When garages replace brake fluid...

[Duke Caboom]

... do they just suck it out of the reservoir or do they bleed the whole system? Or do you get what you pay for?

We have a car for zipping round the village. It does less than 1k miles per year, bit all of those miles are my wife, almost always driving the kids so I want it to be safe.

Since it came to us without service history I was thinking of changing the clutch / brake fluid (they are in same reservoir.) I've done this in the past but you are only one rounded off bleed nipple away from disaster.

If I get a garage to do it will they suck they old stuff out with a turkey baster or bleed the whole system? Also, is the partial change ok? It must be 75% of that fluid.

Thanks

[steveo3002]

the ones ive worked at you get some taken out with a turkey baster then a quick bleed on each corner

suspect the less trusty garages will just do the reservoirs and squirt a bit of wd40 on the bleeders to look like theyve done it

Edited by steveo3002 on Wednesday 28th October 12:41

[E-bmw]

^^^^ Wot 'e said.

[stevieturbo]

Pretty much above.

But if you request a fluid change, then 100% it should be that entirely. Although I'd say it's rarely done.

Although when on a ramp etc....it really isnt a big job at all, so there's little excuse for not doing it properly.

[steveo3002]

car a few years yeah no excuse not to do it ...10+ theres a fair chance the nipples might shear off

[trickywoo]

A proper bleed would involve pushing all the brake caliper pistons in.

I would imagine only a tiny fraction of garages would do that.

[66mpg]

If the fluid in the car is discoloured with age surely it ought to be possible to determine when the old fluid has been displaced by new when the colour of the fluid coming out of the bleed nipples changes.

The fluid in my MR2 is noticeably darker than new fluid so I’m hoping that’s the case as I’m planning to change it very soon.