edyvw
$50 site donor 2025
LV is bit better when things get super cold. It should improve ESP operation.
However, I used regular DOT4 forever, especially on track in BMW.
As for do you have to use LV? No you don't.
Brake Fluid - Biggest Neglect, Biggest Benefit
- Thread starter webfors
- Start date
However, I used regular DOT4 forever, especially on track in BMW.
As for do you have to use LV? No you don't.
Whenever I do shoes or pads.
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- Dec 4, 2021
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60k miles or 5 years seems about right to me. Based on experience, that still puts me ahead of 90% of passenger vehicles on the road.
Love the replies to this thread. If it gets one of ya to change your brake fluid it's a win 
The brown slurry that came out of the Caddy was awful. Did a second bleed and she's running clear now and also found a stuck caliper on the rear left and replaced that. The brake improvement is huge.
The brown slurry that came out of the Caddy was awful. Did a second bleed and she's running clear now and also found a stuck caliper on the rear left and replaced that. The brake improvement is huge.
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- Jul 10, 2022
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I just use BMW DOT 4 to remove any confusion. I tend not to like fluids which are compatible (trans, PS, brake fluid).
I'm assuming this continues to engine oil and fuel as well? Not just compatible or recommended but OEM branding?
And one for the win! Flushed my brake fluid this morning. Saved about $263.00 by diy vs Lexus dealer price.Love the replies to this thread. If it gets one of ya to change your brake fluid it's a win
The brown slurry that came out of the Caddy was awful. Did a second bleed and she's running clear now and also found a stuck caliper on the rear left and replaced that. The brake improvement is huge.
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- Jul 10, 2022
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Lexus charged me $79 when I got the car in 2016. I think they siphoned the fluid as it became dark again very quickly. If these posts prevent one person from servicing their car at Toyota, it’s a win! Especially Lexus, recommended maintenance is riddled with check this and check that, as if a modern car needs service every 5k
This weekend I had the ATS on a $40/hour lift and changed all three driveline fluids with new plugs (6), BoltMark'd all, AC Delco 75w90, and their custom super special Transfer Case fluid, and replaced the fluid in the rear diff, front diff, and transfer case all in for less than the cost of one hour at the dealer ($200/hour). The dealer wanted $1200 to replace all three. Including the lift, I'm under $200, and that's with all OEM fluids and new plugs, and the very comforting feeling of knowing they were done RIGHT!
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- Nov 16, 2022
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Does fluid that has reached its end point at the rear or front calipers ever make a return trip to the reservoir ?
Yes and no. It is called diffusion.
So the moisture content is the same throughout.
However almost always what I pull from the calipers looks way worse than what I pull from the reservoir
When maintenance is done at a proper interval, it is done before things degrade to the point that we notice a difference. If you wait until things are so bad that you can tell the difference, you have waited too long. Better late than never. But much better early than late.
There is no return loop on a brake system. And brake fluid is not compressible. So no.
Anyone who has ever done brake fluid flushes, particularly on a brake system that is well past due for a brake fluid flush, knows that the first brake fluid out of the caliper is always darker than the rest of the fluid. I don't know this for sure, but I suspect there are a few factors that make the brake fluid so dirty at the caliper.
First is heat. Heat cycles at the brake calipers has to be aging the brake fluid closer to the caliper, faster than the fluid that is further up in the lines. Second is degradation of the caliper piston seals contaminating the brake fluid. Another factor is that every time the caliper piston goes back and forth, I suspect a very small amount of dirt bypasses the caliper piston seal. Theoretically, the pressure of the brake fluid should be keeping dirt from bypassing the seal. But on return, when brake fluid pressure is low, could small amounts of dirt get past the seal? I suspect it does.
Also debris from your hoses, lots and lots of little rubber particles.
I just flushed the brake fluid and the brakes bled on the Corolla with 170k miles to keep it going and stopping. It's a good feeling.
If I change a caliper or wheel cylinder I might flush the one line but other than that, I haven't flushed/changed brake fluid in 50 years. My cars use DOT 3 and just like my owner's manual says.......no need to change brake fluid. Never noticed a problem.
There is one factor being overlooked here and that's the environment, primarily humidity. No matter how well-sealed the brake system may be, water will find a way and that's a primary contaminant. Basically, brake fluid will last considerably longer in Phoenix than it will in New Orleans, that's why actually testing the fluid is the best way to determine a flushing regimen.
Bingo!
Extreme humidity, with temperature swings of 20-30 degrees in 24 hours, all contributes to water in the lines = corrosion in the lines and calipers. My dad never understood why he had to spend $800 for all new brake lines in his old Corolla when he rust proofed the car every year. Mechanic told him because he never flushed the lines regularly they rotted from the inside. If you don't keep your cars past 10 years, likely never an issue.
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- May 4, 2025
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Same here. I only bleed the system when replacing a caliper or master cylinder. I'm not too worried about contamination or moisture unless there's a leak in the system. However, no fluid lasts forever.
I do our brakes every two years. My wife or my daughters pumps the brakes. It’s easy enough and it’s a piece of mind that it’s done. I do brakes, transmission and power steering every two years.