Brake fluid dark change?

[wander2039]

The brake fluid in my 06 Ranger with 14k is very dark. Almost as dark as the fluid in our Escape with 50k when I changed it. I don't have a set schedule on my flushes, 25-30k usually. But i'm debating if I should change it early. Could be the factory coloring, the transmission and diff fluid didn't look very good either, for all I know. Thoughts?

 

[Big Jim]

If in doubt, flush it. The brake fluid in my 03 Escape was black, putrid, and even had some specs in it when it was a year old. I had to run a quart and a half through it to get it clean. Ford factory fill is usually pretty good stuff, but it wasn't on my Escape.

 

[bdai]

Woo, Escape party!

It's cheap insurance to do a gravity bleed once a year or two. Just grab a beer and watch the fluid drain, then rotate the tires when you're done.