Changing brake fluid

[Diabalo]

What's everyone's thoughts on changing brake fluid? Just had a reminder for my service and mot and in addition they are suggesting a brake fluid change, is it really necessary? MoHo 8 years old.

 

[Ivory55]

Our garage tests it as part of the service and would let us know if needed to change

 

[pappajohn]

I would say yes, at 8 years it could be contaminated.

 

[pappajohn]

Many manufacturers recommend 2 years but that's extreme to me.

 

[ivorantony]

Agree with all the above especially if you intend any mountain driving in the near future,
Usually it’s DOT3/4 Brakefluid but DOT 5.1 is less susceptible to absorbing water so should in theory
Last longer,

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[Lenny HB]

I normally get mine changed at 4 years.

Last year I had big problems with the Traction control cutting on hills on wet roads and slightest bit of gravel so bad at times the van would stay stationary with a nice burning rubber smell.
Also had problems with ABS cutting in when shouldn't.
Fiat dealer charged me loads of money to tell me there's nothing wrong.

When I had a service at my local independant I got them to change the brake fluid.
Van has behaved perfectly since I can only assume contamination in the fluid caused the problem.

 

[Hettie's Crew]

8 years is a long time but ours wasn’t changed until 5 years old, serviced by a Fiat Professional garage. They tested it each year and only changed it if necessary.

 

[tonyidle]

A device to test it is cheap - I change mine when necessary.

 

[LesW]

When did changing brake fluid become part of the service schedule, and why?

When I was earning a living as a mechanic in the 60's 70's and 80's it was just an item that was topped up.

I can understand if you do a lot of very heavy high speed braking, the fluid could boil.

I know people with 20/30 year old performance cars that have never replaced the fluid.

 

[tonyidle]

When did changing brake fluid become part of the service schedule, and why?

When I was earning a living as a mechanic in the 60's 70's and 80's it was just an item that was topped up.

I can understand if you do a lot of very heavy high speed braking, the fluid could boil.

I know people with 20/30 year old performance cars that have never replaced the fluid.

You only find out about the lowered boiling point whilst travelling down a steep hill. When even using engine braking correctly fails to slow you down you'll wish you had changed it.

Whereas the Wet Boiling Point is defined as the temperature DOT brake fluid will begin to boil after it has absorbed 3.7% water by volume. ... When brake fluid reaches 8% water content the boiling point of Shell DOT 3 brake fluid has been reduced almost to that of water - 100°C!

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[tacr2man]

It is a good idea as posted above to change due to it being hygroscopic , and the subsequent boiling point lowering. Further reason is that can also lead to internal corrosion of the braking components over time .

DOT 5 brake fluid is not hygroscopic and therefore does not have to be replaced due to the increasing water content. As a rule, silicone fluid should be used only to fill systems that have not been previously filled with glycol-based fluid.

 

[TinaLes]

Just had Our vans 4th year service, the brake fluid was changed as part of The Fiat Service Schedule, Brakes feel slightly better now.
When we have had our Audi/BMW's serviced they change the brake fluid every 2 years as part of their service schedule.
I am happy having it done regularly, as the van sits for long periods in all weathers, so I guess there is more chance that water could build up in the system.
LES

 

[Bessy765]

cost of brake fluid, cost of life, cost of van. In that order. Trouble with testers is they check the condition when cold. Put some old brake fluid in a pan and carefully warm it. The test results are quite different!1

 

[BusyBuilder]

I normally get mine changed at 4 years.

Last year I had big problems with the Traction control cutting on hills on wet roads and slightest bit of gravel so bad at times the van would stay stationary with a nice burning rubber smell.
Also had problems with ABS cutting in when shouldn't.
Fiat dealer charged me loads of money to tell me there's nothing wrong.

When I had a service at my local independant I got them to change the brake fluid.
Van has behaved perfectly since I can only assume contamination in the fluid caused the problem.

Funny that, couple weeks back on Skye we had a problem on a short steep wet road, the wheels started to spin and the traction kept cutting in with a smell of burning rubber. We ended up reversing and going the other way. The problem was there was a sharp turn on the single track road so we were in second going up, and the van wasn't having it.

 

[tonyidle]

It is a good idea as posted above to change due to it being hygroscopic , and the subsequent boiling point lowering. Further reason is that can also lead to internal corrosion of the braking components over time .

DOT 5 brake fluid is not hygroscopic and therefore does not have to be replaced due to the increasing water content. As a rule, silicone fluid should be used only to fill systems that have not been previously filled with glycol-based fluid.

I used to use silicone-based fluid years ago. It is not without problems though: any water that does get in does not mix with the fluid and sinks to the lowest point - normally the rear cylinders or front & rear callipers on an all-disk set-up where it does what water does in contact with aluminium or ferrous metals.

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[ivorantony]

It is a good idea as posted above to change due to it being hygroscopic , and the subsequent boiling point lowering. Further reason is that can also lead to internal corrosion of the braking components over time .

DOT 5 brake fluid is not hygroscopic and therefore does not have to be replaced due to the increasing water content. As a rule, silicone fluid should be used only to fill systems that have not been previously filled with glycol-based fluid.

