Brake Fluid In Your Car: Everything You Need To Know About

People often neglect intricate details about their cars. They visit the mechanic and think it is enough for the car maintenance, but you may put some more effort into keeping your car in good working condition.

Knowing about each component and fluid of your car will keep you ahead of certain problems. Have you tried to know about the brake fluid in your car? If not, don’t worry, many people are unaware of this. But this is not recommended as you can only prevent issues with these components when you know about them well. The brake fluid is an important component of the braking system, even though it makes up a minor portion of the system, ensuring that your automobile stops when it needs to. It is therefore important to be aware of its function, its varieties, and all the basic details so that you may better maintain your car.

A basic detail about brake fluid and its functions

Being aware of even smaller things in your car is not a necessity but it keeps you in a safe place. When something goes wrong in your car, you already know where the problem is and how can you fix it. Otherwise, you will have to wait for the mechanic to come rescue you and you end up paying a lot of money to them.

Hydraulic fluid basically known as brake fluid helps to increase the braking force that is applied to the brakes by converting force into pressure while your foot is on the brake pedal. The brake callipers clamp down on the brake pads to provide the friction necessary to stop the wheels from turning. The brake fluid, which is kept in the brake lines, is pushed through these lines to the brake callipers when you apply pressure to the brake pedal.

One thing to note here is that the brake fluid is not an automotive fluid which people confuse. Brake fluid is specially designed fluid that puts more pressure and temperature to work better in its designated compartment. It also takes in moisture from the air over time due to its hygroscopic nature.

This feature means that brake fluid needs to be changed on a regular basis even though it’s essential to keep the braking system from corroding. In severe circumstances, the absorbed moisture may cause the fluid’s boiling point to drop, which could result in brake failure.

Is it necessary to change the brake fluid?

Fluids in any form used in the car need a timely change. It is obvious that after a certain time, or on regular use, the fluids get contaminated and degrade in terms of their purity and performance.

The boiling point of the brake fluid decreases with excessive moisture absorption, increasing the likelihood of vaporization in high-heat situations like hard braking. This vapour has the potential to compress, leading to a mushy brake pedal and, in extreme situations, total braking failure. Brake lines and other components may corrode due to tainted brake fluid, necessitating expensive repairs. Thus, keeping your car’s braking efficiency and general safety depends on routine brake fluid adjustments. Refer to the user manual to know when is the right time to replace the brake fluid or ask the professional mechanic.

What are the common types of brake fluid?

Brake fluid comes in a variety of forms, each with unique characteristics and applications. They are categorized using the DOT rating system according to their chemical makeup and boiling points.DOT 3, DOT 4, DOT 5, and DOT 5.1 are the most common varieties.

Dot 3

The most popular type of braking fluid used in automobiles is DOT 3. Its boiling points are 140°C for water and 205°C for dry matter. It is appropriate for the majority of typical driving circumstances because it is colourless or amber in colour and does not thicken at low temperatures.

However, DOT 3 fluid deteriorates more quickly than other kinds because it is hygroscopic, which means it takes up moisture from the air. It must therefore be replaced at the suggested time. DOT 3 has the benefit of being widely accessible and reasonably priced, usually costing about $10 per litre, but it may change according to the region and quality.

DOT 4

Similar to DOT 3, DOT 4 brake fluid has higher boiling points, 230°C for dry and 155°C for wet, than DOT 3. This means that it works better on cars that have to brake at higher temperatures, like sports cars or cars driven in steep or mountainous terrain. Similar to DOT 3, DOT 4 is hygroscopic and will eventually absorb moisture, necessitating frequent replacement. DOT 4 fluid ranges in price from $7 to $12 per liter, making it marginally more costly than DOT 3. Nonetheless, it performs better in hotter weather, which makes it a viable option for harsher driving conditions.

Dot 5

The silicone-based DOT 5 braking fluid has a wet boiling point of 180°C and a dry boiling temperature of 260°C. DOT 5 fluid is not hygroscopic, which means it does not absorb moisture, in contrast to DOT 3 and DOT 4. Over time, this increases its stability, particularly in cars that are not driven regularly.

DOT 5 does, however, have certain drawbacks. Because of its increased viscosity, it can interfere with anti-lock braking systems (ABS) and is incompatible with DOT 3 or DOT 4 systems. When combined with contaminants, it also has a tendency to expand greatly, which may have an impact on braking performance. DOT 5 costs between $12 and $22 per liter and is commonly found in military and vintage vehicles.

DOT 5.1

Similar to DOT 3 and DOT 4, DOT 5.1 is a glycol-based fluid with greater wet and dry boiling points. It blends the interoperability of the DOT 3 and DOT 4 systems with the high-performance features of the DOT 5. For high-performance and heavy-duty applications where severe braking circumstances are frequent, DOT 5.1 is appropriate. At $15 to $20 per liter, DOT 5.1 is the priciest of the common braking fluids because of its sophisticated formulation. Although it performs better, frequent care is necessary to keep it clean.

When you should change the brake fluid in your car?

Under typical driving conditions, the majority of manufacturers advise changing your brake fluid every 30,000 to 40,000 kilometres, or around every three years. The time to change the brake fluid may also depend on the region and the model of the car. For example, if you are driving used cars in Surinam or in any other African region, you may have to change it more often than driving in the colder regions.

The precise interval, however, may change based on the kind of brake fluid being used, the driving conditions, and the make and model of the car. For instance, regardless of mileage, luxury cars like Mercedes-Benz, Audi, and BMW frequently need to have their braking fluid changed every two years. This is due to the fact that the brake systems on these cars are often greater performance and more susceptible to fluid contamination.

When to change your brake fluid is also greatly influenced by the driving conditions. Regular driving in damp, steamy, or dusty environments might cause your brake fluid to pollute more quickly, requiring more regular adjustments. In a similar vein, your brake fluid may deteriorate more quickly if you brake heavily, as you could on steep terrain.