The Importance of Flushing Your Car’s Brake Fluid

Owning a car is a huge responsibility, due to the large investment you put into it. However, things can become increasingly stressful if you neglect the proper maintenance of your vehicle. Flushing the brake fluid in your car is an important aspect of your car’s regular maintenance that you need to keep up with in order to avoid bigger issues in your braking system and keep things running smoothly.

Its common knowledge that brakes allow your car to stop but not everyone understands the logistics of how your braking system works. On a vehicle, there are four brake rotors, with one being on each wheel. When a car comes to a stop, pressure needs to be applied to the rotors in order for the wheels to stop turning. From there, the brake pads clamp onto the rotors so the vehicle can come to a complete stop.

The clamping action is what allows the pads to apply pressure on the rotors. Therefore, your car uses the brake pedal to force pressure to all four of your rotors, which is where the hydraulic system kicks in. Then, the brake pedal needs to be stepped on, which uses brake fluid for the necessary pressure to clamp down on the rotors. Brake fluid is critical throughout this process and will need to be changed regularly to endure proper effectiveness.

Brake systems are naturally going to be victims of wear and tear, as with anything on a car over time. As daily use takes its toll on your vehicle, materials from the moving parts can potentially break off and get into the fluid within the hydraulic system. Moisture is another big thing that gets into your braking system, which if left unchecked can cause rust that can find its way to the fluid as well. In addition, if these materials were to get into your fluid, your car could potentially lose its ability to stop if the issue isn’t taken care of.

A good way to prevent this issue from happening is to get it flushed out by a professional mechanic on a regular basis. It’s imperative to have this done after a specific time period to keep your system running and brakes working adequately.

Furthermore, if you’re unsure about whether or not your brake fluid needs to be flushed, there are symptoms to keep an eye out for to give you some indicators. The first is if your brake pedal needs to be pressed harder than usual. Another sign is you have to press down on your brake pedal more than once to stop your car. More obvious signs include your dashboard brake light coming on, clear or brown liquid leaking from under your car, and if the fluid level in the reservoir is below the minimum line.

It is important to get your brake fluid flushed around every 30,000 miles. The flushing process at Dealer Service Alternative removes the old fluid that could be dirty and refills it with new fluid. If you think your brakes might need to be flushed out, don’t hesitate and get them fixed at Dealer Service Alternative. Our highly trained technicians are equipped with the skills and knowledge to assist you with any maintenance or repairs you may need.