Do you REALLY need your Brake Fluid Flushed?? How to Test it For Yourself!
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- Опубліковано 4 жов 2024
- Gosh this was hard to squeeze into 60 seconds!!
You can watch my full-length brake fluid testing video on UA-cam here: • How to Test Your Brake...
And learn how to flush your fluid by yourself at home with this video here: • How to Flush Your Brak...
To check out this Brake fluid tester, and my complete list of Tools, Shop Supplies, and Parts recommendations: www.amazon.com...
My jeep changes it’s own brake fluid, I just have to make sure to fill it often 😅
i drove for a while with a leaking drum cylinder, had a full flush done by the time i changed it
Same for me when it came to coolant and oil in my bmw back in the day. I just refilled it every 2 weeks so it was always fresh 😂😂
lol!
Jeep thinks of everything
Oh god 😆
In my experience, 90% of the time, the person scamming you isn't the tech but the service writer.
thank you finally someone understands
Well as a service writer, I totally get it when people look at me with disgust. The companiess with a scammy business model, makes their service writer a scammy one. I work for a family owned business with virtually no scams done. Every work has been transparent and there's no pressure on me. They even incentivize me when sales are high, but not on targets, which eases me.
I would always usually remove it on mileage services for my customers and let them know it was an every 2 year service. They would appreciate it and they would usually ask for me by name after that.
@geethsan1567 no specific hate, I've just worked for some pretty bad dealerships. All in all it's just greed and/or apathy of the big wigs that really is the root of the cause, but I've worked with service writers that are just absolutely Jerks and will do anything to get that commission
@@agentsprocketwell that's the word were living in. Customer want the work done for pennies, and keep forgetting how pricy is expertise.
As an IT I can say that more often than not fixing the issue boiling down to few seconds.
That's why with small but unusual issues I always charge for expertise, usually more than for service.
With cars I'm taking car to garage and pay them for telling me the issue and advised fix but I'm doing job myself. They love it, and I'm saving on elbow grease
Short answer: YES. Brake hydraulic fluid is hygroscopic.
These are the kinds of YT Shorts that make surfing YT great. Thanks for your content.
I had a nineteen ninety-eight Toyota Camry with 376000 miles on it, never changed brake fluid or power steering fluid but everything else was serviced.
@@Drivehead103 You never got the brakes hot because with the age of that car's brake fluid it's boiling point must've been 100 degrees. heehaw watch out
@@applesbighatranch6906 Yes, brake fluid is hygroscopic, but it is also contained within a sealed system.
Learned a new technical term today. Thanks.
@@aaroncostello8812That "sealed" system depends on many rubber gaskets that corrode or bloat from too much copper content in the brake fluid caused over time by its hygroscopic property (water absorption). Hence, why a lot of brake master cylinders start to internally leak into a vacuum booster and you loose your brake pedal. Have fun repairing that after neglecting your brake fluid change.
Backyard mechanic for twenty years and just learned something. Thanks!
Right on! 😃
When I went to school for auto mechanics and we did that fluid brake fluid exchange on my 80s Chevy van....the results were phenomenal
90 percent of cars have never had this done in their entire life.
And they are nite crashing left and right. WOW.
And here we are, getting our cars seized for putting aftermarket wheels, that were ment for track use, because of 'safety issues...
#welcometogermany
😂😂😂
@@Fitingbros101 no they don't.
Because they’re idiots
She is absolutely right. I bought a motor home with enough moisture I lost the brakes driving it home on a hot day while pulling a trailer. I managed to stop it with the trailer brakes. They say brake fluid is the MOST neglected aspect of cars on the road today.
You may be right but that is no excuse for ‘just replacing it anyway’ (“That’ll be $100, please!”) at any BMW dealership on the planet!
I think that must be true. I just bought a 2004 Dodge Dakota and was checking the owner’s manual for how often they recommend that the brake fluid be flushed. But it wasn’t even listed as a maintenance item. I feel that this has only become a ‘thing’ somewhat recently. I don’t remember it being discussed as a typical maintenance item 25 years ago.
@@mauricedelarosa6083what? As a shade tree mechanic bleeding the brakes and flushing the whole system was a thing 20 years. It was routine - many cars used would have that mushy brake feel.
People change oil. But neglect the brake fluid, power steering fluid, diff oil and coolant chnages. There is more to a vehicle that putting fuel in and keeping the oil changed
@@mauricedelarosa6083 they just figured out cows milk is an inflammatory substance in our bodies. Not supposed to drink it. But years ago milk was promoted as one of the most healthy things we could drink. I didn't just become bad for us. It's always been bad for us. Just like this brake fluid. Back in the day they had no idea you needed to change brake fluid every 2 years. However I light of new discoveries they figured out, hey this stuff absorbs water, and it kills braking systems. So no brake fluid didn't just start being hydroscopic over night. It's always been that way. They just started including it in the service information.
As a fellow tech. THANK YOU!!! Finally someone explained it clearly and not in advisor speak for people to understand that we’re not thieves in coveralls.
Not all of you are, but there's a large percentage of you who do people dirty....especially women or men who don't know anything about cars.
However i am
Explaining why you are recommending a service is a completely different monster than charging a reasonable fee to actually do said service . Oh wait stealership... that explains it.
