Had a call from a lady (I trust) at the Skoda dealer this morning re the Popemobile to the effect that a brake fluid change is recommended every two years, and asking if I would like to arrange it.
Now this car was first registered 30.5.14, so is just coming up three years old. When I bought the car, I also paid for a service plan covering the first three services. I asked what she meant by "recommended", as presumably it was either part of the service schedule or it wasn't, and if it is then it should have been done last year.
She just repeated it was recommended, and said that the service plan does not cover brake fluid changes which are extra, although of course they would be only too happy to do it at the same time as the next service.
I asked if she had the full vehicle details and service records in front of her, answer no, but she will get "service" to ring me.
Well I have news for her if she calls again. The schedule specifies brake fluid changes after 3 years, and every 2 years thereafter, and says that "the brake fluid is changed as part of a compulsory inspection service".
The T&Cs of the service agreement state
"Service: means subject to the exclusions...all the parts and labour charges needed to comply with the Manufacturer's Service Schedule, including all oils and fluids and brake fluid change".
There will be a discussion. If they do not agree to do the service and the brake fluid change under the service agreement they will not be seeing the car again.
Cheeky sods. And lacking in product knowledge; when it's they who call me, I expect them to know what they are talking about.
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>>
>> The T&Cs of the service agreement state
>>
>> "Service: means subject to the exclusions...all the parts and labour charges needed to comply with
>> the Manufacturer's Service Schedule, including all oils and fluids and brake fluid change".
>>
>> There will be a discussion. If they do not agree to do the service and
>> the brake fluid change under the service agreement they will not be seeing the car
>> again.
>>
Reckon it wont come to that, it's there in B&W so they'll see the error and do it FOC.
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Or they might tell you that they have done it when you next take it in and you'll be none the wiser as to whether they have or not...
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>> Or they might tell you that they have done it when you next take it in
>> and you'll be none the wiser as to whether they have or not...
>>
You could spend £6, or much much more on one of the 600+ testers on Ebay and know what the real situation is.
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>> Or they might tell you that they have done it when you next take it
>> in and you'll be none the wiser as to whether they have or not...
There used to be many internet links on how to test your brake fluid with a multi-meter, but they've all seem to have disappeared.
I did one of my cars many years ago and found the brake fluid reservoir to be well within tolerance as I used to bleed fluid through it every year, but the clutch fluid was outside limits as it had never been flushed. Seemed to verify the method of testing.
One may suspect they suck the fluid out of the reservoir and replace it without flushing the system, as a colleague found he'd been charged for a change but could see his bleed nipples hadn't been touched...............................................................
........................
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And the fluid stagnates in the brake lines while the master cylinder reservoir looks ok. You should see the carp that comes out when bleeding on the first few pumps. :(
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>>There used to be many internet links on how to test your brake fluid with a multi-meter,
>> but they've all seem to have disappeared.
xlforum.net/vbportal/forums/archive/index.php/t-1227590.html
A search fo..... testing brake fluid with a multimeter...... shows some others.
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I had this argument on a SEAT - dealer said "change at 3yrs and then every 2yrs" isn't a schedule service item so wasn't covered by the service contract.
I don't know know - it seems black and white to me; how can something which has a schedule to change it not be a scheduled item? I sought opinion on motoring forums and most sided with the dealer.
Then a similar argument with the dealer on a VW Golf, which was also on a service contract. VW have chopped and changed on this - they used to say they would do it if it co-incided with the cars 3rd service. However if you do higher mileage so the car goes in early, they won't do it.
I was assured it would be changed on our car. On picking it up, there was no mention of it being done. When I queried this, the Service Advisor wrote "brake fluid changed" on the invoice!
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>> I was assured it would be changed on our car. On picking it up, there
>> was no mention of it being done. When I queried this, the Service Advisor wrote
>> "brake fluid changed" on the invoice!
TBH that wouldn't bother me much. The boss is about as likely to boil the brake fluid as she is to climb Everest. The car has barely done 12,000 miles.
I did read somewhere though that changing the brake fluid helps to prevent ABS valve block problems, so I suppose it should be done at 5 years if it doesn't get done now.
I don't recall the brake fluid being changed on the Outlander in nearly 6 years, not to say it wasn't done.
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>>TBH that wouldn't bother me much. The boss is about as likely to boil the brake fluid as she is to climb Everest. The car has barely done 12,000 miles.
I had total brake failure due to boiling fluid. Subsequently discovered a previous owner had skimmed the discs and as the pads wore, one piston had come out too far, wedged sideways, gently pressing a pad against the disc. The heat generated boiled the fluid.
I give my brakes an annual dismantle, inspection, clean, lube and partial bleed now.
