Brake Fluid Flush Archives - HomeTowne Auto Repair and Tire Blog

Why is a brake fluid exchange important?

In Brake Fluid Flush, Brakes by HomeTowne Auto Repair & TireNovember 11, 2020

Car maintenance isn’t just about oil changes and wheel alignments. It also extends to your brake system.

When you step on the brake, the brake pad and brake rotor press against each other, creating heat and moisture. They don’t move very far, and neither does the brake fluid between them.

The moisture that accumulates causes corrosion to build up. Corrosion can destroy a brake system from the inside out.

We recommend brake fluid exchanges every 30,000 miles. Because this typically coincides with brakes, which should be replaced every 40,000 to 50,000 miles, it’s a good idea to have both services done at the same time.

Why you should get a brake fluid exchange

Regular brake fluid exchanges prolongs the life of anti-lock braking systems (ABS), which prevents the brakes from locking up during emergencies, allowing you to maintain steering control.

This maintenance option also ensures that your brake pedal is firm.

If you wait too long for a brake fluid exchange, corrosion can build up on the inside of the calipers, which may result in the calipers dragging. Internal seals will deteriorate and prevent the calipers from pushing in and out correctly.

Another consequence is that the inside of the soft brake hoses will break down, restricting brake fluid flow.

The bleeders, which enable mechanics to perform a brake fluid exchange and release air, can also rust shut if they aren’t moved every once in a while.

Signs that you need a brake fluid flush

It can be hard to know if you need a brake fluid flush, but there are some indicators. A low brake pedal is one of them. Another sign is a soft brake pedal, which can be caused by moisture in the system that’s starting to boil.

You also need to look into testing the brake fluid for contaminants and moisture. Just because the brake fluid looks dark – rather than clear – doesn’t necessarily mean it’s bad.

However, if the fluid is very dark and you can see particles floating in it, that’s the rubber material from the master cylinder or ABS that’s starting to come apart and mix with the brake fluid. That’s a good indicator that you need to change it.

Test strips and true boiling point measure for moisture are ways you can determine if you need a brake fluid flush.

For most cars, every 30,000 miles is a good time to have this service performed. How often you have it done also depends on the manufacturer. If you are at 50,000 or 55,000 miles when you go in for your first brake job and a brake fluid exchange hasn’t been performed yet, you definitely need to do it.

A lot of cars have computerized brake systems, such as ABS and traction control, where the manufacturer is starting to recommend brake fluid exchanges every 18 to 24 months to ensure the brake system is working correctly. So, you need to check your owner’s manual.

Brake fluid exchange being performed. — Brake Fluid Exchange

What happens during brake fluid exchanges

During a brake fluid exchange, our technicians connect a pressurized machine to the master cylinder. After adding new brake fluid to the machine and setting it to the appropriate pressure, they go to each wheel and remove the old brake fluid.

We use BG DOT 4 Brake Fluid, which aims to combat moisture, prevent rust and provides protection to the brake system.

If you are considering a brake fluid exchange, it’s also important to make sure your vehicle doesn’t have electric brakes, which don’t require it.

How well a vehicle runs and lasts is determined, in part, by its maintenance. By staying up to date on braking fluid exchanges and other services, you can get the most out of your car.

You can learn more about brake fluid exchanges by checking out this video:

HomeTowne Auto Repair & Tire is an authorized Michelin and BFGoodrich tire dealer located in Woodbridge, Virginia. Automotive repair services are performed on all makes and models, including oil changes, brakes, alignments, inspections, and computer engine diagnostics.

7 things to do, to get your car ready for spring

In Brake Fluid Flush, Cabin Air Filter, Oil Change, Tires & Wheels, Vehicle Fluids, Vehicle Maintenance by HomeTowne Auto Repair & TireMarch 7, 2016

Now that the hard winter months are behind us and we’re moving into spring, it may be time for you to do some ‘spring cleaning’ and bring your car to the shop for some maintenance.

Here are some seven things we recommend to get your car ready for spring:

Get your cabin air-filter swapped out.

While getting your cabin air-filters changed regularly is an important part of regular maintenance, it’s even more important when it’s springtime, in order to keep pollen and other things in the air out of your car.

“That cabin air filter filters your pollen, the dust, and getting ready for spring you want a good, fresh cabin air filter in there,” said Rich Campbell, manager at HomeTowne Auto Repair & Tire.

