Unscientific Poll: Maintenance Issue

OK... A simple question.

How many here are driving on brake fluid more than two (2) years old?

Peter Wieck Wyncote, PA

Me. I have been driving for 30 years and with the exception of adding when I do the brakes, I have never "changed" brake fluid. I realize I am not the sharpest knife in the drawer, but, is this an issue? Funny, my cars have ALWAYS managed to stop when I hit the big pedal.

Cecil

Yes it is a safety issue. The problem would arise when enough moisture gets in the fluid and you use the brakes heavily, as you might in the mountains or even heavy freeway traffic. If the temperatures gets hot enough the water changes to gas and gas is compressible which means you may find yourself with a brake pedal going all the way to the floor and not getting any brakes. You will never know you are close to having a problem until it is too late.

The moisture can also damage some parts, but that appears to be less serious safety wise.

Well... Joseph nailed it in one. And our four vehicles are all under the 2-year flush interval. DOT 3/4 brake fluids are hydroscopic and absorb water over time. It is the nature of the beast. Flatlanders who do little sustained or heavy braking may go many years without a problem... until they have one.

One can tell by the color. Brake fluid is clear when new. Then it goes to pale yellow, and progressively darker until brown or grey as it absorbs water. Two years "like religion" will save your (and your passengers') butt in a pinch.

I asked this question to get to the overall sensitivity in this group to a REALLY important but subtle maintenance issue... life-saving at the very least. We purchase our vehicles either used or very-well-used. Upon receipt, we do not take it around the block without a full-filter, and fluid change, brake, suspension and steering check and so forth. The exception to this would be automatic transmission maintenance in certain vehicles. Otherwise all of it. That becomes our base-line and the starting point for ongoing maintenance. Vehicles come and go. Life and health are fragile and tenuous enough to risk for silly stuff.

Peter Wieck Wyncote, PA

You got me on this one. I have been hearing that it should be changed at some interval but it's something I've never done, except when redoing rear brakes. I hate the stuff, I absorbed too much fooling around with brakes. But I'll have to have my mechanic address that with a future servicing.

Irv

snipped-for-privacy@aol.com wrote:

Not all brake fluid is clear when new. ATE super blue is ... well ... blue ... and ATE standard is amber.

And yes, I flush mine every two years alternating between amber and blue each time so I know when it's completely flushed.

Not me. I learned my lesson when a bad master cylinder filler cap seal resulted in enough water absorbtion that I boiled the brake fluid and lost the brakes.

I religiously change it at *least* every two years and whenever I do brakes on one of the vehicles. Brake fluid's cheap.

Moreover, I have observed that I never have the problems other people seem to have with bad calipers and wheel cylinders...

JRE

I am still able to do basic maintenance (including brakes) myself, so I am sure to use the proper torque, anti-sieze, and bleed correctly. I even have spare rubber bleeder caps in the carry-kit.

Anti-Lock brakes are pretty amazing, especially when you are in trouble. Not much more to write on the subject.

Peter Wieck Wyncote, PA

Rubber cups inside the braking system passe died well before and then big flush/bleeding is due anyway...no more difficult.