But the Problem with DOT 5 silicone fluid is it’s more viscous and doesn’t flow very well so can make bleeding the system more difficult, plus it still gets water ingress, but this isn’t absorbed by the fluid so it migrates to the lowest part of the system ( callipers/ cylinders) exactly where the most heat is generated,
Many ABS units pumps will not function properly with Silicone fluid so personally I would stick the the glycol
Based fluids DOT3/4 and DOT 5.1,

 

[deleted79651]

I wouldn't leave the brake fluid change any longer than 4 years, and would probably opt for 3 years. The change on my Tiguan cost something like £88 last year, so £88 v £54,000 [including the additions we have made to make the Van work for us], before we drove it off the Pyrenees .... There again, I've often wondered what sky diving would be like, especially the extreme version sans parachute ... Slim chance of grabbing the air bag on the way out of the windscreen and improvising?

That £88 looks good to me

Steve

 

[Diabalo]

Thanks for all the interesting and informative comments, I will be getting it replaced along with the service/mot in November

 

[deleted79651]

Thanks for all the interesting and informative comments, I will be getting it replaced along with the service/mot in November

Reading the thread reminded me that I didn't notice any reference to the Brake Fluid having been changed when we bought Brunhilde at the end of April. I was fretting about having the service done, getting the cambelt changed, and mithering about the age/condition of the tyres, that I never gave the Brake Fluid a thought ... Doh!

And, since we are planning on driving to Spain as soon as we can get our injections sorted out ...

Steve

 

[Rivermount]

I think the best answer is to follow the vehicle manufacturers recommendation for both the service interval and the fluids to be used. They designed and built the vehicle and probably know best!
All the vehicles I have owned in the last 20 years have had a 2 year frequency for Brake fluid change specified by the manufacturer on the service schedule.
There is also a specification for the fluid to be used in the brakes, set by the manufacturer. I would suggest that using different fluid than the recommended one would be rather risky. Think about it, using a different viscosity of fluid in your breaking system!

Bob.

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[Richard n Ann]

Tested our's last year, 1% at 6 years old.
Changing it when not necessary is just wasteful IMO. Also why not simmer the fluid in a saucepan to remove the moisture then put through a filter and back in?

I think spongy brakes due to moisture would be a pretty extreme scenario anyway, we don't drive racing cars or do any Mega Trucking and even if it did become a problem the brakes don't fail, just go spongy.

Perhaps I need to worry more

 

[Landy Andy]

I think the best answer is to follow the vehicle manufacturers recommendation for both the service interval and the fluids to be used. They designed and built the vehicle and probably know best!
All the vehicles I have owned in the last 20 years have had a 2 year frequency for Brake fluid change specified by the manufacturer on the service schedule.
There is also a specification for the fluid to be used in the brakes, set by the manufacturer. I would suggest that using different fluid than the recommended one would be rather risky. Think about it, using a different viscosity of fluid in your breaking system!

Bob.

I’m surprised to read that. I was in the garage trade about 20 years ago and don’t remember brake fluid changing being a frequent item.

 

[Richard n Ann]

I’m surprised to read that. I was in the garage trade about 20 years ago and don’t remember brake fluid changing being a frequent item.

It might be to do with litigation
It generates millions of litres of waste brake fluid a year but at least the manufacturer can't be sued

 

[Diabalo]

My garage is charging £49 for brake fluid change so better to be safe than sorry I think.

 

[Lenny HB]

My garage is charging £49 for brake fluid change so better to be safe than sorry I think.

Mine was about £40 on the service bill, not too bad especially as it cured all my traction control problems that a Fiat dealer didn't have a clue about.

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[Geo]

Brake fluid changes were mostly carried out bt Halfords and the like as a money spinner
it soon caught on by the trade in general.
if done correctly no bleeding of the system is required simple gravity does the job
in fact gravity is the only way to bleed brakes and avoid possible master cylinder damage.
I would suggest if you have paid for a fluid change check the wheel cylinders have at least a drop of fluid showing they have been used
An unscrupulous fitter may simply suck out the master cylinder and refill with fresh fluid
Naughty but a nice quick bonus earner. that of course does nothing as a fluid change

Followed of course by the obligatory moving forward a notch or two of the driver seat position.
Ooooh my brakes seem so much better than they were thank you.

Your most welcome sir please come again.

 

[Figaro]

I would suggest if you have paid for a fluid change check the wheel cylinders have at least a drop of fluid showing they have been used

Can you expand on this, I thought wheel cylinders were on drum brakes, not many will have these ?
Do you mean a drop of fluid on the bleed nipple ?

 

[Geo]

Of course all bleeding points should be used to get a FULL Fluid change
anything else defeats the objective
The real clever ones drip fluid on all the nipples for good measure.

Try and ascertained they have been undone and nipped up again
if the're all rusted up and show no signs of a spanner or socket use beware

 

[Garfields]

When did changing brake fluid become part of the service schedule, and why?

When I was earning a living as a mechanic in the 60's 70's and 80's it was just an item that was topped up.

Back then most cars brake pipes were uncoated steel and by four years old were getting pipes replaced for MOT and therefore brake flued got replaced.
I left the tools in the early 90's and it was a service item then on Rover branded vehicles anyway
I must have replaced miles of pipe it was a job a really detested.

 

[Gromett]

I have never replaced brake fluid, always check to make sure level is right.

I didn't realise this was an item that required regular replacement like engine oil.

Will consider getting mine done now.

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