Brake fluid changes

[Murdoch]

My T6 has done 26k miles in 3 years.

VW are emailing me saying it needs a brake fluid change

is this correct and how much are they likely to charge?

thanks

 

[YellowHound]

First change is due at 3 years. Just had mine done cost £54 inc VAT.
Brake fluid is hygroscopic - it absorbs water from the atmosphere - and hence needs periodic change.

 

[DXX]

My T6 has done 26k miles in 3 years.

VW are emailing me saying it needs a brake fluid change

is this correct and how much are they likely to charge?

thanks

It’s 3 years from new and then 4 years interval. It’s one of the jobs that shouldn’t be missed, fluid get contaminated.
If you are a bit handy with a spanner it’s really not a big job, from what I remember VW quoted me somewhere around £150. As I was pretty sure they wouldn’t remove the wheels I didn’t want to run the risk of them splashing brake fluid on the wheels and damaging the lacquer.

 

[YellowHound]

It’s 3 years from new and then 4 years interval. It’s one of the jobs that shouldn’t be missed, fluid get contaminated.
If you are a bit handy with a spanner it’s really not a big job, from what I remember VW quoted me somewhere around £150. As I was pretty sure they wouldn’t remove the wheels I didn’t want to run the risk of them splashing brake fluid on the wheels and damaging the lacquer.

Wow £150!!
Had mine done this week at VW for £54 inc VAT - I was going to do it myself but at that price it wasn't worth getting my hands dirty. No fluid splashed on the wheels either.

 

[DaveD]

Wow £150!!
Had mine done this week at VW for £54 inc VAT - I was going to do it myself but at that price it wasn't worth getting my hands dirty. No fluid splashed on the wheels either.

That's an excellent price, I agree, not worth doing it yourself.

 

[DaveD]

First change is due at 3 years. Just had mine done cost £54 inc VAT.
Brake fluid is hygroscopic - it absorbs water from the atmosphere - and hence needs periodic change.

Is this one of those jobs (Like cambelts) that in the UK needs doing more regularly than in Europe because of, well, er, special conditions here???
I wonder how many cars on the road have had their brake fluid changed as per this schedule?

 

[YellowHound]

It’s 3 years from new and then 4 years interval. It’s one of the jobs that shouldn’t be missed, fluid get contaminated.

Brake fluid change interval is 3 years from new for first change and then every TWO years.

 

[DaveD]

Brake fluid change interval is 3 years from new for first change and then every TWO years.

And there will be people daft enough to do it. What when they decide it's every year?

 

[Murdoch]

And there will be people daft enough to do it. What when they decide it's every year?

what about people who do really low mileage?

 

[YellowHound]

It's not really a mileage dependent change - it's a time based service due to the hygroscopic nature of the fluid.

 

[Loz]

Hygroscopic nature, (but its a sealed system) plus the effects of heat in the callipers, plus contamination from seals etc. Boiling up the fluid in the pots if you have done any extreme downhill roads like in the Alps for instance.
All of these will reduce the effectiveness of the fluid and it's up to you if you maintain this yourself with regular drawing through of fluid of just pay the £59 every 2 years and it's all done for you?

 

[DaveD]

Hygroscopic nature, (but its a sealed system) plus the effects of heat in the callipers, plus contamination from seals etc. Boiling up the fluid in the pots if you have done any extreme downhill roads like in the Alps for instance.
All of these will reduce the effectiveness of the fluid and it's up to you if you maintain this yourself with regular drawing through of fluid of just pay the £59 every 2 years and it's all done for you?

Or like me you could decide that you don't get the discs glowing red hot, ever, don't boil the fluid and don't believe for one second that it is necessary to change the fluid every two years. It's not just the small cost of £59 every two years, it's half a day of inconvenience (minimum), each time. Mind you, every other time you get the fluid changed you could have the cambelt changed too!
Yes, in theory the fluid is potentially less effective after two years, but how much less effective? Could it make a real difference? I've driven plenty of cars with 10 year old brake fluid, they braked perfectly well.
I think it's another income generator for VW, nothing more.
If we follow the logic of brake fluid changes every two years, the legal minimum tread depth for tyres should be 5mm rather than 1.6mm, because a tyre with 1.6mm is certainly (not theoretically or maybe) less effective on a rain soaked road than one with 5mm of tread.

 

[DXX]

I tend to agree that 2 years is excessive but it isn’t a big job if combined with other wheel off work. I change the fluid anyway when replacing the pads as the retracted piston will undoubtably allow dirt to ingress.

 

[Mixersmate]

Hello all -

My brake fluid was changed exactly two years ago, however my next service isn't due until November, can anyone see any potential issues if I put the change off until November? I do around 1,000 miles per month?

I'd just like to line it up with the service to avoid multiple trips to the garage.

If putting it off until November isn't advised my other idea was to do the fluid change now, then do it again in November 2025 to bring it all in line.

Thanks,

 

[DXX]

No problem unless your under warranty and you have an issue with brakes / clutch operation.

Personally I renew the brake fluid at 2 years and importantly before I change the brake pads so that I’m not pushing the caliper pistons back on contaminated fluid.
A quick bleed after the brake pads are renewed gets the remaining dirt out.