When it comes to matters of import car maintenance, it seems like everyone has their own opinion. While you should absolutely have your brakes flushed and the fluid replaced periodically, how long you should go between brake flush services is up for debate. For example, Volkswagen suggests you flush the brakes every two years as a part of the regular VW repair routine, regardless of mileage. Standard BMW scheduled maintenance also recommends a brake flush service as a regular bi-annual repair job. A Mercedes mechanic will likely recommend changing the brake fluid every two years or 20,000 miles.
But not all car manufacturers insist that brake fluid needs to be changed at such short intervals. According to Cars.com, Chevrolet says its cars can run 150,000 miles or 10 years on the same brake fluid, and some other companies such as Ford, Chrysler, and Toyota don’t stress replacing the brake fluid at any specific interval at all. Instead, these manufacturers reccomend having the brake fluid inspected at regular intervals by your auto repair shop, and to use good judgement to determine when it’s time to ask your car mechanic for a brake flush service.
Time for New Brakes? Maybe You Need a Brake Flush As Well
As with most things in life, the answer is probably somewhere in the middle. Though brake fluid theoretically runs in a closed system that can be mostly left alone as long as there isn’t a leak, moisture does accumulate in the lines over time. This means that for most cars, having the manufacturer recommended brake flush service every 2 to 3 years is probably overdoing it a little bit. You should, however, have your auto repair shop check your brake fluid regularly when you have oil changed or other car repair services done. It’s more realistic to plan on a brake flush service every five years or so. Every 5 years is also coincidentally about the same time you replace pads or rotors, so your car mechanic will be in there anyway.
No Matter the Advice, Don’t Neglect Your European Brakes
Of all of the things that can go wrong in your car, having a brake malfunction is probably one of the worst. Making sure that your brakes work properly is quite literally a matter of life and death. Regardless of whether or not you need a brake flush service, you should have your braking system inspected regularly by your auto repair guy. This includes the brake pads, brake rotors, the lines and—of course—the brake fluid. And when it comes to European brakes, they really do require special care. Be sure to take your car to a car mechanic that specializes in import car maintenance in general, and import brake jobs in particular. That way you can trust that both your import brake job and brake flush service are the top of the line for your imported beauty.