Get your car’s fluids flushed, especially your coolant.

Radiator hose replacement at HomeTowne Auto Repair and Tire

Now that winter is pretty much over, it’s a good idea to get all of your car’s fluids checked, flushed, and refilled – especially your coolant, as the coolant keeps your car cool and working properly, as temperatures continue to climb.

“Given the fact that we’re going to start coming in to warmer weather, your car’s going to be running a little hotter because the ambient temperature’s going to be warmed up, so coolant’s a good fluid to get changed now,” said Campbell.

Get your tires inspected, to make sure they’re in good shape.

Brake fluid flush on Jeep at HomeTowne Auto Repair and Tire

During the winter, driving through snow and ice can really take a toll on your tires. Having your tires inspected, to make sure that they’re still safe to drive and have enough tread on them is huge as spring rains move through the area. If your tires are worn down, you won’t be able to have the traction you need, for stopping time on wet surfaces. A few seconds may not sound like much when it comes to traction on your tires, but can make a huge difference when your stopping time is impaired.

“You need to make sure you’ve got adequate traction,” said Campbell.

If you use winter tires, it’s time to swap them out.

While many people now opt for an all season tire, if you’ve invested in winter tires for the bad weather in Virginia, then now it’s time to preserve the life of those tires, and switch over to some all season or summer tires.

Get all of your bulbs and lights checked.

Replacing tail light bulb at HomeTowne Auto Repair and Tire

This is another part of good vehicle maintenance that you should be doing year round, but as part of your vehicle ‘spring cleaning’ it’s a good idea to make sure that all of your lights and bulbs are working correctly, and replace the ones that have fizzled out.

Get your hoses checked for dirt and grime buildup.

During the winter time, things like salt and grime can work their way into your car, specifically your houses, and cause a problem later if it goes unchecked. You don’t want to wait until you’re having a problem with your hoses, to find it was something that could have been prevented with a little maintenance.

“Dirt and grime accumulates from the winter salts we’ve endured. That salt’s pretty tough on the underside of a car,” said Campbell.

Wheel Alignment at HomeTowne Auto Repair and Tire

Get your alignment checked.

In the winter you’re bound to deal with all of the potholes that have accumulated from snow and plowing, and maybe you even ran into a few curbs during a storm. No matter what the reason is, getting your alignment checked and corrected, and having a technician check for tire wear are important parts of getting your car ready for spring.

The multi-point courtesy check that HomeTowne does will pick up a lot of these issues and more, and comes free with all of our standard oil changes. Be smart this spring, and make sure your car is ready to go for spring and summer road trips, not stuck in the shop for costly problems.

View Post

What You Need to Know About Brake Fluid Flushes for Your Vehicle

In Brake Fluid Flush, Brakes by HomeTowne Auto Repair & TireOctober 2, 2015

Over the course of your vehicle’s lifetime, you’re going to have to bring it in for routine maintenance. Many people think that this primarily means oil changes, because of how frequently cars require an oil change, but there are actually some other key components to good car maintenance – like brake fluid flushes.

Brake fluid is the essential fluid in your braking system, so that needs to be serviced periodically. The brake fluid works in your cars braking system to transfer pressure, allowing you to have more stopping power and force when you push on the brakes. Over time, the brake fluid becomes dirty and change color as it picks up contaminants, including copper, dirt, and moisture. Those contaminants will start to impact the way that braking system performs – ABS systems, calipers – and promote early wear.

Many automotive repair shops and dealerships will recommend that you have a brake fluid flush service done every 50,000 miles, to replace the fluid. And if you look in the service manual for your vehicle, it does tell you to check the fluid every 15,000 miles. Additionally, it’s also a good idea get brake fluid flushes when the car is already being serviced, especially when your braking system is serviced, such as replacing pads and rotors.

Every shop uses different machines and products for the job, but at HomeTowne Auto Repair & Tire, we use a BG Service machine, and Dot4 BG fluid, which has got a higher boiling point, and it’s got absorption material that keeps that moisture at bay. The quality of the brake flush product used will make a big difference on the life of the fluid, and how your car performs.

If you’re interested in having brake service completed, or you’ve hit 50,000 miles on your vehicles, stop by at HomeTowne Auto Repair & Tire of Woodbridge, and see if it’s time to have a brake fluid flush as well.

To read more about brake fluid flushes, check out this article we wrote.