Their is so little in the reservoir and by volume in the line that it's not that digadeal. Mechanic 20yrs
Well the company you work for is. You just gotta remember people get mad at the company, not you
Holy shit someone out here who actually knows what they're talking about and can articulate it correctly . There's so many people on here giving false information that's going to hurt somebody someday ,I appreciate the hell out of you keep up the good work
Why thank you for the kind words!! 😊
There is literally no evidence of crashes caused by old brake fluid. Leaking lines and cylinders losing fluid or letting air in can cause break failure, but even those are so incredibly rare they are statistically insignificant. Brake failures cause so few accidents that it is perfectly legal and extremely common for the person working on your breaks at your local Midas or jiffy lube to be a 17 year old drop out with about 4 hours of in the job training doing your breaks while the real mechanic does more complicated things, like swapping out MAF sensors and doing tune ups😂
That was very well-articulated. Another point to mention is with anti-lock brake valving being anodized aluminum that it can corrode with exposure to moisture and create anti-lock issues and also very expensive components to replace.
@@NickWhite-rc5wy You've obviously never driven hard enough to boil your brake fluid.
That feeling you get when entering a corner and your brake pedal sinks to the floor is something you NEVER forget. 😮😉
@@1Cobranutthe only reason I didn’t kill myself and my family when I first drove down a long steep having never had an adequate downshifting lesson (grew up in the Midwest with no hills in sight) was because as a kid I’d heard my dad singing “Wolf Creek Pass” where the brake felt “like stepping on a plum.” Down the hill, I shifted my 5-speed Corolla up to 3 or 4 because it was revving hard and I felt like I had to shift up-which meant I was braking hard and often. Eventually I thought “This brake pedal is squishy and we’ve got miles to go down this incline. I’m doing something wrong and I’ve gotta stop right the heck now.” It was hard to stop but we pulled over and let the brakes cool. I didn’t say anything to anyone, just contemplated my life choices for a few minutes. When I got back on I resisted the urge to shift up when the revs went up and kept it in 2 the rest of the way. That’s how I learned, but it was a life threatening situation that scared me straight.
Changing old brake fluid is one of the few times when you can actually feel a difference.
Very true. Like in some cases a near night and day difference especially where really neglected systems are concerned.
Bwahhahahaaa😂
@@adccars359
Whut?
true, i have a not very old mazda cx30 (2 years) and they changed the break fluid and immediately feels different, so smooth and nice
Sadly yes...its scary when the brakes get squishy
This mechanic really knows her stuff. She had a video on reubiling the front end of a Tacoma and she showed how, by using "Wobble sockets," you could remove a bolt that would otherwise require removing four major engine components. She basically saved me a solid days work with that one tip. She knows of what she speaks. Sure glad I found her vids!
Faye (Hadley?) can also be found on TV - All Girls Garage. I think new episodes are no longer, but reruns might still be on MotorTrendTV.
Wobble sockets are the best!! I got two sets of impact ones for work. One in ⅜" drive and the other in ½".
I've used ball and U-joint type swivel sockets, extension swivels, extension wobbles, flex extensions, etc and have never heard of a "wobble socket". I suspect it's one of the types I listed with a regional name. A search of this Tacoma front end video came up empty, do you have a link?
I jumped to conclusions and thought she was ANOTHER UA-cam girl that acts like they are about cars but uses her body for a fan base/following. Kept watching and found out she knows her shit, I'm not disappointed I'm now interested because I have to do my brake fluid😂
@@juliebraden6911no one cares what you think bro it’s the Internet
Worked in auto industry 7+ years and it's cool to see someone so knowledgeable and not trying to just sound smart but not really know. If shady mechanic can't explain it to you in simple terms like this you need a different mechanic.
Plus she’s totally cute and everything too
Her explanation was a good example of the Einstein test. i.e: you only truly know something when you can explain it to children.
You seem smart and cool and ready to share knowledge you have. I've had a really, really bad week, and so just thank you for existing. So much thievery and scamming and people who want to hurt others in this world. That's all. Thanks for being a breath of fresh air.
Dang. Faye always dropping knowledge. Now I got something else I have to buy. Didn't even know brake fluid testers existed.
Blinker fluid is real too
@@alwayshopeful70 Don't waste your money on blinker fluid. They now make a multi-light fluid. You can use it for blinkers, taillights, and headlights. No need to buy 3 products when you can use one.
@@alwayshopeful70so is exhaust fluid......what im lookin for is a can o' compression!
@@RH-cv1rgwhat does it do for side markers, and does it work on mirrors, too?
@@petesmith5092 Side markers, yes. It is a universal multi-light fluid. Mirror reflectivity lubrication is a different product.
i learned why its a squishy feeling on brake pedals lol thank you
also air in the line can make it squishy
Or you could just need new brake pads.
@@egu5100 more likely to be air vs pads. but that would be a big gravy job back when i worked at Firestone. pads plus the flush...
There are a number of reasons why a brake pedal may be squishy, none of them good.
@@egu5100
No!
Instructions unclear, changed my blinker fluid.
I actually had her looking for the headlight fluid. This channel is a joke 😂
I knew someone would bring up blinker fluid.
Easy to follow. Nah you just a dumbass
Dick stuck in the tailpipe…
what brand of blinker fluid do you use?
wow a social media tech that actually knows what they are talking about, nice work
The water content in brake fluid is relevant in motorcycles as well. She is 💯% correct!
Einstein here.
I guess now you'll tell me it applies to hydraulic bicycle brakes as well?
Crazy
It’s simple. I see a goth mechanic, I go monkey mode
Relatable
Straight facts. She can flush my fluid ANYDAY!!! lol
i never understood those people 😂 ngl she’s bad but they’re all about this like non conformity etc but all dress identical w the same make up, hair styles, etc and even exact same “issues” and would like pretend to cut themselves and shit and listen to the WORST music.. they were definitely the interesting group in Highschool I still never quite figured out 🤣
people on youtube are weird
Goth was already enough. But goth, AND mechanic? And a woman(optional)?!?
