Brake fluid - warning
Discussion
Just been playing with a new research portal and searched for TVR to see what news stories came up. This one was quite worrying. I have blanked out the names - even though this was in a newspaper I don't want to cause distress if the people named in the article are PHer or known to PHers:
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WILTSHIRE coroner David Masters blamed contaminated brake fluid for causing a three-car road accident which killed Porsche driver Mr Porsche, near Christian Malford.
Mr Masters recorded a verdict of accidental death at an inquest in Chippenham on Wednesday.
The inquest heard that a TVR Chimera sports car involved in the accident on November 13, 2001 had brake fluid contaminated by water.
The water level in brake fluid should not exceed 3.3 per cent but a vehicle inspector found the TVR had a level of 35 per cent.
Police accident investigator Ian McLellan told the inquest he believed the state of the brake fluid had caused the front brakes to fail and the rear brakes to lock, so driver Mr TVR lost control of the car.
But the cause of the brake fluid contamination was not discovered.
"That is a question that has not been answered because no one can give a sensible answer to it," said Mr Masters.
The inquest began in October but it was adjourned to gather more evidence about the servicing of the TVR, as well as the testing of the brake fluid.
The accident happened on the B4069 near Home Farm, when father of one Mr Porsche, 35, was driving towards Chippenham.
He was following the TVR driven by Mr TVR.
The two drivers overtook a number of vehicles along the road and witness statements expressed concerns about the speed of the two sports cars.
One witness described their driving as an accident waiting to happen, and a lorry driver estimated their speed at 100 miles per hour.
But Mr Masters said he found no evidence they were driving above the 60 miles an hour speed limit on the road.
In an interview with the police Mr TVR had denied he was racing the Porsche and yesterday Mr Masters said he had considered the evidence on this matter and discounted it, because there was none.
At the earlier session Matthew Rothwell, from Minety, the driver of the BMW which was also involved in the accident, described how he was driving towards Lyneham from Chippenham on the day of the accident when he rounded a left hand bend to see two cars side by side in the road ahead.
The TVR hit the BMW, knocking the rear of the car into the middle of the road. The Porsche then collided with the BMW, causing Mr Porsche fatal head injuries. His death was certified at the scene of the accident.
Kurt Yates, service manager for TVR Brundell in Kings Lynn, told the inquest yesterday that service records confirmed the TVR's brake fluid had been changed at a 12,000 mile service on October 12, 2000.
Mr Yates could not explain how the fluid became contaminated and dismissed suggestions that rain water could have got into the sealed unit.
Mr McLellan handed over a detailed investigation into the accident, and concluded that faulty brakes and not excessive speed had caused the loss of control in the TVR.
He was unable to give a good estimation of the speed of the TVR, except that it was less than 77 miles per hour.
In an interview with the police Mr TVR told them he had no idea why he had lost control of the car, and that he had noticed nothing wrong with the brakes before the accident.
"The only verdict I can properly record is accidental death," said Mr Masters.
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The brake fluid was just over a year old, so should have been fine. I guess the point to take away is change your brake fluid often - its cheap and easy - so why not do it every year?
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WILTSHIRE coroner David Masters blamed contaminated brake fluid for causing a three-car road accident which killed Porsche driver Mr Porsche, near Christian Malford.
Mr Masters recorded a verdict of accidental death at an inquest in Chippenham on Wednesday.
The inquest heard that a TVR Chimera sports car involved in the accident on November 13, 2001 had brake fluid contaminated by water.
The water level in brake fluid should not exceed 3.3 per cent but a vehicle inspector found the TVR had a level of 35 per cent.
Police accident investigator Ian McLellan told the inquest he believed the state of the brake fluid had caused the front brakes to fail and the rear brakes to lock, so driver Mr TVR lost control of the car.
But the cause of the brake fluid contamination was not discovered.
"That is a question that has not been answered because no one can give a sensible answer to it," said Mr Masters.
The inquest began in October but it was adjourned to gather more evidence about the servicing of the TVR, as well as the testing of the brake fluid.
The accident happened on the B4069 near Home Farm, when father of one Mr Porsche, 35, was driving towards Chippenham.
