2 Year Brake Fluid Changes--Overkill?

[BrianF]

As previously stated, I too like to do it every couple of years. Its a great time to inspect everything, grease the slide pins and ensure the bleed screws do not freeze in there.

I wish the PO of my old 1993 C1500 did that. I would love to give it a flush but they are so solidly rusted in there that its now at the point of no return.

 

[Hogwash]

About every 2 years is what I have always done on my vehicles. Seems reasonable if you have the capability to do so. Fluid is cheap

 

[AutoMechanic]

I have honestly never done it in any of my personal vehicles to be honest and they have been fine but I also live in the south. 2-3 years is when I would do it that sounds very reasonable to me.

 

[slacktide_bitog]

Most cars never get their brake fluid flushed and arrive at the junkyard with the factory fill. Honda is the only non-Euro mfr that recommends regular brake fluid changes.

Honda says 3 years regardless of mileage, but you can just do it when you replace the pads and rotors. Speed bleeders are awesome

 

[mightymousetech]

Should be every 3 years.

Only for the first flush, then every two years afterwards.

 

[Yah-Tah-Hey]

That's my schedule for brake system. Recently rebuilt sixteen year old calipers. No rust or contamination. Works for me.

 

[The Critic]

Only for the first flush, then every two years afterwards.

Maybe Honda Canada has a different schedule? Honda USA site still shows every 3 years for a 2018 Pilot:

SM

techinfo.honda.com

 

[mightymousetech]

Maybe Honda Canada has a different schedule? Honda USA site still shows every 3 years for a 2018 Pilot:

SM

techinfo.honda.com

Possibly. All of Canada is considered “severe service”

 

[Pelican]

“The books” say 2 years and I used to be a fanatic about it. nowadays it’s probably double that, and usually not just by itself... like I’ll wait until something else requires a wheel or two coming off. We live in a humid climate and even at a 4 year interval the fluid doesn’t seem to degrade much. I havent had a master cylinder or caliper fail from fluid issues in a long, long time.

They won't fail, but braking performance will be reduced, also if high in water/humidity this may rust the sensitive sensors of the ABS system. In the end it's your life, brakes & tires are what keeps you safe.

 

[jimbrewer]

I don’t think my F-150 even has a change interval.
From a statistical standpoint it’s probably even money that a contaminant would be introduced during the change causing failure or that the system would fail for lack of a change.

As we all know, BITOG posters never screw this stuff up. This is exclusively something that happens at someone’s shop.

 

[Wolf359]

I don’t think my F-150 even has a change interval.
From a statistical standpoint it’s probably even money that a contaminant would be introduced during the change causing failure or that the system would fail for lack of a change.

As we all know, BITOG posters never screw this stuff up. This is exclusively something that happens at someone’s shop.

I don't think you did the probability calculation correctly. It's much more likely that the system would fail from a lack of change than any contaminants being introduced. Until you mentioned it, I never even really heard of that probability being high at all. And the system probably won't just fail, the water would probably just cause the brakes to boil early. But most people won't have the issue unless they're coming down a mountain and need to constantly use the brakes. Once you have a certain amount of water in the system, you go from dry boiling point to wet boiling point which is much lower.

 

[02zx9r rev2]

I bought my 17 accord sport used July 2019 and around September timeframe of 2019 I sucked out the master cylinder and flushed the brake lines using the bottle method. I will probably do it again come summer or fall 2021 just because.
-On another forum I am on, this one person who lives in Chicago states that he takes the wheels, pads and caliper brackets off before and after winter, basically every 6 months or so and takes clips out and just clean up everything pretty good, re-lube the slide pins and puts everything back together. Me living in MA I started doing that as well just trying to stay ahead of the curve

 

[parimento1]

Can you do this by just putting the car on Jack stands and opening the bleed screws?

 

[Oro_O]

Can you do this by just putting the car on Jack stands and opening the bleed screws?

Easiest thing is to just drain or siphon out the reservoir, refill with DOT4 (less hygrospcopic, but DOT 3 can work). Drive it and it will mix. Repeat annually.

You can introduce air very easily via the screws if you are not careful; this is so much simpler and highly effective.

 

[Carmudgeon]

It's puzzling how any self-respecting BITOGer, who might get bent out of shape by the straightness and spacing of oil filter pleats. amongst other OCD obsessions, thinks that brake fluid is a magical "lifetime" fluid that doesn't lose performance, or doesn't stop protecting the components it works with, unlike every other fluid in a vehicle, expect perhaps for blinker fluid.

Brake fluid is cheap, and simple to maintain. ABS/traction control pumps are not, nor are transmissions and engines, yet people never think twice about neglecting those fluids, regardless of what schedules may or may not call for.

 

[Kamele0N]

My Hyundai owners manual for my 2018 Elantra Sport says 30K or every 48 months, whichever occurs first.
Wife's Audi says every 2 years regardless of mileage.
The Audi specifies a DOT 4 LV brake fluid. LV means low viscosity which is needed for proper ESC and ABS function in very cold operating conditions.

Ford has switched to specifying and factory filling with DOT 4 LV brake fluid in most of their vehicles including the F150.
Dealers do sell Motorcraft DOT 4 LV fluid.

My go to brake fluid is Bosch. This is a LV brake fluid:

Amazon.com

 

[Kamele0N]

Easiest thing is to just drain or siphon out the reservoir, refill with DOT4 (less hygrospcopic, but DOT 3 can work). Drive it and it will mix. Repeat annually.

You can introduce air very easily via the screws if you are not careful; this is so much simpler and highly effective.

DOT3 is actually less hygroscopic.....and thus more suitable for 4x4 or offroad use.....

 

[Oro_O]

DOT3 is actually less hygroscopic.....and thus more suitable for 4x4 or offroad use.....

I have read Dot 4 was less hygroscopic (and I can find the reference) - but the argument for it is indeed week now that I re-read it. You may be right - I've been googling it and I can't find a definitive answer actually one way or the other. In reality, I bet it's a really narrow difference given the same base and the fact DOT 4 is just in fact boosted DOT 3 with an additive to increase the BP. They are probably functionally equal in this regard.

 

[Crash Bandicoot]

I think our Rogue says three years in the manual. Probably a waste a time but not as big of waste of timing replacing corroded brake lines. Fwiw, I just did that car and the Truck and both the fluid looked brand new coming out.

 

[Pelican]

I have read Dot 4 was less hygroscopic (and I can find the reference) - but the argument for it is indeed week now that I re-read it. You may be right - I've been googling it and I can't find a definitive answer actually one way or the other. In reality, I bet it's a really narrow difference given the same base and the fact DOT 4 is just in fact boosted DOT 3 with an additive to increase the BP. They are probably functionally equal in this regard.

DOT 4 is more hygroscopic than DOT 3 but its boiling point is higher, that's why some manufacturers used it.