YEAAA BABBBY! WOOOO!!!
Good advice for the non-DIYer. I do my own brakes so if the color is getting like maple syrup or more than 3-5 years old I like to flush out. It's also a good idea to crack open the bleed screw every couple years just to make sure it doesn't get seized up.
I wouldn't wait even three years, never mind five, between flushes.
@@pulaski1right it's like $7 for a quart size of brake fluid and like $4 a pint and if know how to bleed them it doesn't take a gallon like the engine does and prolong the life of the braking system.
@gariningleton3785 I'm not sure that flushes extend the life of the brake system, but they ensure that when I put my foot on the brakes, my car is _actually_ going to stop, so flushes probably extend _my_ life! 😀
If you're cracking open the bleeder then you might as well change the fluid. The recommended interval is every 2 years. Water in brake fluid enables rust and corrosion from the inside out. Changing the fluid will save you from costly repairs that you won't see coming.
@@gariningleton3785where are you paying that, a quart here is $12-15. But yeah I'm in agreement I do my brake fluid every 2-4 oil changes. And I do those every 3-6 months depending on mileage. So that's a brake flush every 12-24 months. It probably helps that the hydraulic clutch in my truck is always a pain in my ass, so I always have brake fluid on hand.
I had mine done and had a noticeable improvement. Glad that I did it.
It also has the advantage of bleeding out any air that might be in the system.
Fellow mechanic here - just wanted to say that this is very well said. Good job.
Faye, thank you for explaining so clearly why its needed and how to figure out if its needed. Truly we need more people like you on youtube... youre making youtube amazing again.
Another thing to check is if the brake hoses are old, the rubber deteriorates and then flows through the system. You'd see it as black particles at the bottom of the reservoir or from the fluid out of the bleeder screws
Good tip. Thanks.
Yes...please check them. I had my brake line break on me while on the freeway from work one night. Very scary. I have steel braided lines on my car now.
OMP, thank you!
i was wondering why my clutch fluid kept going dark fast, and had little particles, even after flushing!!
now i know the line itself is deteriorating... 👀😦.... 😨fk...
Nothing beats educating your customer.
Cool to see a female mechanic thats passionate about her work
She’s on TV on All Girls Garage on the Motor Trend channel.
How do you know it's a girl?
@@mikebelanger1961 BASED. KEK 😂
@@rustyshackleford6637bruh you down baaad then 🤣
@@mikebelanger1961 Your real name is Michelle.
It's sick seeing someone in a Toyota technician uniform again. I used to work for one of the biggest Toyota dealerships in the States, and I would work alongside those guys all the time. I'm happy you're making videos to inform people who don't know much about cars more about their vehicles. That is one thing I appreciate in my current field of work.
Why does it make you sick?
@@gonelucidHe’s saying it’s cool..
I've been meaning to flush the lines on my 30 years old Land Cruiser for probably about 10 years or so now 😂
This a sign from the all mighty god .. change your brake fluid
More closer to to 20 yrs than 10
I love the fact that you’re so down to earth and personable when it comes auto repair.
Having been a tech since the mid 80's, you could probably fill a football stadium with the brake components I have replaced, of which many could have lasted the vehicles lifetime if brake fluid changes had been carried out.
No part is engineered to last on a car. I’m sure you’re an experienced mechanic, but you’re also part of the scam.
You one of those guys who likes to sell calipers because of “uneven pad wear”?
@@AlphanumericCharactersNeeds oil change, replaces car. Lol
@JHimminy I work as a bmw tech and in the last 5 years I've maybe replaced 5 calipers. We flush every two years as part of basic maintenance.
Do you though.
There is no way for you to know that the component wouldn't have failed if they had changed the fluid. What fails, there's moving rubber in there and rubber fails over time regardless.
You’re one competent mechanic! Respect to Faye.
I noticed a lot of drivers need their blinker fluid changed.
I learned how to change my own muffler bearings at a young age.
I noticed even more need their brain fluid changed.
@@kroanosm617 What brains? 🤣🤣
Nobody changes their muffler springs but they'll wish they had when they go out.
I drank bilker fluid once. I never forgot to use my blinkers again
Super concise and yet descriptive lesson. I’ve always used the darkness of the fluid as a marker for water/contamination to flush the system. Had no idea about that tool to test water in the fluid, thanks for the tip!
Audi Tech here. For those watching she’s 💯 right. Investing on this little tool is very helpful in staying on top of your routine maintenance.
I also hope this will ease the minds of many who feel Technicians are out to scam them. Believe you me, when you’re flat rate the last thing on your mind is scamming customers. We’re so focused on simply getting the car fixed as soon as possible and moving on to the next. Keeping things moving and fixing things right the first time to avoid comebacks is the goal of many honest Techs.
Hi may I ask you if dealership techs are worth the price? I have a 2018 Mercedes CLA and I’ve been taking it to my dealership for yearly Maintenance since 2018 . Don’t know if I should go elsewhere ?😢
@Littlekitten_ my sister works for a subaru dealer as a tech and says she wouldn't trust half her co-workers to do an oil change on her car. So likely answer is it just depends dealership to dealership and tech to tech honestly.
@@outka5tz you’re so lucky to have her! Thank you for asking
30 seconds of tech, clearly delivered. Nice.
Brilliant clear and accurate explanation. Well done.
