Car Brake Fluid Check: Brake Fluid 101

WHAT DOES CAR BREAKS DO?

Brakes are a car part that controls your car’s ability to slow down and stop. As such, they are essential for your own safety and the safety of every other traffic participant. Even when not in bad shape, car brakes might malfunction due to problems with brake fluids. While the use of quality oils like mineral oil brake fluid or its DOT equivalent may minimize the risk, this fluid needs to be properly replaced once the time for this maintenance process arrives. Even though the majority of traffic accidents happen due to human error, there are some that will occur due to a malfunction within the vehicle itself. Brake issues are at the very top of the list. Here are some tips to help you stay safe on the road.

DIY OR PROFESSIONAL REPLACEMENT

Brake fluid replacement needs to be quick, seeing as how brake fluid doesn’t mix well with air. If you neglect this piece of advice, you risk contaminating your brake fluid, thus ruining the whole process. This is also the main argument why brake oilshould probably be done by professionals instead of trying to handle it yourself.

The most complicated thing about the process is the so-called brake fluid flush, which you probably won’t be able to do properly in your garage. The cost of this service goes between GHs70 and GHs100. Given the fact that a botched DIY replacement can have dire repercussions and that this is something that you do once every 4-5 years, the cost is more than reasonable, visit Lubexpress at Kotobabi for a professional oil change.

WHEN TO CHANGE BRAKE OIL

Previously, we’ve mentioned 4-5 years between two replacements, but this is definitely not the whole story. The mileage plays a huge part, as well as your braking habits. Now, the latter is impossible to check, which is why you need to learn how to test your brakes in order to check their current state and status.

First of all, if your brake fluid is low, ABS should activate. Second, while driving, you might feel some pedal problems. Other than these two issues, you need to understand that a problem with brake oil manifests itself like any other brake problem. This means that you might have some issues with your brake pads and you might start hearing some screeching noise. The most reliable test is to just take the vehicle straight to the mechanic for a checkup.

WHICH BRAKE FLUID SHOULD YOU USE

Even when you decide to change the brake fluid in your vehicle, you might get confused by many different types. During its use, oil gets heated up, which is why one of the most significant differences between oil types is their boiling point.

The most popular types are DOT 3 and DOT 4 brake fluid. The latter is getting more and more popular amongst European car manufacturers. Other than these two, there are also DOT 5 and DOT 5.1.The simplest way to describe the difference between them would be to say that a higher number has a higher boiling point.

One more thing you need to keep in mind is that the more expensive option is not necessarily a superior choice for your vehicle.

MINERAL OIL BRAKE FLUID

Before choosing the oil type, it might be a good idea to consult a mechanic or at least read your car’s owner’s manual. Context makes all the difference. Some vehicles are designed to use mineral oil instead of DOT, to begin with.

This means that based on your car’s manufacturer, you may have to go with mineral oil brake fluid instead. Just keep in mind that these two are not compatible or interchangeable – some brake systems are designed for DOT, and others are designed for mineral oil. Mineral oil is hydrophobic, which means that it doesn’t absorb moisture from the environment.

On average, mineral oil has a higher boiling point (260 degrees Celsius) than the majority of DOT oils (all except DOT 5.1 actually, which has a 270 degrees Celsius boiling point).

The biggest advantage of mineral oil is the fact that it’s not corrosive (unlike DOT oils). This is why accidentally spilling DOT brake fluid is more dangerous for the security of the vehicle as a whole. It is also an extra reason why one must be careful when handling it.

WRAP UP

Failure to do brake fluid replacement on a regular basis will lead to moisture contamination in your brake reservoir. Needless to say, this will result in poor braking performance which, in some scenarios, may have catastrophic repercussions. In other words, when it comes to this, you can’t afford to be frugal. Only use the finest mineral oil brake fluid or its DOT alternative and always have the brake fluid change conducted by specialists, When in doubt call Psdplus Ltd for a professional to advice.