When you depress the brake pedal, brake fluid is pumped from the master cylinder. This hydraulic fluid gets to the brakes through the brake lines.
Over time, as your brake fluid boils and returns to the brake fluid reservoir, it can collect moisture, break down and your pedal feel will suffer. As a result your mechanic will recommend a brake fluid replacement. This will make sure that your braking system remains high quality.
This change isn’t required all the time. The point of the fluid and the brake fluid in your vehicle, is to stop the car. You want it to be clean and fit for purpose.
How do brakes work?
Big question, I’ll try and keep it short, simple and sublime.
You press the brake pedal, this pushes fluid through the brake lines. It does this with the help of the master cylinder which makes up the heart of your hydraulic braking system. It then gets to the brakes, whether they be discs or drums, and it acts upon the wheel cylinder or caliper. The force you applied to the pedal is translated to the pressure the brake disc or shoe is forced against the drum or rotor.
The fluid is stored in the reservoir and the fluid level needs to be sufficient to ensure fluid is constantly available.
So why change brake fluid?
It’s like everything else in your car, it will wear over time.
It needs to maintain the required chemical makeup. This ensures that it can apply consistent pressure with no air or water in the lines.
As your wheel cylinders age, brake line fittings rust, and leaks spring up – it can lead to the fluid being dirty. Thus the mechanic will change the fluid to make sure that you don’t suffer brake failure.
How to change brake fluid
Click here. We can pair you with a skilled partner garage, this will mean the job is done properly. You don’t want to play around with your brakes – they stop your car.