Glad it was helpful!
@FayeHadley I just replaced my brakes and rotors on all four tires lol you reminded me to flush my brake fluid lol didn't even think about it.
Not so fast, clear or clean fluid in the reservoir doesn't mean clear or clean fluid in the lines.
Excellent video! Explaining a complex situation in simple terms clearly and concisely! I’ll be sure to watch more!!
If you want to change your own brake fluid here's how to do it:
1. First if possible put the car on 4 jack stands so it is free in the air. Remove all 4 wheels for easy acess and less of a headache and start from the side that is most far away from the fluid reservoir. (In most cases rear right)(from the perspective of the rear of the car)
2. Have a nice buddy sit in the car that will help you later.
3. Grab an old bottle and drill a hole in the cap with a see through hose thrue the hole you can now start.
4. Get the small rubber protection cap from the brake fluid nipple with (optionally a flathead screwdriver) and then first put the ring key on the nipple and second put the other end of the see through line on the nipple.
5. Now tell your friend to press the brake pedal nice and firm and keep holding pressure on the pedal. Now you can slowly turn the nipple open till the pressure is released in the bottle. Your friend has to make sure that he/she holds the pedal down to the floor untill you closed the nipple. Now he/she can pump the pedal a few times to build pressure again en repeat the process untill cleaner/yellow brake fluid comes through the line instead of old black/dark yellow brake fluid. The sequince would be left right - left left - front right - front left (on most cars)
Tips:
* Dont turn the nipple too tight!! These things Break easily and barely come loose after they are tightened too firm.
* If you think a nipple is going to break or is taking way more effort to get loose compared to the others, get a mechanic to do it or use a torch and cool the nipple after heating with a watery cloth. Repeat till it comes loose(patience is key) you dont wanna break it.
* Make sure the fluid reservoir doesnt dry out completely to prevent air in the system! Every few pumps check the fluid reservoir level and top it off with the fresh fluid.
* I worked mostly at dealers and also universal garages and by my experience flushing your brake fluid is usually needed around 4/5 years. Most dealers will tell you 2 years but that's mostly for extreme situations.
* Between 0.5-1.0 liter of brake fluid is usually needed for a complete flush.
I need you to be my nextdoor neighbor 😅
This is correct
Mechanic and MOT technician
Then the bleed nipple breaks off because it's rusted, then you're screwed. Literally, I have to screw in a screw to try and seal it up again.
when I was young I was the helper for this work. I would learn to "drive" I could spin the wheel and stuff But most important was when dad said "red lamp" I had to press and hold the brakes until he said green. and we had traffic too! city traffic, stop. go. stop. go. I had a lot of fun, dad could do the maintenance. win-win.
pro tip, just suck out the rez, fill up, go give it a quick abs check then rince repeat, 80% is in the rez
I love you, I have had this argument with many customers that were google/forum mechanics and I don’t think they understood what hydroscopic meant
Good idea. I got one of those off Amazon about 6 months ago and found out my 26 year old brake fluid needed changed. So, I pulled all the wheels, removed the calipers, cleaned them all up and painted them, bought and installed some Russel speed bleeder screws, and flushed the system. Fortunately there wasn't any rust problem because it was a SoCal car that was only recently transplanted to FL. I'll be keeping a much better eye on moisture content from now on.
I’ve researched this topic extensively and you absolutely nailed it
Also brake fluid works as a lubricant for the seals in your master cylinder, abs unit, calipers, and wheel cylinders. Regularly flushing the system can help those components to last longer.
Are you sure about that? I would think if it's used for lubricant, then you would run out of brake fluid eventually. Only reason your brake fluid may look low is because you probably need new brake pads. Calipers are on slides and you grease those. Never see brake fluid lub them up.
@@HaveUSeenMyBaseball86 you misunderstood what I'm saying it keeps seals inside the components fresh like the seals inside the calipers and wheel cylinders.
@trailmixbilly5985 if you're loosing fluid to a pad you need a new caliper piston seal. Which is in fact lubricated by the brake fluid as it's what pushes the piston. 99% of the time if you're loosing fluid it's because you have a leak.
😂😅😊😂not really mostly new vehicle no need to replace.. its company market strategy know some include in pms must replace brake fluid. even in some dealership if replace the front or rear brake pads.. and some new vehicle this fucking master cylinder easily damage at low mileage fuckkkkkk... mine still good even after 5 yrs.. unless maybe its contaminated or dark... but it will take years
@Hackjob101 I think the OP meant that as the brake pads wear, the caliper piston will not return as far into the caliper and the fluid level will reduce in the master cylinder.
Girl came in on point to drop solid knowledge and looking like a 20 on an out of 10 scale. Solid
Average at best.
I flushed my brake fluid on a 17 yr old Ford explorer and it was a huge improvement!
This is one of the best explanations about brake fluid I’ve seen. Most people don’t realize brake fluid is hydroscopic, or they think it’s a sealed system.
Former tech and service manager here. She brings up good points. I encourage everyone to read the forbidden book that no one opens (Owners Manual)
Look at your maintenance intervals and follow those at a bare minimum. 2 years is standard on brake flushes for most manufacturers. When they are trying to upsell you on something, go in informed first.
Still crazy
@@bizzzzzzle Crazy what? The woman explaining basic mechanics, or flushing break fluid every two years?
The owners manual is gold! I had a service advisor once try to convince me I needed a new water pump just by looking at my car. I asked him what the basis was for his suggestion - he said that’s what the manufacturer recommends. I said that is unfortunate because the owners manual provided by the manufacturer recommends replacement at 90k miles, not the 50k that was currently in my car. He looked shocked that I even knew that. I reminded him that just because I have blonde hair and boobs I am very capable of reading an owners manual.