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IIRC, my local garage charge something like £30 (which includes the brake fluid) to change it every 2 years. Not really an extortionate amount for peace of mind.
Find out what the charge is, then decide is it really worth arguing about.
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If it does come to it, then perhaps it is the dealer who needs to consider whether it is worth arguing. I'm pretty sure it won't be £30.
Last edited by: Manatee on Wed 3 May 17 at 06:30
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When number cruncher used to post on here, he wrote of a test carried out on scrapped US car's brake fluid. Tests were done on thousands of them, all over 10 years old, he said the brake fluid had degraded but not significantly. I think the reason they choose the US was because they don't (or didn't) routinely change brake fluid.
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What type of fluid is it? The traditional kind is hygroscopic, and a change is recommended at intervals. But modern synthetic kinds don't absorb water so I understood don't need changing, or only very rarely.
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I recall that topic plus in the USA they seem to change oil very much more frequently and at much lower mileage intervals than is done in the UK
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Yes I remember that as well. I think it came about when engine oil degraded quickly, now that's not the case. Many still look at oil and change it when it's dirty. However that has little to no bearing on its capacity to lubricate.
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A son works in Texas, his X5 has oil chnages @ 10K as per BMW Service schedule (18/20k in UK??).
However, he has colleagues that have a lube service every 5/6K despite many of the covering long distances - this might mean visiting the garage every 2/3 months. Very cheap compared to BMW costs here!
Lexus main dealers, on the RX have a lube service every 5/6K & rotate the tyres to even out wear!
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>>this might mean visiting the garage every 2/3 months. Very cheap compared to BMW costs here!
And fast. Its while you wait and you only just about have time for a coffee.
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>> A son works in Texas, his X5 has oil chnages @ 10K as per BMW
>> Service schedule (18/20k in UK??).
>>
They use condition based servicing (CBS) on US BMW's, just the same as here. It's free there too on new BMWs - they just reduced the free period though.
Maybe it's programmed differently to make the servicing happen sooner there - you do see a lot of wailing and gnashing of teeth from US owners about how little servicing the "prestige" marques get. As you mention, other things like tyre rotation and wiper blade changes every year are pretty standard there.
Last edited by: Bill Payer on Wed 3 May 17 at 12:57
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>> I think the reason they choose the US was because they don't (or didn't) routinely change brake fluid.
Perhaps they didn't change it as often because of the drier climate.
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Perhaps they didn't change it as often because of the drier climate.
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I don't know maybe but then the US covers several climates.
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Another reason for the extended service intervals is the large proportion of leased / company vehicles in the UK.
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I have no idea of the relative figures, but leasing is pretty common in the US.
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>> I have no idea of the relative figures, but leasing is pretty common in the
>> US.
>>
Their leasing works in a similar way to our PCP though - they can buy the car at the end.
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>> I give my brakes an annual dismantle, inspection, clean, lube and partial bleed now.
>>
I guess this is one of those things you have to do yourself. I asked a Merc dealer and a marque specialist indie and both refused.
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Makes more sense to get it done during the first MOT (assuming it will still be at 3 years old) or during a routine service or brake pad change. Seems daft to get it done on it's own. I usually do my own when it is brake pads time otherwise I ask them to do during the MOT.
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The dealer has agreed to do it with the service next week, under the service plan with no extra charge. They will also do the MOT for £39.
It is currently so clean that I won't be able to tell in any case. The car has done 12,040 miles.
I have also asked them to check out a bearing noise at the front before the warranty runs out. Could be drive shaft, wheel bearing, or the DSG gearbox...!
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>> or the DSG gearbox...!
Probably a DSG gearbox then ;-) Let's be positive and assume it's not :-)
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>> or the DSG gearbox...!
That should bring out the pedants ;>)
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>>It is currently so clean that I won't be able to tell in any case.
As I posted earlier.
You could spend £6, or much much more on one of the 600+ testers on Ebay and know what the real situation is.
I forgot to say the unit needs a battery.
Then you could test the brake fluid before you deliver it and then know if it even needs changing.
Testing afterwards should show if there is any good fluid in the top of the reservoir.
Who knows what as gone on without examining the calipers / bleed nipples or more.
As bathtub tom posted.
>>One may suspect they suck the fluid out of the reservoir and replace it without flushing the system, as a colleague found he'd been charged for a change but could see his bleed nipples hadn't been touched.
I guess you could, after the visit, extract a sample from each nipple and test that.
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It's in for the service, MoT (£39) and brake fluid change today. I didn't get around to checking the fluid resistance with a multimeter so I'll have to trust them.
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Brake fluid changes - Hard Cheese
