Why Brake Fluid Change?

[jos22]

Just out of interest.

For over 40 years I ran company cars (Fords, Volvo's BMW) all serviced at main dealers. Some were quite old (for company cars) when they were part exchanged. Never had a brake fluid change. Why Skoda's?:confused:

[fireftrm]

Never had the brake fluid changed? Main delaers???????? Cowboys, you mean?

Brake fluid MUST be changed on all vehicles, not just Skodas, it will be shown in the service manual and is because brake fluid is hygroscopic, that is it absorbs moisture from the air. Normal change times are 2 or 3 years.

Water in brake fluid makes for a reduction in its boiling point and allows corrosion of ferrous parts. Lower boiling point means that pockets of gas are more likleyt o form and gas is compressible, where liquid is not, so gas bubbles mean that the pressure in the system is taken up by the gases and drops - reduced brake pressure means redcued braking, or total loss.

Any dealer who does not include brake fluid changing in their normal serviceing is severely (even criminally) negligent, no matter the manufacturer.

[Taxi 219]

And putting the driver in danger too.

[Sy.]

yup every 2 years

[jos22]

Thank you all for your replies.

The 2-3 year change could have excluded the Fords, not the Volvo's or BMW's.

[fireftrm]

No Fords definitley have brake fluid changes in their service schedules, at 24 months I believe. As such the changing of brake fluid is a normal part of set interval servicing, so may never have shown up as additional work, just the fluid on the lubrication and fluids section of any invoices. Menu servicing (the way most main dealers do it) include all the work set for that interval.

[David 8]

I had my fluid changed at the weekend.

The difference is like night and day.

Well worth doing.

[Yeti_Man]

Owned Fords most of my life and its every 2 years for a brake fluid change iirc.

Skoda seems inline with most. To be honest, if there was ever a part of the car I'd want to over service and make sure were 100% - its the brakes!

Lee

[Tech1e]

Any dealer who does not include brake fluid changing in their normal serviceing is severely (even criminally) negligent, no matter the manufacturer.

A dealer can recommend it is done but its not part of the regular service schedule it is an additional item and thus has a charge with it, this means some people dont bother havng it done.

[PumpeDuse]

you could do it yourself, its very easy

[David 8]

you could do it yourself, its very easy

Unless you balls it up then it's quite difficult to correct iirc

[durhamfisher]

About 10 years ago I had (what seemed like) total break loss on the first press of the pedal when approaching a round about....scary as hell. Second press the brakes started to work and third press I stopped the car. Called the AA and they said it was boiling brake fluid. Got it changed the next day and all was fine. Definitely worth doing!

[slider]

Thank you all for your replies.

The 2-3 year change could have excluded the Fords, not the Volvo's or BMW's.

Todays BMW certainly have regular brake fluid changes.

Could it be that it was done as part of your servicing but simply not itemised?

[_ZS_]

Being an ex-fleet driver, they do the most minimal servicing they can get away with. My Clio had original brake discs, original brake fluid and totally shot dampers at 100k. Yep, 100k from the discs. The were the thickness of 10p pieces. :(