Everyone ive spoken to said you dont ever need to do it unless water gets in it.
@@DakinRinone brake fluid is hydroscopic. Whoever told you it never needs to be done is very uninformed to put it nicely. Like any fluid, it needs changed regularly to maintain its effectiveness especially one as critical as brake fluid. Your best bet is to check your owner's manual and see what's recommended.
As brake fluid ages, it turns black. It's clear when new but as the years pass by you lose your brake psi as the fluid darkens. Nice job Faye!
@FayeHadley, a great lesson … I ordered the brake fluid tester you mentioned and yes, I have three vehicles that need brake system flushes! Thank You for these awesome tech tips!!!
Excellent! 😃 glad it was helpful for you!!!
This is the tool I use for over 2 years, never let me down yet👍
Something to mention is when replacing your brake fluid, you should purge/flush out the small amount stored in the ABS unit and its’ accumulator. This requires a computer to actuate or if unable, flush it the best you can normally, then find a gravel road and use the ABS a bunch of times. Then redo the flush.
Definitely not a bad idea but ita not the end of the world if that's not done. Most people don't want to pay for that much labor lol
or with all fresh fluid. drive in grass slam the pedal and activate the module. ive never used a tool to cycle it.
@@MrChevelle83 the tool will pay for itself. Taking the car and off takes time and money.
What if your car is let's say.. 22 years old and therefore doesn't have ABS?
@@kharjothekhajiit1669 brake fluid needs to be changed about every 2-3 years due to it picking up moisture. no abs is even easier, use a suction device to drain and get new fluid in the reservoir, then using a water bottle and hose open each wheel bleeder valve and keep adding fluid until you get clean fluid at each wheel position. This is how we change the fluid to avoid getting air in the brake system.
Yep work at a benz dealer, recommend every 2 years flush it. Commonly rots are brake lines from the inside out if customers neglect on certain years and models. Newer lines have plastic coating on inside and outside so not so much a problem anymore
I'm not gonna claim that it doesn't happen, but I've never seen a brake line rust from the inside. Even on a 50 year old farm truck.
You have never owned a new Chevrolet pickup truck , brake and gasoline lines are rusting as they progress down the assembly line !
@@vicpetrishak7705 not from the inside
How about 2011 models? ML350
Do W211’s have this issue?
I would love to have her as a teacher She knows what she’s doing and teaches you every detail Great job
i’ve been taught if it looks dark green then flush it but I had no idea tools like this existed. I’m gonna go buy one now and thank you very much for your knowledge I wish I had you as a teacher.
That tool is cool. I have always flushed new fluid in every 4 years, but also every time I replace pads and brake discs. To me, it doesn't make sense to push the old fluid back up into the system when you're compressing the caliper piston, instead just release the old stuff from the bleeder and then fill with new fluid and bleed as normal. It's a very quick DIY way to do a complete flush without any special tools.
If you are pressed for time and you want to keep an upper hand on the condition of your fluid you can use a turkey baster to remove the brake fluid that has moisture in it and then top it off with new fluid. That will definitely help, but not actually cure anything.
@@williamalexander1743 I've done that too, I've even been told anecdotally that this is all some shops do for a routine brake fluid change.
@@williamalexander1743how do you get a turkey baster into the caliper where the real problem lies?
Same here
@@yodab.at1746 I think the idea is that all of the fluid in your caliper eventually makes its way to the reservoir. So all of that fresh fluid you just put in eventually makes its way to the brakes and mixes together. I mean if it wasn't all slowly mixing together this video would be worthless because the fluid in your reservoir wouldn't be representative of what's in your caliper would it?
If you decide to get a flush make sure you clarify if they break the bleeders on all four corners and also replace fluid. I learned the hard way when a shop ended up changing the fluid by using a turkey baster and not even bleeding the lines.
That’s not what a flush is. You got scammed.
That's a shit shop doing shit work.
incompetence is everywhere. clearly not a shop you should be handing money to
It's hard enough to maintain a vehicle properly and then you have to worry about BS like this.
Are you trying to say it's the shops fault that you don't maintain your vehicle? If those bleeders bruise break it's because you haven't maintained the vehicle. You can't hold the shop responsible for your incompetence.
You are amazing and have even have my daughter getting into taking care or her car! Thank you! You got her turning wrenches and I can never repay you!
I got a brake flush once. The tech left his wrench on the bleeder valve nut. As I drove home all was good, but while in a parking lot and making a sharp turn, I suddenly lost all break pressure. Then after straightening the wheels, brake pressure returned. Imagine the confusion I had and the trouble convincing the dealer that something was wrong.
I went to another dealer and they found the wrench. It would impact a strut when wheels turned far enough and that would impart force against the caliper’s bleeder valve temporarily. Such a strange situation. Anyway, it was resolved, but not after much stress.
Wow, that is so random.
OK, I need to flush and change my brake fluid. Great advice Faye thanks for giving us the low down.
Yeah I need a change too my fluid is brown lol.
Ditto. LMAO
Great job young miss. As always. I love to share these with my granddaughter and niece.
Who love cars.
Right on! That's so cool, thank you!
you are an absolute joy. love what you do. you helped me change the oil cooler in my 3rd gen 4 runner. keep it up.
