Brake Fluid change

Oh God, please don't start this thread again!

Just get it changed as the manufacturer specifies. That's all I'm saying on the matter.

That's solved that then.

True, most of my older cars only lasted a couple of years so they were gone before I needed to do a change by my servicing schedule. It's a bit like the buying secondhand tyres debate. Lots of people won't buy part used tyres because of a perceived risk yet happily drive away in a secondhand car with no problems, but the tyres could be equally bad. Most people buying an older used car with little service history don't immediately think "I must change the brake fluid" yet it could be several years old.

Well, I'm glad someone started this. My service book says "3 years". The

36K service (after 2 years) didn't include it, nor did the 48K service (after 3 years). Naughty dealers. The car will be due its 60K service real soon now (just about 4 years) - I'll make sure the brake fluid is replaced.

That's the problem with main dealers, and a lot of garages. Because general servicing is done on age and mileage, their quoted "menu prices" are for the standard service - i.e. if someone's doing 48,000 miles/year, it will will need, 4 services in that year. Someone only doing 8,000 miles/year will have had those services carried out annually. They'd still have had the same 4 services done (interim-slightly major-interim-major), but they'd also have needed to have things done as per the service schedule, like a brake fluid change.

Given that a hell of a lot of people that use main dealer servicing wouldn't have a clue about what goes on under the bonnet of a car, it's up to the garage to advise what's due. Someone taking their 3-year-old car in for its

3rd annual service should be told that it's due a brake fluid change too, and that's an extra £60 or whatever it is. At the end of the day it's the garage's responsibility to ensure the car is serviced as required, and it's obviously fair to expect the garage to be up-front with the customer about the cost before work is started.

It does pay to be clued up about it, as most garages don't offer this sort of level of service.

Peter

I've always found that dealer servicing is a bloody expensive price just to get the book stamped. With components and parts marked to check if they are changed, it is shocking to find that not a lot gets done.

"Full service history" My arse

[...]

I would as a matter of course.

Old brake fluid is *dangerous*.

A

They don't. You may notice in the service book that there is an additional space for brake fluid changes. You need to ask for it.

Nope. There are spaces for timing belt and transmission fluid changes. I accept I should have been more on the ball, but afaic the brake fluid change is part of the service schedule. If I put my really dumb hat on, I would point out the service book says (more or less) "you check the levels, bring the car to us regularly and we do what's needed". The dealer who carried out the service almost exactly at 36 months (having done all previous servicing too) dropped a bollock. They did the ruddy MOT so they've absolutely no excuse for not noticing how old the car was !

Live and learn.

At the next service it would have been over 3 years old, not just a few months over!

I'm all against dealers/garages ripping people off, but this is one thing I think they should do - dealers definitely. Simply because average Joe Bloggs on the street doesn't have the first clue about mechanics etc (like me a couple of years ago). My wife's car has been dealer serviced since she got it - and they've changed the brake fluid every other yearly service without asking. My car never received brake fluid change in 2 years, still, good came out of it - I learnt to do it myself :)

You're probably the exception that proves the rule innit.

that's because the brakes reached their limits and couldn't dissipate any more heat the extra load of the towed vehicle would mean this was reached earlier, and the fact that youwere going up and down mountains would exaggerate this problem after brake fade like that it is no unconceivable that you have transferred some of the heat from the brakes into the calipers and into the fluid so changing it would have seen you saying "holy crap, I never though there was that much shit in the system" :)

And here was me thinking it was something the farmers had put on their fields :-)

Never did a passenger check though.

Yes.

Use genuine manufacturers parts, especially pads. When descending long hills, brake firmly in short bursts rather than braking gently all the way down. (This allows the pads/disks to cool a bit). If you stop, use the handbrake rather than keeping your foot on the pedal.

If your use of your vehicle still gives brake fade, consider competition pads that are designated "road/race". These will cause higher pedal pressure to be needed in normal braking however.

Finally, drive slower!

Chris

The message from "Stuart Gray" contains these words:

Adapt your driving style so you don't encounter it. Works for me.

Bleed nipples only seize on truly ancient neglected cars.

Aye. Sadly more and more you have to find out the hard way that things that should be included, aren't.

Cadence braking.

Slowing down BEFORE you start going down the hill.

Using a lower gear.