Done brake fluid change anyone?

[RickMachE]

I’m surprised so many owners change break fluid in their cars at 3 yrs. With 1PD and regen the brakes hardly get used.

Maybe the 3 yr recommendation is so the Options purchasers can get dinged if they turn the MME in at 3 yrs.

brake fluid...

No, they cannot ding you for maintenance.

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[MoonRiver]

Been driving for 40+ years. Lived in Mass, PA, MI. Never changed brake fluid, even with vehicles up to 15 years old. Never experienced an issue.

Mine 07 Infiniti doesn't mention brake fluid change at all. So I have never bothered and it's so far so good. But I am getting a tester to test its moisture to see how it is.

 

[steve.panse]

That’s disappointing I can’t do it myself. Living in FL I do a 2-yr interval on my cars. It was low cost insurance to avoid loss of braking under emergency conditions, as well as avoid corrosion to ABS components. Will have to see what the dealer charges and will probably now stretch it to 3 years.

 

[RickMachE]

For fun, I searched my old manuals.

2013 F-150 - tells you how to check it, but no mention of replacement
2018 Fusion Energi - same

So, one has to wonder, why in 2021, with the Mach-E, does it all of a sudden come up?

 

[leehinde]

Speaking of humidity, I checked what ours is here in Sonora, CA compared to say Orlando Florida (you mentioned Florida so I picked Orlando as a comparison) and there is quite the difference.

We might catch up tomorrow.

 

[Maquis]

Mine 07 Infiniti doesn't mention brake fluid change at all. So I have never bothered and it's so far so good. But I am getting a tester to test its moisture to see how it is.

It should be noted that DOT5 (silicone-based) fluid is not hygroscopic and supposedly doesn’t need to be changed. Check the fluid spec…

On classic cars that I’ve owned that don’t get driven much, I’ve had the system flushed and filled with DOT5 fluid.

 

[HuntingPudel]

It should be noted that DOT5 (silicone-based) fluid is not hygroscopic and supposedly doesn’t need to be changed. Check the fluid spec…

On classic cars that I’ve owned that don’t get driven much, I’ve had the system flushed and filled with DOT5 fluid.

DOT 5 fluids have their own idiosyncrasies, but an average driver is never going to experience them, so they're a very good choice on a street-driven car that has flexible parts that will work with the DOT 5 fluid. The flushing process is kind of nasty. Maybe it's just my nose. ??

Changing fluid might also give an indication that something's gone wrong with the braking system. Example: I had a car that had great braking efficiency and balance using regular brake fluid. Upon changing the fluid I found that it now had very sloppy braking. Came to find that one of the rear calipers was leaking. So, either the changing/flushing process flushed some gunk out of an imperfection in that seal (most likely scenario), or changing the fluid resulted in damaging the seal (highly unlikely). Good thing I discovered this upon shakedown and not when hammering the car into a corner. ??

 

[ChuckA]

No, its' due to the fact that the fluid absorbs moisture over time. That later causes corrosion inside the system.

Been driving for over 50 years and didn’t know this. Needless to say, I almost never changed brake fluid. I always thought the repair shop was trying to scam me. Maybe there’s no humidity issue in CT or I’ve been lucky. I’ll invest in a tester.

 

[Teslaeata]

Beware!

Ignorance CAN be a dangerous thing?

Just because you haven’t experienced a problem don’t mean you will never and changing the fluid is a cheap insurance policy.

ALL Manufacturers that use brake fluid must and do recommend brake fluid is changed, the brake fluid producers specify this so vehicle Manufacturers must follow their maintenance specifications.

Renewal intervals tend to differ, look in the right place and you’ll find the Manufacturers’ requirement.

It’s not just about the moisture issue.

Changing the fluid gets rid of wear debris, maintains lubricity & cleanliness helping prevent corrosion & damage to seals etc

DOT 3, 4 & 5.1 fluid is hygroscopic, higher the number the higher the dry boiling point, the wet boiling point moisture causes remains an issue.

DOT 5 contains silicone and readily traps air so should not be used with ABS as I understand it.

And one last thing, the reservoir cap is vented to allow drop in level as brakes wear and moisture can also get in through seals & hoses believe it or not.

 

[Teslaeata]

It depends on how the brake system is designed. Old American cars used to use a sealed system consisting of a master cylinder reservoir that provided atmospheric pressure in the system without exposing the brake fluid to air. You may have seen this type of system where there is a rubber diaphragm covering the brake fluid. European cars for 50 years or so have used open systems, which require periodic fluid changes. If the brake system is not exposed to atmospheric pressure, as the pads wear, space in the reservoir is created. If the system is completely sealed, that space eventually creates a vacuum in the system and vacuum-locks the pistons in the calipers.

If have no familiarity with Infinity's design, but if the system exposes the brake fluid to air, it will have a periodic replacement requirement. That said, brake systems can go years or decades without periodic fluid changes and not experience a failure nor poor performance under normal street driving environments.

 

[Teslaeata]

One such brake fluid producer critically says:

DOT3 and DOT4 should never be mixed with DOT5 fluid. They're incompatible, and brake failure may occur if mixed. Moreover, there are serious compatibility issues when using DOT5 in a system that was engineered to use DOT3 or DOT4. Also, users should take care not to mix DOT3 and DOT4 fluids as there could be brake system compatibility issues. Always consult your owner’s manual and use the type of fluid specified for your vehicle.

Once the container is opened, brake fluid has a very short shelf life. If you need to add some fluid or are servicing your own brake system, always use brake fluid from a fresh, previously unopened container.

 

[MoonRiver]

that's dealer premium service schedule. I never go by that.

 

[Teslaeata]

that's dealer premium service schedule. I never go by that.

Good grief??‍

 

[RickMachE]

that's dealer premium service schedule. I never go by that.

Correct. Follow the manual. Dealers try to perform services that are not required or recommended. So bad that a few years back, Ford sent them letters to stop.

Good grief??‍

Really? Follow the dealer's recommended schedule, designed to maximize their revenue? Wow.

 

[Opa]

I think it’s awesome that we still have DIY mechanics (that’s not sarcasm! That’s being impressed!!

However, even though I have changed brake fluid on an ICE several times, the MME is a rolling computer — without the correct diagnostic equipment. I would suspect you would do more harm than good.
I’m more than happy to let the Ford mechanics take care of any issues that come up in my MME.??

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