Ask dealership to change brake fluid?

fred246

IIRC you don't remember correctly. They've only added it in the last few years when they saw what a money making opportunity it was.

Jakg

fred246 wrote: »

IIRC you don't remember correctly. They've only added it in the last few years when they saw what a money making opportunity it was.

What cars are we talking about?

My MG ZT had it in the service schedule (Rover 75 launched in 1999).
My BMW Z4 has it too (launched 2002).
As does my Megane (launched 2004).

Ironically it's new that it's not included as part of a service and is a separate cost/item - but still scheduled - presumably due to the prevalence of service packs where no-one is paying any more.

Jackmydad

fred246 wrote: »

IIRC you don't remember correctly. They've only added it in the last few years when they saw what a money making opportunity it was.

As another poster said, I hope you're never behind me.
I'm sure that a friend's Vauxhall Cavalier from around 1983 had it in the schedule.
Because I remember him saying about it.
I'd never heard of doing it before.

Just because you think it's some sort of money making scam, doesn't mean it's not necessary.

fred990

Isn't dark/dirty brake fluid in the reservoir now an mot failure?
I guess plenty will just syringe it out and refill whilst trying not to go below the stand pipe thingy.
Probably leaving a dark line of old fluid!
Yup Gunsons easybleed makes it a doddle to do.

Car_54

fred990 wrote: »

Isn't dark/dirty brake fluid in the reservoir now an mot failure?

MOT manual says:
"Hydraulic brake fluid level checks are confined to transparent reservoirs, reservoir caps shouldn’t be removed.
On many vehicles, you won’t be able to see if the brake fluid is contaminated. You should only fail a vehicle if you can clearly see that the fluid is contaminated."

fred990

.GOV.UK says (just checked)
Some new items are tested during the mot.
. If the brake fluid has been contaminated....
Easy to see on some cars.

AdrianC

fred246 wrote: »

IIRC you don't remember correctly. They've only added it in the last few years when they saw what a money making opportunity it was.

Nope. Terrible, and dangerous advice.


DOT fluid has always been hygroscopic.

The major cause of cars needing new calipers and wheel cylinders is neglected fluid changes. The situation is even worse on hydraulic clutches, especially where the slave is an annular type integral with the release bearing.

Jackmydad

AdrianC wrote: »

Nope. Terrible, and dangerous advice.


DOT fluid has always been hygroscopic.

The major cause of cars needing new calipers and wheel cylinders is neglected fluid changes. The situation is even worse on hydraulic clutches, especially where the slave is an annular type integral with the release bearing.

I was going to say something about the wear thing earlier.
Must be getting on for 20 years ago, the old Passat had both rear wheel cylinders leaking when I serviced it. I admit that at that time I still reckoned that the fluid would "be alright".
Anyway I rebuilt the rear brakes completely, and bought an Eezibleed. It was so easy I thought "Ought to renew the fluid completely" so I did, and was amazed at the stuff that came out!
And I had that car for about ten year after that. I'd look at the brakes, and they'd be fine.
So I came to the conclusion that having clean fluid saves a load of trouble.

AdrianC

I was once changing the clutch fluid on an old Saab I'd just bought - on a Sunday at a forum spannering day, miles from home. I pumped the pedal, and it instantly went totally soft - the master cylinder was utterly dead. When I'd replaced it, I took the old one apart. With the exception of the fairly small normal-travel section of the bore, everything was a mess of hideous rust, which had just ripped the seals as soon as it went outside that normal travel. The return spring in the bottom of the cylinder was utterly crumbled to nothing.

Fortunately, there was a factor nearby who were open and had one in stock...

Jackmydad

AdrianC wrote: »

I was once changing the clutch fluid on an old Saab I'd just bought - on a Sunday at a forum spannering day, miles from home. I pumped the pedal, and it instantly went totally soft - the master cylinder was utterly dead. When I'd replaced it, I took the old one apart. With the exception of the fairly small normal-travel section of the bore, everything was a mess of hideous rust, which had just ripped the seals as soon as it went outside that normal travel. The return spring in the bottom of the cylinder was utterly crumbled to nothing.

Fortunately, there was a factor nearby who were open and had one in stock...

Had one exactly the same on the old Mk 1 Cortina I had around 1980. Fortunately it was daytime and at home.
Inside the old slave cylinder was the same as yours.
Walked about a mile to the main agent.
Lucky!