I have a 2013 Kia Sportage 2.4L with 1 year left on 5 year, 60k warranty. I am the 2nd owner, living in AZ. Will be bringing it in for 45k service. Dealer wants to do brake fluid change. Nowhere on factory service does Kia say to change fluid, just check it. Does moisture get into fluid or is this profit for dealer. Cost is $128.00. Thanks.
Brake Fluid Change?
- Thread starter FFFEMT
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Brake fluid should be changed every three years at a minimum. Many MFGs recommend two.
Mercedes used to recommend a change every year, but that was back in the day of Mercedes buyers being only very well off folks who knew what they were getting in a relatively plain looking and slow car and cared for it accordingly.
Mercedes cars used to be quite pricey for what you could see and were underappreciated for what the average plebian couldn't grasp.
Not so much these days.
Mercedes cars used to be quite pricey for what you could see and were underappreciated for what the average plebian couldn't grasp.
Not so much these days.
It definitely needs changing, but not at that price! You could do it yourself for the price of a bottle of brake fluid.
Originally Posted By: FFFEMT
I have a 2013 Kia Sportage 2.4L with 1 year left on 5 year, 60k warranty. I am the 2nd owner, living in AZ. Will be bringing it in for 45k service. Dealer wants to do brake fluid change. Nowhere on factory service does Kia say to change fluid, just check it. Does moisture get into fluid or is this profit for dealer. Cost is $128.00. Thanks.
Pepboys charged us $50.
I have a 2013 Kia Sportage 2.4L with 1 year left on 5 year, 60k warranty. I am the 2nd owner, living in AZ. Will be bringing it in for 45k service. Dealer wants to do brake fluid change. Nowhere on factory service does Kia say to change fluid, just check it. Does moisture get into fluid or is this profit for dealer. Cost is $128.00. Thanks.
Pepboys charged us $50.
I remember reading that since brake fluid is hygroscopic it absorbs moisture. This moisture will reduce the boiling point of the fluid. If the water boils your brakes will not perform properly. But manufacturers like toyota do not recomend fluid changes because the only way to get the fluid hot enoigh to boil would be a track application, not normal driving. So I usually only flush the fluid when I change the brake pads.
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Originally Posted By: fdcg27
Mercedes used to recommend a change every year, but that was back in the day of Mercedes buyers being only very well off folks who knew what they were getting in a relatively plain looking and slow car and cared for it accordingly.
Mercedes cars used to be quite pricey for what you could see and were underappreciated for what the average plebian couldn't grasp.
Not so much these days.
They still recommend it every 2 years. They use a Dot 4 Plus brake fluid that's a little more hygroscopic than regular Dot 3 though.
Mercedes used to recommend a change every year, but that was back in the day of Mercedes buyers being only very well off folks who knew what they were getting in a relatively plain looking and slow car and cared for it accordingly.
Mercedes cars used to be quite pricey for what you could see and were underappreciated for what the average plebian couldn't grasp.
Not so much these days.
They still recommend it every 2 years. They use a Dot 4 Plus brake fluid that's a little more hygroscopic than regular Dot 3 though.
Yet again I'm reminded of what I once heard a European automotive engineer say:
"The difference between European drivers and American drivers is:
European drivers don't care if the brakes squeal- just as long as they stop the car.
American drivers don't care if the brakes stop the car- just as long as they don't squeal."
"The difference between European drivers and American drivers is:
European drivers don't care if the brakes squeal- just as long as they stop the car.
American drivers don't care if the brakes stop the car- just as long as they don't squeal."
Put your car up on jack stands, and just flush the calipers as you rotate your tires. I just did the buick today, and it took slightly more than 32 ounces when it was all said and done. $8 for the fluid, and an hour of my life.
However, if you've got the $128 to spend, let 'em have at it. But I'd shop around, you could likely find it less expensive.
However, if you've got the $128 to spend, let 'em have at it. But I'd shop around, you could likely find it less expensive.
I do it because like Ive said here before, my brake lines rusted from the inside and burst under brake pressure. Not good. Every two years from here on out.
It should be changed periodically. My Nissans list 2 years as the schedule, as do my bikes.
If you do it yourself, this is a good system:
Take a baster bulb and suck the reservoir down. Refill with fresh. Then start the bleeding, and just bleed a few pedal/lever pumps until air is out.
Do this every two years and you will flush/refresh the system over time without having to do it all at once with a more consuming time investment each time. I live in the very wet PNW and do this with several cars and motorcycles and it works great.
Take a baster bulb and suck the reservoir down. Refill with fresh. Then start the bleeding, and just bleed a few pedal/lever pumps until air is out.
Do this every two years and you will flush/refresh the system over time without having to do it all at once with a more consuming time investment each time. I live in the very wet PNW and do this with several cars and motorcycles and it works great.
Originally Posted By: Kage860
....the only way to get the fluid hot enoigh to boil would be a track application, not normal driving.
This is untrue.
