[John V]

I would love to hear opinions on the necessity and/or frequency of having your brake fluid "flushed" in a 2004 Accord.
Thanks!

 

[KW2004Accord]

Change DOT 4 fluid every 2 yrs. DOT 3 every 3 yrs as the fluid absorbs water causing it to break down & rust metal brake componets. Test the fluid with test strips it will tell you how much water is in the fluid & copper content to tell if your brake lines are wearing out. You also get better pedal feel with newer fluid.

 

[chris918]

I flush annually.

 

[KW2004Accord]

I flush annually.

Me too, about every 2 yrs. Watch Amazon for Penray brand (shops use), picked up a case of DOT 3 (12 bottles under $10) shipped with prime last July.

 

[chris918]

Just picked up a bottle of Valvoline DOT 3/4.

 

[KW2004Accord]

Just picked up a bottle of Valvoline DOT 3/4.

Good stuff, is what I have used in the past.

 

[qman]

If what @KW2004Accord says is true, then it breaks down really, really, really slowly. And I don't really even know what it would mean for a fluid to break down. What would it break down into . . . non-fluid? Even if it was completely replaced with water you'll still have brakes. Water doesn't compress either. Here's why I think "slowly".

Owned my Suburban since 1997 and maybe flushed once.

Owned my 1972 F100 since the same year and flushed all the time cuz I had leaks. Now that I got the leaks fixed I haven't flushed in 5-6 years.

Owned a couple late 90s Taurus' and never flushed them. Owned one of them for 15 years.

Flushed my 03 Accord but not the wife's 04 (sshhhhh, what is said in driveaccord stays in driveaccord).

EDIT: I don't know why I think to use Google after posting a windbag comment.

http://blog.firestonecompleteautocare.com/brakes/everything-you-need-to-know-about-brake-fluid/

 

[chris918]

it's best to flush before it absorbs water and causes corrosion inside the system, possibly causing line leakage and I have seen "chunks" come out of really dirty used fluid in the past. Brake fluid has to be able to resist boiling and freezing while maintaining a constant viscosity. That's why it's not oil or water based. Draw back is it absorbs moisture.

 

[RinconVTR]

In short, its a good idea to replace brake fluid every 3 years or so. I do it when I do my brakes, which is 2-3 years.

All I do it vac the reservoir, pour in fresh, and using the Honda specified sequence pull the old fluid out from each caliper until it is visually clean. That's it. 200k+ miles and counting.

 

[ypsibird]

So John V, is there some reason you don't trust your owner's manual recommendation?

 

[derass]

I'm pretty sure that the Owner's Manual for my 2006 says that the brake fluid should be flushed every 3 years. This tells me that the Honda fluid is pretty high quality. Generally you hear that brake fluid should be flushed every 2 years. When I was tracking my 240SX I looked into "performance" brake fluids. I ended up going with ATE Type 200 (clear Super Blue) because it has great wet and dry boiling temperatures AND a service life of 3 years. Sure, there's better stuff like Castrol SRF, but it's twice as expensive for half as much and must be changed every year.

Type 200 is DOT4, which was great for my track car, but I wouldn't bother using DOT4 in my Accord. It's just a commuter and I don't live in the mountains. I looked at ATE DOT3 brake fluid, but it doesn't have the same 3 year service life as Type 200, it's either 1 or 2 (can't remember).

So with all that being said, stick with Honda brake fluid. Even if you put off flushing the brake fluid a few years longer than you should, the Honda fluid will hold up better than most others.

 

[mtts60]

I would love to hear opinions on the necessity and/or frequency of having your brake fluid "flushed" in a 2004 Accord.
Thanks!

Every 3 years regardless of mileage, according to my owner's manual.

 

[John V]

So John V, is there some reason you don't trust your owner's manual recommendation?

Frankly, I didn't even look in the owners manual. This is one of those instances when the car was in for service and I got a phone call with the recommendation to flush. I'm just sensitive to the dealership always looking for more. Maybe I should be thankful.
I value the opinions of the board.

 

[CGumina]

Every 3 years or so is a good practice; mileage doesn't really dictate much. If you don't have the time or tools, a little longer is okay. Any DOT 3 fluid is fine for a street-driven car; Valvoline DOT 3/4 is my personal choice for both price point and quality.

If your brake fluid hasn't been hasn't been done in a while (or ever), you'll definitely notice a difference with braking firmness and pedal travel- I did my car last year and it was an excellent improvement.

 

[t-rd]

I do it every year, however, it depends on the area you live in. I live in the snow belt and it's not always the easiest to crack open a bleeder screw.

 

[ctandc]

It's not difficult or expensive to do. The Valvoline Synthetic fluid is cheap at most local parts stores. It literally takes me 30 minutes - if that - using my Mity Vac.

For the person asking "why flush" - because the FEW dollars spent is worth not having to replace seized up calipers or worse. Not to mention the more water absorbed by the brake fluid the lower the boiling point. Also the fact that there are corrosion inhibitors in brake fluid. Over time these break down and the inside of metal lines and rubber seals will start to corrode.


Think that doesn't matter? I bought a truck from a guy DIRT cheap - he said it needs an ENTIRE new braking system + the "ABS Module" was bad. This "diagnosis" came from a mechanic. Bought it. Tuned it up. Drove it. Rotors were warped (shocker) drove it for a while just to see what's wrong. On a hot day it started acting REALLY sluggish. No missing or anything just acted like it had NO power. Pulled over. Front brakes were smoking hot - literally. Calipers were essentially almost locking down on the rotors. Only happened when warm. Flushed entire system with new fluid. The old fluid was DARK BROWN in color. No more lock ups. Put on new rotors (front pads were actually fine shockingly) lubed caliper pins etc. Drove it for a while. Sold it. Still see it now and again - still going.

 

[jimijam]

So John V, is there some reason you don't trust your owner's manual recommendation?

"Now there you go, again." - Governor, and later President, Ronald Regan.

You hit that nail on the head, again. Lol.