My toyota dealers says it is time for the brake fluid to be flushed. The car is three years old now with 25,000 miles on it. What do you think? No where in my service manual is a brake fluid flush discussed.
Thanks,
Larry
Snake Oil.
If you have really dark, discolored Brake fluid, *then* maybe a flushing of the system might be in order. Typically Brake fluid can go bad, but it will definitely show in the color of the fluid. Brake fluid as we know it, is really susceptible to water/moisture contamination. It abosrbs water from the air even, if exposed to it. This is why the System is closed and not terribly vented (although it will be vented or exposed in some manor over time as the fluid is checked or topped off.)
Short answer is still..............Snake oil.
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MUADIB®
The Peacemaking Meeting scheduled for today has been cancelled due to a conflict.
I didn't flush my '85 until 3 years ago, with 248,000 miles on it.
How much do they want to charge for this? Even using my Gumby Homemade brake flushing kit and doing it one wheel at a time on jacks and stands it takes me under an hour and a half, by myself. A mechanic with a lift and the PROPER equipment can probably do it under an hour, with a $4 can of brake fluid.
Don't bother. It's another dealer "service" that has no value. I do mine when I replace pads and it probably doesn't even need it then.
The theory behind flushing brake fluid is to prolong the life and functioning of the system. Like many fluids, if they degrade over time the noticeable effect is minimal, yet preserving clean fluids is a key to extending the operating life of the systems. The hydraulic cylinders that actually move the brake pads are ferrous metal, subject to pitting from rust over time, plus new brake fluid is clean - free of grit and wear particles. Doesn't mean your brakes will fail if you don't change the fluid, but better if you do. General recommendation I hear is once every two years. Brake fluid is hygroscopic - absorbs moisture. There is a small hole venting to the atmosphere in the master cylinder cap to permit fluid level to fall as brake pads wear. There are a variety of ways to drain and flush brake fluid. You need to keep air out of the system to preserve brake pressure. Simplest way, and recommended in the Toyota manual, is to fill the master cylinder, then starting at the wheel furthest from the master cylinder use an 8mm wrench to open the brake bleeder screw (I find this easier with the car lifted and wheels removed). You should have a section of clear plastic tubing pressed over the end of the bleeder screw and then inserted into a jar to catch fluid and preserve the fluid seal so no air is admitted when the brake pedal is released. That's basically it. Have the other person push the brake pedal to the floor, then tighten the bleed screw. Have them lift their foot from the brake pedal, you open the bleed screw and have them press again - holding down until you tighten the bleeder screw again. Continue until the fluid coming out is clean, new fluid, then do the same at each consecutively closer wheel. The supposed potential drawback to this method is that the piston in the master cylinder travels through a normally unused section of the bore that can contain more pitting from old fluid that the section of the bore normally used for braking. For around $50 or so, you can use a pressurized one person system. See motiveproducts.com
The theory behind flushing brake fluid is to prolong the life and functioning of the system. Like many fluids, if they degrade over time the noticeable effect is minimal, yet preserving clean fluids is a key to extending the operating life of the systems. The hydraulic cylinders that actually move the brake pads are ferrous metal, subject to pitting from rust over time, plus new brake fluid is clean - free of grit and wear particles. Doesn't mean your brakes will fail if you don't change the fluid, but better if you do. General recommendation I hear is once every two years. Brake fluid is hygroscopic - absorbs moisture. There is a small hole venting to the atmosphere in the master cylinder cap to permit fluid level to fall as brake pads wear. There are a variety of ways to drain and flush brake fluid. You need to keep air out of the system to preserve brake pressure. Simplest way, and recommended in the Toyota manual, is to fill the master cylinder, then starting at the wheel furthest from the master cylinder use an 8mm wrench to open the brake bleeder screw (I find this easier with the car lifted and wheels removed). You should have a section of clear plastic tubing pressed over the end of the bleeder screw and then inserted into a jar to catch fluid and preserve the fluid seal so no air is admitted when the brake pedal is released. That's basically it. Have the other person push the brake pedal to the floor, then tighten the bleed screw. Have them lift their foot from the brake pedal, you open the bleed screw and have them press again - holding down until you tighten the bleeder screw again. Continue until the fluid coming out is clean, new fluid, then do the same at each consecutively closer wheel. The supposed potential drawback to this method is that the piston in the master cylinder travels through a normally unused section of the bore that can contain more pitting from old fluid that the section of the bore normally used for braking. For around $50 or so, you can use a pressurized one person system. See motiveproducts.com Personally, I've found the vacuum bleeder systems too tedious. Then there is the method I haven't tried of just opening bleeder screws and letting gravity slowly pull the fluid from the system and patiently waiting, with a new, full, inverted bottle of brake fluid inserted into the mater cyliner.
Flushing your brake fluid definintely has benefits. Personally, I exchange brake fluid on all my cars and bikes once a year. But, I do this for a living so I have all the equipment that gets it done in a few minutes. I very well might change my tune if I had to pay 100 bucks to have it done. Grab a manual and give it a shot. It's really easy.
Midas did mine for 15$ then I just had it at a friends who had a lift , while we were looking he noticed 3 wheels never had their bleeders opened, they ripped me off, so I had them redo it. It should cost only
25$ or so and brake fluid does get contaminated with water, a good idea to do.
I have 240k + miles on MY '96 camry. Brakes were changes twicw, never changed the brake fluid.
If brake fluid is not replaced every 2-3 year, the water level will increase causing system to rust from within and you are at risk of having the fuid overheating. This causes the fluid to boil with the result of instant loss of brake power. Often you will not notice this until you take the car for a ride in the hill country and you loose your brakes on your way down. I lost my brake power with boiling brake fluid on a Ford a few years ago in Houston, and allmost crashed due to sudden loss of brake power. Damp came out of every opening in the engine compartment and it looked like the engine was on fire. To repair the brakes including the main sylinder the expense came to close to $500. It could have costed life.
Change it every 2-3 years and this will never happen.
TJ
Yes, lots of excellent suggestions here.
I second that every year if you do it yourself. and every two years if you need to spend $100 for others to do it.
It'll give you better/safer brake performance and also save the brake system components (especially if you have ABS).
The manual is not complete.
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