You could, for example, get them hot enough to boil because a brake caliper jammed on, which is quite likely to happen if you never change your brake fluid, because you can get a lot of corrosion.
In my case I believe I got them hot enough to boil because a brake shoe liner had detached and jammed a drum on, and I lost all other braking. This arguably wasn't my fault, but a caliper jammed later and it was in a pretty sorry state inside.
....the only way to get the fluid hot enoigh to boil would be a track application, not normal driving.
This is untrue.
You could, for example, get them hot enough to boil because a brake caliper jammed on, which is quite likely to happen if you never change your brake fluid, because you can get a lot of corrosion.
In my case I believe I got them hot enough to boil because a brake shoe liner had detached and jammed a drum on, and I lost all other braking. This arguably wasn't my fault, but a caliper jammed later and it was in a pretty sorry state inside.
Since a brake fluid change is not listed in the owners manual, I now do it whenever brake pads are changed whatever the years or mileage. i used to do it every 24K/2 year but, I outgrew that nonsense since I don't track my daily driver. Ed
Guess I should think about having my 17 YO Ranger done. At 65K miles its still got OEM stuff in it.
Originally Posted By: Ducked
Originally Posted By: Kage860
....the only way to get the fluid hot enoigh to boil would be a track application, not normal driving.
This is untrue.
You could, for example, get them hot enough to boil because a brake caliper jammed on, which is quite likely to happen if you never change your brake fluid, because you can get a lot of corrosion.
In my case I believe I got them hot enough to boil because a brake shoe liner had detached and jammed a drum on, and I lost all other braking. This arguably wasn't my fault, but a caliper jammed later and it was in a pretty sorry state inside.
I once had some local boiling due to a stuck parking brake cable on the left rear of an '86 Civic Wagon.
Having the pedal go to the floor with no appreciable retardation does not bring good feelings.
A couple of pumps restored operation; a good thing since I was approaching a traffic light at the end of a long hill.
Would fresh brake fluid have prevented this?
Maybe.
Originally Posted By: Kage860
....the only way to get the fluid hot enoigh to boil would be a track application, not normal driving.
This is untrue.
You could, for example, get them hot enough to boil because a brake caliper jammed on, which is quite likely to happen if you never change your brake fluid, because you can get a lot of corrosion.
In my case I believe I got them hot enough to boil because a brake shoe liner had detached and jammed a drum on, and I lost all other braking. This arguably wasn't my fault, but a caliper jammed later and it was in a pretty sorry state inside.
I once had some local boiling due to a stuck parking brake cable on the left rear of an '86 Civic Wagon.
Having the pedal go to the floor with no appreciable retardation does not bring good feelings.
A couple of pumps restored operation; a good thing since I was approaching a traffic light at the end of a long hill.
Would fresh brake fluid have prevented this?
Maybe.
Originally Posted By: Eddie
Since a brake fluid change is not listed in the owners manual, I now do it whenever brake pads are changed whatever the years or mileage. i used to do it every 24K/2 year but, I outgrew that nonsense since I don't track my daily driver. Ed
Me too. Then I learned different. Outgrowing nonsense is a continuous, and sometimes cyclic, process.
(I think this is the first owners manual I've had, its in Chinese, and the pages are stuck together, but if I knew it disagreed with my own judgement I'd still ignore it.)
Since a brake fluid change is not listed in the owners manual, I now do it whenever brake pads are changed whatever the years or mileage. i used to do it every 24K/2 year but, I outgrew that nonsense since I don't track my daily driver. Ed
Me too. Then I learned different. Outgrowing nonsense is a continuous, and sometimes cyclic, process.
(I think this is the first owners manual I've had, its in Chinese, and the pages are stuck together, but if I knew it disagreed with my own judgement I'd still ignore it.)
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Originally Posted By: FFFEMT
I have a 2013 Kia Sportage 2.4L with 1 year left on 5 year, 60k warranty. I am the 2nd owner, living in AZ. Will be bringing it in for 45k service. Dealer wants to do brake fluid change. Nowhere on factory service does Kia say to change fluid, just check it. Does moisture get into fluid or is this profit for dealer. Cost is $128.00. Thanks.
If you're having other stuff done at the dealer, negotiate that price down for the brake fluid change.
As anal as I am with changing gearbox, transmission, power steering fluid, etc.. I've never once changed brake fluid on my vehicles or any I've serviced. Added it during a bleed after components changes sure, but never on it's own.
I have a 2013 Kia Sportage 2.4L with 1 year left on 5 year, 60k warranty. I am the 2nd owner, living in AZ. Will be bringing it in for 45k service. Dealer wants to do brake fluid change. Nowhere on factory service does Kia say to change fluid, just check it. Does moisture get into fluid or is this profit for dealer. Cost is $128.00. Thanks.
If you're having other stuff done at the dealer, negotiate that price down for the brake fluid change.
As anal as I am with changing gearbox, transmission, power steering fluid, etc.. I've never once changed brake fluid on my vehicles or any I've serviced. Added it during a bleed after components changes sure, but never on it's own.
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