How often do you need a brake fluid flush in Alexandria, VA? You’ll often hear every 30,000 miles or every three years tossed out as a good rule of thumb, and that works, but only to a point. The reason you hear that rule of thumb given is that good mechanics know that it’s better to do something more often than it’s strictly necessary rather than not doing it at all, and that’s the risk and danger.
The flip side of that equation, however, is that if you’re having a brake fluid flush in Alexandria, VA done at that interval without looking any deeper into the matter, you’re probably spending more money than you need to. The more complete answer is of course that you should only have it done when you absolutely need to. In order to determine that though, testing is required.
While it’s true that an experienced mechanic can tell at a glance if your brake fluid might be problematic, there are two simple tests that can be performed that will tell you with certainty whether or not you need a brake fluid flush in Alexandria, VA. Those tests are:
- A Moisture Test – That sounds a bit counterintuitive at first glance, given that brake fluid is itself a liquid, but the moisture test is actually a measure of how much water has seeped in and mixed with your brake fluid. Too much, and it will begin to impact the functionality of the fluid itself, which will begin impacting the operation of your brakes. It’s a quick, easy test to perform.
- The Strip Test – Most people don’t realize it, but the inside of your brake lines are brazed with copper. Over time, as the anti corrosive additives in brake fluid wear out or go bad, the copper will slowly begin to dissolve, mingling with the fluid, which is why you’ll sometimes hear a mechanic say that your brake fluid looks dark. The strip test was designed to measure the amount of copper mixed with the fluid, and beyond a certain point, a flush is recommended.
A final note here is this: When it’s time to have your brake fluid flushed, don’t take your car to one of those fast oil change places. There have been documentaries done highlighting that most of them don’t actually flush your system. They’ll use something akin to a turkey baster to remove the brake fluid they can get to easily and simply add more to top you off, but that’s not really a flush, which means that you’re paying for a service you’re not actually getting.
When the time comes, bring your car into us and we’ll get you taken care of. We’ve been proudly serving the area since 1976, and we treat our customers like family.