” but 30 years ago brakes were replaced every 30k and fluid was partially flushed out in the bleeding process. Vehicles that didn’t see much mileage would suffer brake failure on a regular basis (how many old farm trucks that sat through the winter wouldn’t have brakes in the spring?).

Leroy · Jun 9, 2009

Would be a good idea but finding someone to do the job is impossible. When you next time if a very old vehical you bleed a cylinder catch that fluid and in a clear container look at it and se how dirty black it is compaired to new fluid, the new will be so you can see thru the fluid and the old fluid will look like dirty old engine oil that has beed drained and thrown away and the brake fluid will get contaminated the same as the engine oil. When you put on a new master cylinder you will get rid of a lot of the old fluid in bleeding the brakes, there will possibly be some old dirty fluid in the lines that will work its way back to the new master cylinder to contaminate the new fluid. In a good master cylinder replacement you will bleed the wheel cylinders long enough that new clear fluid will come out of each cylinder. Cheaper than having a cylinder go bad because of the contaminated fluid and people will tell you that bad fluid could not make a cylinder, either wheel or master go bad but when you have no brakes is it cheaper and better to fix things right the first time or do boddy work as well as brake work after the wreck that doing the preventavie maintaince could have prevented.

Michael Soldan · Jun 9, 2009

At the shop I worked at we changed brake fluid when we did a brake job. We had a pump that sucked the resevoir dry, then wiped it out with a clean cloth.After new fluid was put in we bled the lines until clean fluid appeared. It wasn't an expensive thing to do. We would also change fluid when we recognized a very discoloured reservoir. Re buses, a friend of mine runs a school bus business,fluid gets changed and when a vehicle gets to be 6 years old all new brake lines have to go on. That is Ontario law.

Anonymous-0 · Jun 9, 2009

Have it changed. You will save trouble in the long run. Brake fluid picks up moisture and that will cause rust in the steel lines, calipers, master cylinder, and wheel cylinders. I use a pressure bleeder that goes on the master cylinder on the modern cars, and the old fashioned way on old cars. I don't like the vacuum type bleeders since air leaks around the bleeder screws, so you keep getting bubbles in the fluid. I even alternate color of brake fluid so I can tell when all the old stuff is out. ATE makes yellow and blue fluids, so you know when all the old stuff is out. I pretend I'm in Europe and do it every two years as the law there prescribes. I do all the cars on the same weekend and buy the fluid is large 4 liter cans.

I bet 99% of cars still have their original fluid in their brake system. It's a cheap and easy job on most vehicles. Do it and be safe!

Josh

BushogPapa · Jun 9, 2009

On anything I intend to "Keep", I change the brake fluid over to Silicone brake fluid..

Is a much better fluid, won't damage paint and is actually a "lubricant"..ordinary brake fluid is not..

Ron..

Cub149 · Jun 9, 2009

My motorcycles always have a two year brake fluid change as per the maintenance schedule. My wife had a Subaru that wanted a change at 3 years or 36,000 miles. And don't forget the hydraulic clutch.

White Knight · Jun 9, 2009

That silicone brake fluid is great. These guys that never change their fluid must not keep their vehicles long enuf to experience a problem. I've seen the pitting that can't be honed out of a master cylinder and wheel cylinders too. It's from the alcohol absorbing the moisture in the air, same as ethanol does in the gas tank. The difference is that fuel keeps moving along, where the brake fluid remains stationary. It WILL cause your brake lines to rot out. We bought a used 72 Suburban in 1977. Didn't have it a year and coming into town, the pedal floored easy. The "check brake" light never came on, and the reservoir was empty. Didn't run into anything (luck). Poured some brake fluid in and started pumping until I had some pedal an drove home. Leak in a steel line that only could be seen when applying brakes hard. I'm changing brake fluid to silicone also.

BushogPapa · Jun 9, 2009

I have heard that Silicone brake fluid is not recommended in ABS brakes....

Anyone know why..???

I even use Silicone fluid to polish my car..!!

Wonder how it is as a Salad Dressing...!!!!

DON'T use it to polish the Floor, though...!!!!

Ron...!!!

whizkidkyus · Jun 9, 2009

Either which way , fresh fluid probably wouldn't hurt . I have never changed mine and it still works .

Whizkidkyus

Owen Aaland · Jun 9, 2009

The problem with silicone (DOT 5) brake fluid is that it doesn't absorb water. As moisture condenses in the system it settles in the lowest points. Since the bleed screws are located at the high points to bleed air, it is very difficult to get water out of a system that uses silicone fluid.

Aaron Ford · Jun 9, 2009

I change my own. I cannot say why the fluid gets discolored, but it did not look like the stuff in the bottle. Changing is as easy as getting a 5 dollar one man brake bleeder (little bottle with a hose) from a local Advance/Autozone and start pushing the old into the bottle, emptying when full and filling the reservoir when needed. Start with the pass side rear, then move to the drivers side rear, pass side front, then drivers... The first wheel will take forever for the fluid to start coming out clear, the next three will take no time at all. It usually takes one quart to do a vehicle. Total cost is about 15 bucks and you have to enlist someone to stroke the brakes while you watch the bottle/reservoir.

It's not hard and makes you feel a little better about what may be in there.

Aaron

Steven f/AZ · Jun 9, 2009

I replace/flush my brake fluid every 2 to 3 years.

There is a reason the stuff in the bottle is clear and what I'm pumping out is brown...

I also change my power steering fluid, transmission fluid, engine oil, and coolant!

504-2 · Jun 9, 2009

If you have ever had to replace a wheel cyl, master cyl or a brake caliper you know why you should have changed the fluid every two years. The best part is all you have to do is suck or pump out the old from the master cyl,fill it with new(do not use dot 5 unless the owners manual calls for it)(if moisture gets in the system it can and will freeze meaning NO brakes)open the bleeder screws one at a time with the cap off of the master cyl and and just watch,when the fluid runs clear tighten it and go to the next one DO NOT touch the brake pedal. Keep refilling the master cyl as it goes down,this is the easiest way to change the fluid and it won t screw up the proportioning valve.

Change Brake Fluid ?

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