Brake Fluid Change
Over time, the brake fluid in your car absorbs water, which can cause the brakes to fail. Automakers say that you should change your brake fluid every two years so that your brakes work as well as they can. At Car Clinic, we offer a service to change the brake fluid. This involves flushing out the old, diluted brake fluid and adding brand-new brake fluid. Book an appointment online to get your brake fluid changed.
What Is Included In A Brake Fluid Change?
Our skilled brake specialists will use a pressure bleeder when changing the brake fluid. This tool pumps a steady new fluid flow under pressure into the brake fluid reservoir. This keeps air from getting into the hydraulic system. Starting with the brake that needs the most work (the one with the most dirt), the old fluid is bled out at the bleed nipple on each brake until clean fluid shows up in the bleed bottle. This process is done in a certain order depending on how the braking system is set up. The old liquid is pushed out by the new fluid and dumped afterward.
On most modern cars, you also need a diagnostic tool to turn on the bleed function on the ABS controller. This ensures that all the old fluid is flushed out of the ABS pump’s different channels and valves. At Car Clinic, we use DOT4+ fluid that has been made to meet the needs of modern electronic stability control systems.
A free thorough brake inspection is included when you schedule your brake fluid change online. This includes inspecting your key brake parts to ensure they are working well.
How Much Does Brake Fluid Change Cost?
When you book online, it only costs £75 to change the brake fluid. We charge the same price to change the brake fluid in a supermini, a family car, or a large off-road 4×4 of any size. Including our no-cost thorough brake inspection, the whole process shouldn’t take more than an hour.
Brake Fluid And Vehicle Servicing
Did you know that most car services don’t include changing the brake fluid? That’s why it’s important to ensure your brake fluid is in good shape and gets replaced regularly to keep your brakes from giving out. At Car Clinic, we check your brake fluid as part of our interim service and full-service packages to ensure it has a good boiling point and is in good shape overall. Also, if your car needs new brake fluid, you can ask us to change it during your service.
Why Is Brake Fluid Important?
Because it transmits the force generated when you depress the brake pedal to the wheel hub, brake fluid is a crucial component of your braking system.
When you brake, heat is produced, especially when you brake hard or for a long time. This heat may impact the brake fluid since it only functions when it is liquid and not too heated to become vapor. So because of that, the boiling point of your brake fluid is an important factor as to how well your brakes work because temperatures above the boiling point cause vapor bubble to form in the system, which could lead to brake failure.
Also, the brake fluid keeps all the moving parts from rusting and keeps them from sticking. It has to work well with rubber seals and hoses so that braking systems can last a long time and work at their best.
How Often Should You Change Brake Fluid?
Different manufacturers recommend different times to change the brake fluid, but generally, this should be done at least every two years. Check your car’s manual for specific information about how to drive your make and model car. Changing your brake fluid on the recommended schedule helps keep your brakes from failing since brake fluid can lose its quality over time. Remember that brake fluid is checked during interim and full services to ensure it is in good shape and that its boiling point is right. However, it is not changed as part of the service.
Why Does Brake Fluid Deteriorate?
Brake fluid is hygroscopic, which can absorb moisture through the pipes, hoses, and joints it lubricates. As the amount of water in the brake fluid increases, the temperature at which the liquid boils goes down. The boiling point can be significantly lowered by water contamination, making it harder for you to stop.
Regular maintenance on your car will include checking the boiling point of your brake fluid. However, automakers advise changing your brake fluid at least every two years, if not sooner (check your vehicle handbook for details). Changing the brake fluid when it’s recommended keeps the brakes from failing and keeps the boiling point at a safe level.
The table below demonstrates how the boiling temperature of DOT 4 ESP Brake Fluid can be much lower when it is “wet” (contaminated with water) than when it is “dry” (i.e., no water content like when the brake fluid is brand new)
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Dry boiling point (°C)
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Wet boiling point (°C)
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|---|---|---|---|
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DOT 4 Standard
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DOT 4 ESP Brake Fluid
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DOT 4 Standard
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DOT 4 ESP Brake Fluid
|
|
230
|
266
|
151
|
171
|
