Does My Acura Really Need a Brake Fluid Service?

Posted on January 30, 2020

Is Brake Fluid Service Required?

Routine maintenance is required to keep your Acura – or any vehicle, for that matter – in good working order. The service schedule has been created to minimize problems that can be avoided with basic maintenance. That’s what engine oil changes and tire rotations, transmission fluid flushes, and wheel alignments are all about. But does your Acura actually need a brake fluid service? If it’s in your maintenance schedule, it’s important. Here’s why brake fluid service is a required maintenance item, and how often you should have it performed.

Yes, you NEED a Brake Fluid Service

The number one safety feature on your car whether it’s an Acura ILX, RDX, MDX, RLX, or any other model is its brakes. Nothing but bad things happen if you can’t trust your brakes to function when you press the pedal. Every. Single Time. It all works on hydraulic fluid pressure, and the fluid involved is your brake fluid. Brake fluid is hygroscopic, meaning that its chemical composition allows it to bind to water molecules. That’s intentional so that any moisture in the braking system will be absorbed instead of allowed to corrode the brake lines from the inside. However, there’s a limit to its abilities to absorb water. When it reaches its limit, you could experience brake fade, or the corrosion you’ve been avoiding could form. You won’t be able to trust that your brakes will function every time you press the pedal. Expensive brake system repairs could pop up. Worse yet, it could potentially lead to an accident. It can be avoided with routine maintenance.

What a Brake Fluid Service is All About

A technician at Jay Wolfe Acura will inspect your brakes. Then, the old brake fluid is flushed from the system and replaced with new, clean, vehicle-specific fluid. Even though you don’t find a brake fluid service in the Maintenance Minder information, it still needs to be done. According to your owner’s manual, it recommends the that your brake fluid is changed every three years, regardless of mileage. Is your Acura near – or over – its three-year birthday? It’s time to change the brake fluid. Schedule a service visit at Jay Wolfe Acura in Kansas City to get it done on your next service.