Brake Fluid Change Intervals

[Mike Wenrich]

Reading the new post on pads/rotors reminded me of recently reading an article on brake fluid storage and the intervals it should be flushed in our vehicles. Briefly, the author cited the fluid should be flushed at least every three to five years. And that any fluid left over from an opened container should be discarded if it has sat on your shelf for any extended time as it will absorb moisture from the atmosphere after being opened, even if sealed with a cap. Sealed with something resembling the original foil seal will help somewhat according to the article.

What has your experience or training shown? I hate to say how long it has been for my vehicles but I do have diminished braking distances and maybe some of that is the fluid. Besides that I'm sure new or turned rotors would help.

 

[Cummins12V98]

What year model mileage etc is your truck?

 

[Mike Wenrich]

I currently have a 2004.5 2500 and a 2014 3500. But the question is also generally, when should we do this flush? I have seen recommendations from new car dealers that seem like money makers fro them rather than a safety issue. Climate zones might make a difference as well. Since I learn a great deal from this forum and possibly others do as well I thought it might be good info for a lot of us. Never really thought about it too much before. I routinely replace the fluid in the reservoir when it turns color and open the bleed valve to compress the piston when replacing pads to look at the fluid there.

 

[AH64ID]

My VW Jetta is the only vehicle I've ever owned with a published brake fluid change interval and it was 24 months.

I will generally flush each vehicle when I do a brake service.. thou that may not be often enough.

 

[lpennock]

I do same. Rather than push the fluid back up the lines when collapsing for new pads I open the bleeds. I then bleed all new fluid into the system. Been doing it that way since 73.

 

[seafish]

Rather than push the fluid back up the lines when collapsing for new pads I open the bleeds. I then bleed all new fluid into the system.

I do the same...DEFINITELY a better way to do it!!!

 

[KATOOM]

There's seemingly a lot of proactive people out there... Thats not a bad thing either.

That said, I rarely change brake fluid, if ever. One reason is, the condition of brake fluid is directly related to the braking habits of the driver and the health of the brakes. Meaning, normal driving will result in mild brake wear and low brake temperature and regular wear. Under those condition brake fluid will last forever. Brake fluid color will eventually get darker and darker with age but overall appearance will still remain like translucent fluid.

But if harsh repeated abrupt braking, or riding brakes, or braking hard and then stopping without allowing any cool down, is your style of driving then you're building massive heat in the brakes which causes the fluid to get very hot which causes moisture build up, because brake fluid is hygroscopic. Under those conditions the fluid will turn nasty and eventually look like oil. And because the seals in the calipers eventually breakdown from the heat, the calipers will not release correctly and start to drag. Also the metallurgy of the rotors will change from extreme heat and form hard spots which turn into warped rotors, and then only aggravating the whole situation.

But to each is own...

 

[Randomrunner12]

I tend to have Pep boys do a brake fluid change every couple years. Mostly after I change front end parts and have all the front brakes off and open for a while.

 

[Wiredawg]

I flush brake fluid anytime doing brake maintenance. My former 09 Ram 4500 had low miles due to primary use as tow rig, so at 5 years, I had dealer lube caliper slides all the way around and flush brake fluid. And on previous 02 3500, I found using EB all the time extended brake pads significantly, so I personally lubed slides and flushed fluid every approximately every 5 years.

Cheers, Ron

 

[Jim W]

I had my brake fluid replaced at the 10 year mark on my truck. My wife's VW is changed every 5 years per the maintenance schedule on her car.

 

[Mike Wenrich]

All good info for me. Thanks for the responses. Now....... laying myself out there for ridicule, I will admit that I have not done a complete flush in the 15 years I have owned the 2004.5. Just the change mentioned earlier. But I do not like the way the brakes are performing currently and will be flushing the lines this week. If there is a significant difference I will update this post. It also might be that it's time to turn rotors. I'm easy on the brakes and still have the original rear pads on at 141K. The fronts are the Hawk SD from Genos.

 

[Wiredawg]

All good info for me. Thanks for the responses. Now....... laying myself out there for ridicule, I will admit that I have not done a complete flush in the 15 years I have owned the 2004.5. Just the change mentioned earlier. But I do not like the way the brakes are performing currently and will be flushing the lines this week. If there is a significant difference I will update this post. It also might be that it's time to turn rotors. I'm easy on the brakes and still have the original rear pads on at 141K. The fronts are the Hawk SD from Genos.

Mike,
It's easy to NOT do some maintenance activities, especially when there are many times when there is no maintenance requirement listed by the manufacturer. I think, at least for me, that there is no such thing as maintenance free. I'll be the last one to say definitively changing it is needed. I just so happened to have hung out with other type A's who were aircraft mechanics in the Air Force, and picked up on the theory all fluids need to be changed at some time. I started the process of changing brake fluid when doing brake and hub maintenance. I think my recent 1978 Dodge Lil Red Express Truck project highlighted an extreme case of when brake fluid is not changed, how sediment and rust can form.

To me, brakes are the MOST IMPORTANT system on a vehicle that needs to perform optimally, so I am progressive about maintaining them.

So, Cheers and good luck with your project.

Ron

 

[Cummins12V98]

To maintain my antilock braking system HarleyDavidson required fluid change every two years.

When doing a brake fluid change I suck out all the fluid from the master cylinder but a tiny bit. Refill then start bleeding.

 

[Wiredawg]

While we're at it, suck out all the power steering fluid out of the reservoir, add new fluid back up to top, do it again a couple weeks later and it's good.

Cheers, Ron

 

[KATOOM]

While we're at it, suck out all the power steering fluid out of the reservoir, add new fluid back up to top, do it again a couple weeks later and it's good.

Cheers, Ron

Now thats something people should do more often... PS fluid is like the red headed stepchild of vehicles.

 

[Mike Wenrich]

Thanks Ron and as wiredawg mentioned it's probably a good idea to change the PS fluid at this point. Lots of miles and summers on that stuff. Also Ron, I envy your Lil Red Express. Always liked those and would probably have one except for living in Kalifornia where unless I could get a nice one already registered in this state, I would have to go thru all the smog requirement ****and pay taxes on the sale price, etc. Then spend more money on the truck because somebody sold me their problems. I also like the one year only I believe (78), Warlock I think it was called. I have enough projects anyway but I sure like the looks of those red trucks with the twin stacks.

 

[MichaelOverfield]

I try to go with 3 years, but I'm in a very moist/cool climate. I waited 4 years on a 2015 car I have, and it was too long, the flush took quite a long time to get all the brown fluid out. On one car I had a wheel cylinder rust and leak from bad fluid that had not been flushed. It will happen eventually if you do not flush the fluid. If you set it up correctly it can be pretty quick and easy to do, and certainly much easier and cheaper than replacing components, and it's definitely a huge plus to have brakes that work when you need them! This is one where time is more they key factor than miles.

 

[jacknife]

You can buy a brake flush kit from Harbor Freight . it works on compressed air very simple and easy to do if you have a compressor

 

[R.Taylor]

To maintain my antilock braking system HarleyDavidson required fluid change every two years.

Anti-Lock brakes on a bike or dangerous....

 

[KATOOM]

Just curious if all you guys also change the fluid in your clutch hydraulics too...