I love this because if my van needs anything I refuse to take it to a mechanic or even talk to them on the phone. 9 out of 10 times they either talk down to me or overprice what I need and add things I don’t need. Thank you for educating us!
dont even have to jack my car to do an oil change lol
thats 49500 bucks and an organ please - local mechanic
Y'all need to find better mechanics
@@jasonsimons4411 It’s been this way my whole life because I’m a woman and they think I’m completely ignorant on anything vehicle related.
Every few years, I just replace the fluid in the reservoir. Seems to work quite well to keep the moisture content down over-all.
As a mechanic I've never seen a person who changes their break fluid when needed have to replace wheel cylinders, master cylinders or calipers. Break lines and hoses still rot from the outside, but that's it.
To all the folks rightly pointing out that I misspelled brake: of your only argument against changing brake fluid is a spelling error, then you have no argument. Step aside, shut your mouth, and let the adults talk.
Brake fluid service is part of every manufacturers maintenance service. As a tech you should educate your customers before they need to dump thousands into ABS unit replacement.
I have seen brake lines rot from inside, but normally it takes a very long time.
I’ve gone 8 years on the same brake fluid with several cars in humid climates with no issues and the brakes worked like factory new when I sold them. I don’t know what people do to their brakes but ambient moisture seepage is not it. I’d wager more of the issues are extreme heat fatigue (track days, riding bumpers, burnouts) or environmental (deep water, snow/salt, etc). Old cars used inferior materials that would corrode regardless, but newer ones don’t. No reason to change it if it still works well. But sell more nonsense for a quick buck.
@@nunyabusiness896
Very few cars use stainless steel brake lines, I highly doubt you've ever had the kind of money it takes to buy one.
It cracks me up how people like you that do nothing more than own a car will sit around and second guess people who repair them all day long.
Your head can't get wrapped around the concept that people who repair cars are the one's who see what goes bad and what causes it to go bad?
No, they wouldn't know, you would, just because you had a car and sold it.
How do you know how long afterwards it was until it blew a brake line?
Ok, if she doesn't know what she's talking about then tell everyone, what causes rust inside of a brake system?
Ever taken a brake caliper or wheel cylinder off that was bad because the bore in them got rusty and tore the seal up? If she's wrong then explain how it got rusty in there.
"I had a car for 8 years and when I sold it the brakes worked as good as factory new".
We know, us mechanics fix them all the time not long after the next owner buys them.
Never heard nor will you ever do this its a scam SMH
I can't believe the first short I saw of you was the one where you were getting all the hate comments. This is the second one I see and it's great, informative simple into the point.
Brake fluid tester,never knew that they had such a thing after 30 years, always learning new things from Faye 😊
They had to have a tool to prove to customers that they needed the service, to get customers to let them do it. Lol
@@ThinkFreely2012still doesn’t work lol. “Muh brakes work fine they don’t have any air in them” well you ain’t wrong…
After 30 years there making a new get you money device. I just get new when I take off my calibers.
😊
Just use a multimeter
My boss would constantly tell people they needed flushes. I hated every second of it. It was very uncommon to find a car that actually needed it serviced.
Edit : They didnt need to be serviced because we were constantly servicing the same damn cars 🤣 And when I recommended a brake flush to a car that needed it, he would say that Im trying to upsell and they dont want to do it lol
How did you know it was uncommon to find a car that needed the service? Did you actually test every single one? Cause I test every single one and I have to perform the service quit often! 45-53k miles almost definitely needs it every time!
Agree. Unless the brakes are squishy, then theyre fine.
Then confront him. Otherwise I’d make my boss listen with Force.
What’s he gonna do? Fire me? Call the cops? Never. He’s a bitch.
CAPITALISM BABY. If it's legal it's aloud, morality doesn't matter in business 😂 if you don't do it, someone else will and if someone else does then their taking your money. It's shitty but it is what it is. I know you w2 guys don't understand but this is the reality of living in a competitive free market. Y'all benefit far more from this then y'all realize, it's called job security. If people are too dumb and too lazy to understand the vehicle they're operating then that's on them, it's 2023 it's far to easy to learn how things work so you can safeguard your money. Which is why this lady made that video. It's a fucked up world bois 😂
@@daMillenialTruckerwhat I find fucked up is you say that almost as if humans are forced to use money to me money is a way to make rich and poor so even tho business is business it makes people with absolutely no morals.
Faye, you are so smart! I learned so much from your videos.
I'm so glad! Thank you :))
OMFG....simple explanation, how to test yourself and why. I need to check out your channel to see if you have other golden nuggets like this!
If it’s dark/3years we usually recommend it, it is what the dealership makes us recommend, it’s not like we are scamming, it’s more of a service interval.
Just stumbled upon this woman. SUBBED! Now that’s some true info 🤘🏾👊🏾
She's not going to pork you, chop
@@jeremyburleson6329 sure sport.
There should be more women like you in the world.
As a professional brake and suspension mechanic for over thirty years I’d like to say thank you. This is the first video on the subject where the person talking didn’t say that we are testing brake fluid for moisture. Of course it’s moist after all it’s a damn fluid. Finally someone actually says WATER instead of moisture.
I didn't need any automotive help, but i watched the video and left a comment because of your name. It was also my grandmas name and seeing it in the wild made me smile.
Thanks Faye. My family looks to me for car maintenance guidance. You have educated me, and I will pass it on to them.
That's so awesome!!! Thank you!!
@@FayeHadleycan u make a video on flat rate pleased
@@Adam-kk7nwwhat would you like to know about flat rate? I have 43 years in the trade and I can tell you anything you need to know about flat rate.
@@Wishes890 any advice how to beat warrenty time?