He was following the TVR driven by Mr TVR.
The two drivers overtook a number of vehicles along the road and witness statements expressed concerns about the speed of the two sports cars.
One witness described their driving as an accident waiting to happen, and a lorry driver estimated their speed at 100 miles per hour.
But Mr Masters said he found no evidence they were driving above the 60 miles an hour speed limit on the road.
In an interview with the police Mr TVR had denied he was racing the Porsche and yesterday Mr Masters said he had considered the evidence on this matter and discounted it, because there was none.
At the earlier session Matthew Rothwell, from Minety, the driver of the BMW which was also involved in the accident, described how he was driving towards Lyneham from Chippenham on the day of the accident when he rounded a left hand bend to see two cars side by side in the road ahead.
The TVR hit the BMW, knocking the rear of the car into the middle of the road. The Porsche then collided with the BMW, causing Mr Porsche fatal head injuries. His death was certified at the scene of the accident.
Kurt Yates, service manager for TVR Brundell in Kings Lynn, told the inquest yesterday that service records confirmed the TVR's brake fluid had been changed at a 12,000 mile service on October 12, 2000.
Mr Yates could not explain how the fluid became contaminated and dismissed suggestions that rain water could have got into the sealed unit.
Mr McLellan handed over a detailed investigation into the accident, and concluded that faulty brakes and not excessive speed had caused the loss of control in the TVR.
He was unable to give a good estimation of the speed of the TVR, except that it was less than 77 miles per hour.
In an interview with the police Mr TVR told them he had no idea why he had lost control of the car, and that he had noticed nothing wrong with the brakes before the accident.
"The only verdict I can properly record is accidental death," said Mr Masters.
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The brake fluid was just over a year old, so should have been fine. I guess the point to take away is change your brake fluid often - its cheap and easy - so why not do it every year?
How hot does brake fluid have to get before the water contamination affects it? Also, if the fluid was a year old, was the whole Brundell supply the problem? Perhaps all Brundell-serviced TVR owners should get theirs checked? Also, with 35% contamination, the TVR driver must surely have notticed something about the brakes?
Blimey - I thought modern brake fluid (ie. DOT 4 and 5) were not hydroscopic (is that the right word?) and don't suffer from this problem.
If there was rain water getting in then I'd assume the fluid level would rise and overflow (presumably into the driver's footwell !!)
I feel sorry for "Mr TVR" as I'm sure he is on a massive guilt trip, and "Mr Porsche" and his family for obvious reasons.
I wonder if the Tiv had been fitted with ABS if this could have been avoided.
If there was rain water getting in then I'd assume the fluid level would rise and overflow (presumably into the driver's footwell !!)
I feel sorry for "Mr TVR" as I'm sure he is on a massive guilt trip, and "Mr Porsche" and his family for obvious reasons.
I wonder if the Tiv had been fitted with ABS if this could have been avoided.
nubbin said: How hot does brake fluid have to get before the water contamination affects it? Also, if the fluid was a year old, was the whole Brundell supply the problem? Perhaps all Brundell-serviced TVR owners should get theirs checked? Also, with 35% contamination, the TVR driver must surely have noticed something about the brakes?
I wouldn't want to speculate on Brundell or its supply of brake fluid. It could have been that the lid wasn't screwed on properly, the engine bay had been washed with the lid half open etc etc..
A brake fluid change is so quick and cheap, you can do it regularly as a precaution.
I use AP600 fluid in mine which is better for avoiding brake fade on track days but absorbs water quicker than the normal stuff and needs changing more frequently. I have changed it twice in the last 12 months. Costs me £12 a time and half an hour in time with one of those Easibleed kits you connect to a spare wheel.
Edited as Petrolted is quite right, we shouldn't speculate.
>> Edited by griff2be on Friday 31st January 11:25
plipton said: I wonder if the Tiv had been fitted with ABS if this could have been avoided.
No. ABS will only operate properly if the brake fluid and indeed all of the braking components are functioning normally.
Not sure about how brake fluid degrades over time so thanks for the advice. Looks like regular changes are a good idea..
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