4 year brake fluid change-

andysat · 10-11-2014, 02:49 PM

Hi all-my car is booked in for fluid change on Saturday -the only concern at the back of my mind is why the cbs did not show up 2 years earlier?-I realise the car makes its own mind up depending on how its driven but I thought brake fluid clock should have been set to two years when done before?- looking in service book it was done in 2010.-thanks

thomas88162 · 10-11-2014, 03:28 PM

Another one of these? Do what you like, I guess. I will continue doing mine at least every two years- strictly. You may be fine waiting four years, it really depends on the climate conditions more than driving ones.

335NJ · 10-11-2014, 03:51 PM

You should mention it to the SA when you bring the car in, so you're reminded on time. Or, just mark down the day you did the service, and in two years do it again.

DOT4 (and others) like to absorb any moisture they can, so over time, you're more and more likely to have water in the system, which may damage components, or cause braking problems.

Some will argue 2yrs is too early, and they've gone longer in other cars, etc. but it's not worth the risk IMO, just do it every 2 years and play it safe.

galahad05 · 10-11-2014, 04:58 PM

Just did mine yesterday. I had the SA pull the records: I've been doing them at 2 year intervals, as per the techs' recommendations. This past time, 4 months short of 2 years.

andysat · 10-11-2014, 05:03 PM

Thanks-just cant understand why the car has let it go for 4 years?

Efthreeoh · 10-12-2014, 09:30 AM

Just get the flush done. Make sure who ever does it resets the CBS. Then when you get it back see what date the CBS says it is due for the next flush. You are way-over worrying about this.

andysat · 10-12-2014, 12:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Efthreeoh

Just get the flush done. Make sure who ever does it resets the CBS. Then when you get it back see what date the CBS says it is due for the next flush. You are way-over worrying about this.

Thanks -will do.

DJtoad · 10-12-2014, 12:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by andysat

Thanks-just cant understand why the car has let it go for 4 years?

The brake fluid change interval isn't actually condition-based, it's time-based so if it's really been 4 years, somebody reset it two years ago. Perhaps they meant to reset the oil change interval and reset the brake fluid change interval by mistake.

fun2drive · 10-12-2014, 02:12 PM

Actually doing the flush is pretty easy. That said the ONLY way to know the condition of your brake fluid is to check it with a test strip to see the level of copper in ppm you have. That is what is sacrificial and what the test strips measure.

Few other cars are as easy to work on brake systems as a BMW is...

10-11-2014, 02:49 PM	#1
andysat Lieutenant 20 Rep 591 Posts Drives: e93 Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: East Yorks iTrader: (0)	4 year brake fluid change- Hi all-my car is booked in for fluid change on Saturday -the only concern at the back of my mind is why the cbs did not show up 2 years earlier?-I realise the car makes its own mind up depending on how its driven but I thought brake fluid clock should have been set to two years when done before?- looking in service book it was done in 2010.-thanks
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10-11-2014, 03:28 PM	#2
thomas88162 Lieutenant 19 Rep 595 Posts Drives: E92 328i Join Date: Jun 2013 Location: Clinton, IN iTrader: (0)	Another one of these? Do what you like, I guess. I will continue doing mine at least every two years- strictly. You may be fine waiting four years, it really depends on the climate conditions more than driving ones.
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10-11-2014, 03:51 PM	#3
335NJ Colonel 533 Rep 2,872 Posts Drives: 2008 335i 6MT E90 Join Date: Feb 2014 Location: NJ/Philadelphia Suburbs iTrader: (1)	You should mention it to the SA when you bring the car in, so you're reminded on time. Or, just mark down the day you did the service, and in two years do it again. DOT4 (and others) like to absorb any moisture they can, so over time, you're more and more likely to have water in the system, which may damage components, or cause braking problems. Some will argue 2yrs is too early, and they've gone longer in other cars, etc. but it's not worth the risk IMO, just do it every 2 years and play it safe.
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10-11-2014, 04:58 PM	#4
galahad05 Brigadier General 158 Rep 3,158 Posts Drives: '07 335i e90 Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Long Island NY iTrader: (0)	Just did mine yesterday. I had the SA pull the records: I've been doing them at 2 year intervals, as per the techs' recommendations. This past time, 4 months short of 2 years. __________________ Always do right. This will gratify some people and astonish the rest. --Mark Twain
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10-11-2014, 05:03 PM	#5
andysat Lieutenant 20 Rep 591 Posts Drives: e93 Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: East Yorks iTrader: (0)	Thanks-just cant understand why the car has let it go for 4 years?
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10-12-2014, 09:30 AM	#6
Efthreeoh General 17317 Rep 18,740 Posts Drives: The E90 + Z4 Coupe & Z3 R'ster Join Date: May 2012 Location: Virginia iTrader: (0)	Just get the flush done. Make sure who ever does it resets the CBS. Then when you get it back see what date the CBS says it is due for the next flush. You are way-over worrying about this.
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10-12-2014, 02:12 PM	#9
fun2drive BMWCCA 149159 38 Rep 847 Posts Drives: 13 128i Vert/ 14 JGC Diesel Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Florida Panhandle iTrader: (1)	Actually doing the flush is pretty easy. That said the ONLY way to know the condition of your brake fluid is to check it with a test strip to see the level of copper in ppm you have. That is what is sacrificial and what the test strips measure. Few other cars are as easy to work on brake systems as a BMW is...
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