Brake Fluid Flush
Asked by olds88 Aug 06, 2009 at 07:57 AM about the 1996 Oldsmobile Eighty-Eight 4 Dr LS Sedan
Question type: Maintenance & Repair
I have a 1996 Olds 88 with 41K. It has ABS brakes. I took it in for an oil change at Firestone and they told me it needs a brake fluid flush.
Is there some way to tell if this is true or an excuse to charge an unnecessary service?
Will visually inspecting the brake fluid color tell me if it needs to be flushed?
How about those brake fluid dip strips?
5 Answers
I have an '85 Delta 88. Got it with 46K, now has 123K. Never had the brake fluid flushed. Sounds like just another way to for a mechanic to get some money out of your pocket. If there is nothing wrong with your brakes then I wouldnt worry about it.
if its brownish-black or any color that is noticeably different from red, get it flushed. Its just like oil and tranny fluid, it needs to be replaced over the life of the car. Flushing the brake fluid helps protect your brakes internals from corrosion by water that gets absorbed into break fluid over its life, it may also increase brake performance slightly. If you have never had it flushed on a car that old, do it, but find a good break shop to do it at because it is very easy to not do it right.
Don't do it!!!!! With only 41K it should be ok. At 100K then you can get it done if you want. Its a way for them to make money.
bluRAYwhale answered 13 years ago
are the brakes functioning ok? if so i wouldn't bother with it, it's like one of those "special" services or a 28 point safety inspection. the next time you get the brakes serviced most likely they will replace most of the fluid anyways, if not ask them then to do it if it needs to be done.
The only clue a Mechanic would say that if your brake pedal felt mushy ,as in you stop at a light and the break pedal still feels like its going down ..I don't exactly what he means by flushing , or does he mean Bleeding the system ? Bleeding the system removes air in the brake lines ..
