Brake Fluid - An Essential Component For Your Brake Function

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Brake fluid - an essential component for your brake function

Your vehicle’s braking system plays a vital role in road safety—especially during emergencies. Yet, one of its most important components, the brake fluid, is often overlooked during routine maintenance.

Brake fluid is essential for transferring the force from your foot on the brake pedal to the wheel hubs, enabling your car to slow down or stop. During braking, intense heat is generated, which can impact the fluid’s temperature and pressure—directly affecting performance. If brake fluid overheats, it can lead to reduced braking power or even total brake failure.

Regular inspection and timely replacement of brake fluid are crucial for maintaining optimal brake performance and ensuring your safety on the road.

Brake fluid - an overlooked but important component for braking

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Why does Brake Fluid need checking?

Over time, brake fluid naturally absorbs moisture from the air, which can reduce its effectiveness and compromise the performance of your braking system. To maintain optimal safety and functionality, it’s recommended to check and replace the brake fluid approximately every 50,000 km or every 1 to 2 years, depending on your vehicle’s make and model.

In addition to transferring braking force, brake fluid also acts as a lubricant for various moving components and helps prevent corrosion within the system. Keeping your brake fluid in good condition ensures reliable braking performance and protects critical parts from premature wear or damage.

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Types of Brake Fluid

Brake fluid generally comes in two main types:

  • Glycol-Based Fluids (DOT 3, DOT 4, and DOT 5.1):These are suitable for vehicles equipped with anti-lock braking systems (ABS).

  • Silicone-Based Fluid (DOT 5):This type is used in vehicles with non-ABS braking systems and is not compatible with ABS components.

If you're considering mixing different types of brake fluid, it’s important to know that mixing is not recommended. Combining fluids does not improve performance and can actually compromise the braking system’s effectiveness.

The term DOT stands for the Department of Transportation, which sets the standards for brake fluid performance, particularly boiling points. Generally, the higher the DOT rating, the higher the boiling point, and the higher the cost. However, not all vehicles require a high DOT fluid—some systems are designed to perform best with a specific type. Always refer to your vehicle manufacturer’s recommendation for the correct brake fluid.

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Is brake flushing needed?

It’s common practice to replace brake fluid when servicing key components like brake pads, calipers, or rotors—typically every 4 to 5 years. While some sources recommend flushing the fluid every 2 to 3 years, this may be more frequent than necessary for many vehicles. That said, if regular flushing gives you peace of mind, it’s a reasonable precaution.

The most important step is to consult your owner’s manual or a qualified technician to determine which DOT-rated brake fluid is right for your vehicle. Using the correct type ensures your braking system performs safely and efficiently.

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More about DOT 3, Dot 4 brake fluids etc

DOT 3 is the most common type of brake fluid for cars and trucks. It has a minimum dry boiling point of 401°F and a minimum wet boiling point of 284°F. Over time, excessive moisture of the fluid does lead to corrosion in the brake system causing spongy pedals.

DOT 4 fluid is more stable and can be used by all vehicles. It has a higher boiling point than DOT 3 and it does not absorb moisture as fast. Over time when the fluid begins to absorb moisture, its boiling point will drop to a DOT 3 formula rapidly. DOT 4 fluid have a minimum dry boiling point of 446°F and a minimum wet boiling point of 311°F. The differentiating factor between these 2 is its viscosity limit, its effect and rates of water absorption.

DOT 5 fluid are use for applications in water absorption resistance. It is use in antique cars for its low corrosion as it does not dissolve paint finishes. As such, the DOT 5 is of little value to conventional automotive or high-performance application. It cannot be mixed with other types of fluid.

DOT 5.1 fluid has a high boiling point of over 500 degrees. It has a formula which is suitable for severer duty and high-performance applications. The differentiation is that it has lower viscosity requirements but do not offer superior boiling points than DOT 4 formula. It does not equate to better performance as compared to the other fluid.

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After my free servicing period for my car, I thought it was time to look out for better priced alternatives. I gave ECV Car Service Singapore a call and tried out their service. It was a hassle free experience and good value. - Kenneth Chin, Buona Vista

I had a tire leak caused by a puncture after driving over some construction debris. ECV Car Service Singapore could fix this up for me so I don't need to spend on a new tire. Friendly workshop! - Mr K.T. Liew, Redhill

My car aircon was not functioning and I was not sure what the cause was. I initially brought my car to the dealer workshop and was told the compressor is down. But the price quoted for the compressor replacement was so high. I then gave ECV Car Service Singapore a call, and the price turned out to be much lower, and quality of service good. Thumbs up! - Joel Tan, Bukit Batok

Philosophy

At the heart of our service is to build a trusted relationship with you. When you send your car for car servicing, maintenance and repairs with us, you are assured your car is in good hands.

Our mechanics are experienced, with care for detail. We seek to delight you always, with the quality of our workmanship and good value for our services.

Why Us?

At ECV Car Service, we seek to develop a trusted, long term relationship with you. It is hence essential to us that we are transparent with you on our service and to provide you with various options for you to consider and choose from. Our mechanics are experienced wand dedicated to their craft, and will thoroughly check the issues with your brakes and brake fluid and what is behind the cause of the issues you face. We would then advise you whether you just need a brake fluid top up or some repairs, as well as give you a cost quote before proceeding with the works.

We look forward to being of service to you, for your car servicing, maintenance or repair needs.

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