I worked sales at a shop before and I tried to explain this to customers, mainly the ones where either myself or a tech noted that the brake pedal was very spongy. Once I had a customer bring their car in to complain about their brake pedal being very very soft, and I was nervous driving the car into the garage because of how bad the brakes felt. Tech checked and said that the brake pads and rotors are fine, the car just needs a brake fluid flush. Customer declined because they expected the fix to be done for free lol
Upgraded my brakes on a older blazer to newer camaro set Had to flush the system x2 And went with a Dot 4 I always do a flush 3 to 4 years Thanks Faye !
Yes, brake fade caused by steam, is scary when it happens, no brakes when u not expecting it.
Brake fluid is Hygroscopic. It absorbs moisture from the air.
Water is heavier than brake fluid so as you use the brakes, it works its way down to the lowest points in the system..... Calipers and wheel cylinders.
And that is how you get a seized caliper and dragging brakes or locked up wheel.
So not just the what but the where. Good to know.
I was hoping someone would bring this up. The old fluid in the caliper is the problem, not the reservoir. Water logged brake fluid at the caliper can also lead to soft/spongey brakes and brake fade as they heat up and the water in the line boils/steams off.
Not gonna lie, the first time someone told me they wanted to flush my brake fluid I thought they were completely full of it, but then I did it myself while I was doing other repairs, WOW what a difference! I almost ate the steering wheel first time I went to stop. 😂😂
I used to drive beaters and when I would drive someone else’s car or rental car I would almost eat the steering wheels too 😂😂😂 now I’m obsessed with keeping my brake system well maintained
I love this woman ❤
Great to see women in this field of mechanical repair work
We need more of this
Don’t need any fancy tools; use your eyes. Since brake fluid is hydroscopic, when it absorbs water it will oxidize, turning a dark color. The darker it is, the sooner you need to flush it out. Or flush it out at regular intervals, such as 30,000 miles.
That’s basically what I was going to say. I once took my brand new Nissan frontier in for its FIRST oil change at the stealership. The kid told me I needed to get my brake system flushed. I had him and the service manager use the tester in my brake fluid. It felt nice to see them both look so ashamed of themselves. I got a free set of weather tech mats from that oil change.
I might say sooner than that if you live in more humid and rainier regions too.
@@petrosspetrosgaliNice! I wish I could get a $400 set of floor liners for free!
Their awesome toys.
Again. Excellent tutorial
Kudos
All fluids have to be changed as it breaks down over time and even more so with hot/cold cycles. Your owners manual typically gives you a general idea of when determining on what conditions you use your vehicle whether it's severe duty or normal duty.
Definitely been learning new things on this channel compared to other typical mechanic videos. Quick and concise.
The problem with these testers is that they only test the fluid in the reservoir. I've had fluid in the reservoir test good and look good but was completely black at the caliper.
This is - at the very least - the best way for someone who isn’t ‘mechanically literate’ to tell if they need a change
@@thereinthetrees_5626actually a repair like working in casa if brake like replacing brake pads must cgange fluid
@@thereinthetrees_5626say an honest mechanic advises the change because of contamination, Mr noob then calls him a crook because he used his cheap water tester.
This video should really clarify that moisture/no moisture in the reservoir isn't everything you need to know.
Brake fluid is less dense than water, so the water will sink to the bottom of the system at the calipers. Best to bleed a little of the fluid from the caliper's nipple and test a small sample for contamination.
probably from someone doing a turkey baster fluid change.
I change my break fluid on my motorcycle as part of my yearly maintenance schedule.
Many/most modern brake systems are VERY sensitive to contamination as well, with the first failure point frequently being the ABS module (which is over a thousand bucks in many cases).
And vibration. The modules have welded connections to various points on the PCB, and the PCB is coated with a thick conformal coating to prevent contamination and corrosion. However, vibration can crack the welds, causing intermittent connection problems. The coating makes servicing VERY difficult, since the re-bonding must be perfectly clean!
Hey Faye!!....If you don't have a tester like the one you showed...use a DVM set on dc volts...put positive in the brake fluid resevoir....put grd on the metal close to rez...if its .3 volts or higher...change the brake fluid...your welcome))
Mine is going on 8 years without a flush. I'll get around to it eventually.
do it!
Do it now!!
😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂
Now thats the attitude 😂😂😂
@@JohnZombi88 do it, and you'll be surprised at how much better the breaks feel.
Well I did it (rebuilt the calipers and changed rotors at the same time).Brakes feel the same. Waste of time.
Service Advisor: "It doesn't matter if the car has 500 miles, just do it, it's money for both of us"
Why’s it matter though? My truck has had the same fluid for like five years. Drive it everyday to work and it never had brake problems I’m not being a troll just to me it seems like if you just do it everytime you have to replace brake pads you would be just fine.
@@xaphan8581that's actually the perfect schedule normally! We usually recommend going by mileage or every 3 years, but it's also great to do a quick flush every time you replace brake components. 😊
@@xaphan8581it's the same reason some people's vehicles last 100k with no oil change and some people seize at 5k lol
Shhiiii I wish. Everywhere I've worked it's the opposite. I'd be rich as hell with service writers like that. 😂
@@tydatv2674 I’m not talking about engine oil I’m talking about brake fluid. That’s what the video was taking about.
Good one Faye. We old geezers need to know about this new stuff.
Brake fluid isn't exactly new...
@matthewfiechtner4791 testers are. My guess is you didn't watch the vid. It's ok... sometimes we just need a hug.
