2 Year Old Brake Fluid? Or were BMW lying?

E

EdButler

Senior member
 Sheffield
Did a brake fluid change last night on the Z4 at my friends Indy garage for its 2-year interval. Having only previously being changed at 4.5 years old(!!) (with Insp 1 and Coolant) in March 2008 by a BMW Dealership in Kent when it was for sale as 'Approved Used.'

I was amazed to see that the brake fluid bled from the system was treacle coloured!! It was the darkest ive ever seen emerge from a car :| The technician (in the trade for many years) stated that he'd have put money on the fact it was never changed!! Needless to say we ran over 2litres of 5.1 through to completely flush everything out.

So the car is 6.5 years old on its original brake fluid - well done BMW. I always thought the pedal felt hard and faded easily, now i know why! Looks like we'llbe doing a coolant flush this weekend now too... :roll:

FBMWSH - Not worth the paper its written on :roll: Check your fluid was done people :)
 
I guess the best way of knowing is just to open a bleed nipple on a caliper and drain a little out (and pop back in the reservoir if needed). Second to that would be to have a look at the reservoir, but usually the manky stuff will find its way nearer to the calipers.
 
EdButler said:
FBMWSH - Not worth the paper its written on :roll: Check your fluid was done people :)
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What was your brake fluid change indicator reading on your computer? Have you reset it now?

Would be v. sneaky if someone had reset the computer without actually changing the fluid!
 
Ed,

Much as BMW technicians can make mistakes I honestly don't believe that they would claim to have done something and not done, noted it on the service record and reset the timer.

As for the pedal feeling hard - I can't see that. Again if it were old the most likely sysmtom would be spongy as it absorbed minute amounts of air. Fade would only be noticable under track conditions as you literally boil the fluid with absorbed water boiling easier.

More likely a different make or spec has been put in it at some stage or you have a problem that's allowed contamination
 
EdButler said:
I guess the best way of knowing is just to open a bleed nipple on a caliper and drain a little out (and pop back in the reservoir if needed). Second to that would be to have a look at the reservoir, but usually the manky stuff will find its way nearer to the calipers.
Click to expand...


Never bleed brake fluid out of the bleed valve and then put it back into the reservoir. Just add new FRESH fluid.

Why would you want to put dirt and debris into the master cylinder reservoir?
 
did my discovery fluid at 12 years still going strong although brakes werent quite as good as new! changing every 2 years is to make the dealer money
 
I've never changed the brake fluid in any of my cars, neither has my dad. Unless of course he has done a rebuilt of a car :D
 
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