Brake Fluid Replacement Cost (Guide & Maintenance Tips)

Without brake fluid you cannot expect the smooth stopping of the car each time you put pressure on its brake paddles. But if you have already run out of it, you need to replace it before you drive on your next journey. 

Generally, you should replace the brake fluid if you have noticed water presence within or it has become polluted over time. For safe brake performance you should replace it.

But how much does brake fluid replacement cost?

Usually, the brake fluid replacement cost should be about $80 to $130. For the brake fluid replacement, you should only take help of the professional mechanic in order to maintain safety and error-free work done. However the cost of replacing this fluid may depend on the type of fluid you use.

What is brake fluid?

The smoothness in brake paddles is due to the fluid in them. This is a type of hydraulic fluid used in hydraulic brake and hydraulic clutch applications in most of the automobiles including motorcycles, light trucks, and some bicycles. 

So when you press the paddles to apply force into the paddle it works through the brake lines and makes the process smooth, workable, and easy. It sends the force onto the wheel hub when you press the brake pedal.

How Much Is Brake Fluid

The brake fluid ranges in price from $6 to $39 per quart, mechanics charge $150-$210 per hour whereas the replacement of the brake fluid is approximately $100. Generally, brake fluids are not so expensive that you should be afraid to replace them on time.

However, if you delay the replacement of the fluid on time, it may invite further problems of brake failure later on. Also the hike in temperature will cause the heat and make the brake fluid to boil which will eventually make the brakes incapable to perform. 

Read Also: How Long Can You Drive Without Brake Fluid

Also the lack of moisture/lubrication in the brake will likely cause corrosion and it will cause damage in the master cylinder, calipers, brake lines, and other related components. In other words, you will then need to spend a big budget replacing all these components just because you didn’t replace the fluid on time.

Types of brake fluids

When you want to know about how much brake fluid costs or how much you should spend on it, it depends on which type of brake fluid you are using. 

For example the brake fluid cost depends on if you are using DOT3, DOT4 or DOT5, where DOT3 and DOT4 are glycol-based brake fluids, whereas the DOT5 is silicon-based. 

Also, the DOT3 and DOT4 brake fluids are efficient to absorb water, while DOT5 is not efficient enough to do so.

Generally, DOT 3 is much more affordable and cheap. However, DOT 4 is about 50% more expensive than DOT 3, and DOT 5 brake fluid is twice more expensive than DOT 4. 

When should I replace brake fluid?

If you talk about the professional advice, you should replace the brake fluid after every two years or every 40,000 – 45,000 miles of drive. 

If you replace it more than two years, or the recommended miles, there are high chances of brake failure, damage in the paddle, rotors or other related components of your vehicle.

And if you refuse to replace the brake fluid, then minimal efficiency of brakes is something you should not be surprised about. This is because the brake fluid maintains moisture in the brake system, keeping the stiffness aside. It’s always important to keep an eye on your vehicle performance so that you timely replace its fluids and fault components.

Why should I replace my brake fluid?

As mentioned above, replacing the brake fluid is not something that you should be doing on a regular basis. However, it’s important to make the brake fluid always around for its efficient and smooth performance. 

In the absence of brake fluid (hydraulic fluid) the performance of smooth car stopping will be impacted. Since the brake fluid keeps the brake well-lubricated and hence you don’t get to hear odd squealing noises.

However, if you don’t replace the brake fluid after every 2 years it will become contaminated with water and metal particles. Therefore, it will become more like a killer for brakes, paddle, rotors, clippers and other components.

This is not it. If you don’t replace the brake fluid it will also cause excessive heating and the fluid will come to boiling making the brakes failure or inefficient.

How to Examine Your Brake Fluid?

To examine if the brake fluid is still fresh or if it has gone bad, you need to check its color and transparency. Check out the color and clarity of the brake fluid.  The fresh fluid should be clear with a tendency of green/blue or yellow/orange. Conversely, the old brake fluid would be darker and opaque with a murky tendency. If the fluid is contaminated, you need to replace it.

How to Change Your Brake Fluid?

Changing the brake fluid is not a hard task. All you need to do is to follow these steps right.

• Find out the brake fluid reservoir under the hood on the master cylinder. If you can’t find it, check out the manual of your vehicle.
• Now, check the brake fluid level against the “maximum” and “minimum” lines on the outside of the reservoir. If you see the brake fluid near the “minimum line,” you need to top it up.