@@gearheadgregwi my point was that even without testers, it isn't a new concept to change your brake fluid regardless of milage if a certain amount of time has passed.
You old geezers don't really need a tool. Most manufacturers say to change engine oil ever 10k OR 12 months... it's not a new concept that oils break down over time.
Can i still get that hug? Bros gotta stick together. Even if we have different opinions.
@matthewfiechtner4791 sure... spread the love man🤣🤣
@@InterestingSpeaker66 the most civil flame war ever 🤣🤣
Thanks Faye, I never considered this. Makes sense.
Glad it was helpful!
I bought one of these from Amazon. After registering two bottles of brand-new DOT3 brake fluid, opened moments before testing >4%, I immediately distrusted them afterward.
I will try using test strips in the future.
Don't mention this to Harley owners. You will cheat the dealerships out of a ton of money.
I'd absolutely want the brakes on a big heavy bike to be in perfect condition. I change the fluid on my bikes every two years as I don't want to find out the hard way that the fluid has degraded. And there's no way I'd trust a cheap Chinese fluid tester to be anywhere near accurate.
@@stuc.6592 you didn't understand the comment. Harley stealerships will try and hit you up for an expensive brake service whenever possible. How do you know if you need one without a tool to check the moisture content? If you have abs you would want to know anyway. And who cares where it's madei if it works? Where do you think most of the electronics on your bike are made? China. As for two years? I don't know. The new abs selinoid controlled bikes are different than old school. You don't just get brake fade it can damage the brake modulator for your abs.
@@ronjacobsen3264 The electronics on my bike might well be made in China, but to Yamaha's standards and not sold on Amazon for pennies. A proper brake fluid testing tool costs around £200, is calibrated and will give an accurate measurement. That Amazon tester could be wildly inaccurate and you'd never know. ABS can't do anything if you've boiled the water in the brake fluid and you're compressing a gas instead a liquid - and it won't even activate as the brakes can't lock the wheel in those circumstances. And ABS on some models brings it own problems for fluid changes. Sometime you have to activate the pump via the OBD socket and a suitable device to properly purge it a pull new fluid through. And yes, that costs money. But money well spent.
Dam that was pretty comprehensive.
Those wings are on point too
🙄
@@CurlyFromTheSwirlywhat?
@FaizCaliph
Did she drink too many red bull?
@@CurlyFromTheSwirly what
@@FezCaliph ,
what?
learn to read
Going from clear to amber is a good sign visually, anything darker than amber is a definite flush. Every 2 years is good.
2 YEARS!?!?! Your mecanic must love you. 😂
The change in color is what I was told awhile ago. I wasn't sure though. Thanks.
I love your channel... not only as an ex engineer i learn a lot from you little tips and tricks that i can still use today, but its also really informative and entertaining. And your personality is just the cherry on top. 😂 keep it up
If you guys think your mechanics don't scam you for some reason, I assure you: back there, the manager is approaching the worker, giving a game plan, trying to sell you a service you don't need, and then the mechanic doubles his workload lol
On top of the services you need/came in for, yes. Because i bet that you haven’t done any of the scheduled maintenance (the service you don’t need) that we will try to sell you. it’s not hard when working on a car to see what needs to be changed and what doesn’t. Also dealerships have records of what’s been done on the car Everytime you come in. So when the dealer quotes you 350$ for a valve cover gasket to be replaced and you whine because it’s too much, and go to your uncles shop who does it for cheap, don’t be pissy when the dealer quotes you that same job lmao cuz 90% of the time they don’t clean up shit or even replace everything that needs to be replaced, so therefore dealer can’t see it’s been replaced, or has been poorly with wrong parts, dealer is going to sell you what you need. 😂
And who tf are yo, nerd?
@shatteredteethofgod Naw, I've worked at two different tire shops lol
just because you worked at shitty places doesn't mean every place is. where I'm at if you're constantly recommending shit that isn't needed they wouldn't think twice to fire you. yes there are places out there that upsell you but there's also ones that do their best to take care of you.
@@roehanostornsyn3367I’ve worked in afew myself
And there are some honest ones
It's so nice to see someone of a younger generation working on automobiles.
What a goofball comment there are millions of kids who work on their car every day. There are millions more who are mechanics and trades people.
Are you completely disconnected with the real world?
Half the time the mechanic doesn't even flush your brake fluid anyway. They just suck out the contents of the master cylinder reservoir and put clean fluid in to make it look like they did.
It is mostly a scam. 😂
Don’t go back to that place. Brake fluid flushes are done and are pretty damn ez. Places that just suck out the reservoir are really shitty and hire lazy technicians.
This is truth. Am tech. You want a proper flush do it yourself. We get given 0.5 for a BFC, for that I vacuum pump the reservoir, top it up then pressure bleed from the NSR brake nipple, fuck the other 3 I just do it the one furthest from the reservoir because I will get "most" of the fluid out, it's probably 80% as good as a four corners and clutch slave flush but ain't nobody got time for that. Literally.
Using a flushing tool and doing it correctly is very easy, but yeah, there’s unscrupulous or uneducated mechanics out there who don’t fully flush the system. I would always fully flush my customers fluids if that’s the service they came in for, and replace any missing nipple protectors for the next tech who serviced them.
@republicoftexas3261 it is inconvenient to check however it is fairly easy for some cars and trucks. Just crack open the brake bleed valve if it comes out dirty take it back. Ask for a refund or for the full service and don’t go back. A further step would be to report them to the BBB.
You know about flat rate right?
Very informative, not condescending, helpful, describes problem and offers solution. Thank you