Brake Fluid Change Not Required?

[quickster2]

We change our brake fluid on every car we have owned since 2012 every 30K or so. Since we tend to keep our vehicles until it is not cost effective, I figure cheap insurance. Porsche, Mercedes, BMW, Audi, Subaru, Dodge Viper, and many more recommend this maintenance.

 

[Torque]

Our Jeep dealership wants to flush the brake system on every visit for an oil change because "we detected water in it". I had them flush it the first time they mentioned that but told them that if you're detecting water in it again in only 6 months, something is wrong and you all need to figure it out. "Oh, we tested it wrong, it's fine."

 

[Dean2]

Our Jeep dealership wants to flush the brake system on every visit for an oil change because "we detected water in it". I had them flush it the first time they mentioned that but told them that if you're detecting water in it again in only 6 months, something is wrong and you all need to figure it out. "Oh, we tested it wrong, it's fine."

Find a new dealer. If they will lie about something that small to fleece you, they will lie about big stuff too. I would also report this to Stellantis and your Attorney General. This is fraud, and if they are doing it to you, they are doing it to a whole bunch more people. If we keep letting companies steal from us, they will keep doing it.

 

[CanuckRam1313]

I have a thorough brake system flush and fill done every brake change (about 3 years or so).
When I do it, I upgrade to DOT5.1 Motul, or Stop-Tech STR-600.

I have a brake bleeder vacuum system used and crack all four bleeders at the same time. From start to finish I go through about 2-liters of fluid to get a thorough flush and fill.

I do a front/rear/parking brake service every year in the late spring to ensure everything is moving well and the wear is even.

I do use my parking brake a lot so it always works, especially when on hills pointing up or down as it takes all the pressure off my transmission pawl.

Then I get my truck Krown sprayed and have them also coat the calipers and hubs, too.

My brakes have never failed me; I can stop on a dime & make change... lol

 

[DodgeDude99]

I bought a Motive pressure bleeder when I swapped to Hellcat brakes on my ‘06 Charger, best money I’ve spent. Bled all 4 calipers in less than 15 minutes.

Bled the ‘14 Ram afterwards, then bought the adapter to do my Camaro & K5 Blazer.

 

[greg mayrhofer]

I change mine every 40,000 km or when Maintenace is done on the brake system ,it helps of course remove any air and water that may accumulate in the system. and dispose of the old fluid to a garage or recycler. Brakes are the most important system in your truck beside the drive tran , so proper upkeep maintenance is a must

 

[Wallacehugh]

I trade my vehicles quite often but never changed brake fluid. Almost a year ago, my 2012 ram R/T at times would run as if I had bad gas. Dodge dealer as well as others could not find the problem. Recently, I took my truck to Napa auto repair. i ask them to look at the front brakes in case that might be the problem. They discovered the brakes were all seized at times, not all times. My ram has only 22500 miles. They did a complete brake job on all four wheels be cause of rust and other problems. The ram runs perfectly now. Wish I had known a year earlier. Cost me $1200.00 but was worth it!!

 

[GTyankee]

There are people that draw off a Turkey Baster full of Brake Fluid, every year or two

 

[1911LVR]

I spent time on Submarines. Every summer we would get midshipmen assigned. After we got underway we would get them all dressed up in a rain suit and life jacket and tell them they were going to get the mail from the mail buoy.

I miss those days..... sometimes.

 

[David James]

The maintenance schedule for my 2019 Laramie 1500 does not show anything about changing the brake fluid.

Every other vehicle I own, or can remember previously owning, requires replacing the brake fluid at least every 4 years. It's really not an expensive service.

What are other members of this forum recommending and/or doing?

Thanks.

Flushing every 30-40k. It’s cheap insurance. I have 115 k on original brakes and still have plenty of pad. If you wait until replacing them to do fluid I think it’s too late.

 

[kolya]

The Brake Fluid Tester, being under $15, and probably made in China--I question the accuracy of the instrument.

