Whenever your car is in for service here at Juanita Firs 76, we always check how your brake fluid is doing. We check for discoloring of the fluid, water content, and break-down of the fluid. Whenever we see that the fluid is deteriorating and no longer looks top-notch, we recommend flushing it.
From a preventative standpoint, we recommend flushing the brake fluid every 2 years or 30,000 miles. If you regularly have the brake fluid serviced at this interval, you are unlikely to see that brake fluid get to the point that it actually tests bad.
So the rule of thumb is to flush your brake fluid every....
Why flush your brake fluid?
The brake fluid is the means by which the car is able to stop. When you push your foot on the brake pedal, it compresses the brake fluid, allowing the brake calipers to squeeze the pads to the rotors, making the car slow down.
When the brake fluid begins to deteriorate, it can lower the boiling point of the fluid (causing the fluid to overheat at a lower temperature than it should). If the brake fluid overheats, the brakes won't work. Since the brake fluid is also designed to protect the metal parts of the hydraulics of the brake system (like the brake lines and the calipers), deterioration of the fluid can also cause those metals parts to begin to rust.
Bottom line: Good brake fluid is the baseline for good, safe brakes.
This is a quick, easy service that we can even do while you wait. If you think it might be time to flush your brake fluid, give us a call and we'd be happy to check your history to see if you're due for this service.
From a preventative standpoint, we recommend flushing the brake fluid every 2 years or 30,000 miles. If you regularly have the brake fluid serviced at this interval, you are unlikely to see that brake fluid get to the point that it actually tests bad.
So the rule of thumb is to flush your brake fluid every....
- 2 Years or 30,000 miles, or
- Whenever it tests bad
Why flush your brake fluid?
The brake fluid is the means by which the car is able to stop. When you push your foot on the brake pedal, it compresses the brake fluid, allowing the brake calipers to squeeze the pads to the rotors, making the car slow down.
When the brake fluid begins to deteriorate, it can lower the boiling point of the fluid (causing the fluid to overheat at a lower temperature than it should). If the brake fluid overheats, the brakes won't work. Since the brake fluid is also designed to protect the metal parts of the hydraulics of the brake system (like the brake lines and the calipers), deterioration of the fluid can also cause those metals parts to begin to rust.
Bottom line: Good brake fluid is the baseline for good, safe brakes.
This is a quick, easy service that we can even do while you wait. If you think it might be time to flush your brake fluid, give us a call and we'd be happy to check your history to see if you're due for this service.
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