I've been a Metrologist for >30 years; just because a manufacturer says something is "+/- X%" accurate doesn't mean it really is when tested.

I'm an old "analog" guy that that used to do certifications traceable to NBS way back in the sixties. Many years later I was in industrial management trying to explain the difference between "accuracy" and "precision" to smartass engineers. LOL

 

[Tulecreeper]

I'm an old "analog" guy that that used to do certifications traceable to NBS way back in the sixties. Many years later I was in industrial management trying to explain the difference between "accuracy" and "precision" to smartass engineers. LOL

Accuracy means I hit the 10-inch diameter target 7 out of 10 times, which is good enough to qualify. Precision means I hit the bullseye 10 out of 10 times.

 

[Dusty]

Find a new dealer. If they will lie about something that small to fleece you, they will lie about big stuff too. I would also report this to Stellantis and your Attorney General. This is fraud, and if they are doing it to you, they are doing it to a whole bunch more people. If we keep letting companies steal from us, they will keep doing it.

Totally agree.

Unfortunately some dealers put a lot of pressure on service writers, or service managers, to up-sell services because it provides an increase in margin that is lost by warranty work. Having someone in the family as testimony, this situation is even more severe with the chain muffler and tire stores.

Regards,
Dusty
2019 Ram 1500 Billet Silver Laramie Quad Cab 2WD, 5.7 Hemi, 8HP75, 3.21 axle, 33-gallon fuel tank, 18” wheels. Build Date: 3 June 2018. Now at 99687 miles.

 

[PaulTGarrett]

I have my brake system flushed and replaced whenever I do a full brake job. I've done it that way since I was 15. I've never had a brake system component fail or seize up on me...

For example, my '93 Ford Bronco has 215,000-ish miles on it. I have only replaced one flexible brake hose on it, because a blown tire (from a @$#% seized unit bearing) ripped the hose out! Other than brake pads/shoes/rotors/drums, the system is stock.

 

[boblonben]

Every 2 years or 30k miles. There's no such thing as over servicing the system.
Opinions are all over the board about the subject. Some will tell you once a year others will act as a brag and tell you in 15 years they never changed it. What they don't tell you is they had siezed pistons on calipers or a bad master cylinder in that time frame so it actually did get flushed at some point.
I'll say good for you for thinking about it. Many don't and wonder why they have problems and black contaminated resevoirs of fluid.

That is excessive timing

 

[boblonben]

Every time I've flushed the brakes in my vehicles, the old fluid is nasty, yucky rusty brown. I have to think the dark brown color is indicative of rust.

Every 2 to 3 years is what I shoot for.

If you reall6nfo have that much every time you are allowing too much water enter the system somehow.

 

[ppine]

Brake fluid can absorb some water over time. Maybe that's where the rusty color comes from. My mechanics always say its not necessary. I have had over 30 vehicles and have never changed the brake fluid in any of them. Some gets added when brakes are bled during brake jobs.

 

[18CrewDually]

That is excessive timing

Like I said in the 3rd sentence, everyone has opinions. You have no idea what my vehicles brake fluid goes through in 2 years so your opinion has no value. And like I said in the 2nd sentence that you quoted, no such thing as "over serviced" in this case.

 

[Hemi395]

Considering the nonexistent availability and obscene price of the ABS Modules/HCU for these trucks, flushing the brake fluid often is cheap insurance.

That being said, I just ordered that tester. Its been 3 years since I bled it last so I'll see what it says about the fluid.

 

[Mister Luck]

The pen testers they sell on Amazon measures conductivity and through that analysis lights the appropriate level of contamination by h20.

In definition by Cornell Law
“ The pH value of water-wet brake fluid, except DOT 5 SBBF, at the end of the test shall not be less than 7.0 nor more than 11.5 “

You always want to be towards neutral and not acidic to prevent component corrosion.