Maintain Your Car’s Brakes:  Because You Don’t Want Brake Trouble During Winter in Ann Arbor

A lot of us take our cars for granted. We don’t really think about how they work, or why certain parts of our cars work the way they do – until we have an expensive and unplanned maintenance event!

We don’t take your car for granted. Keeping you safe and rolling is the primary goal at Louie & John’s Complete Auto Service. We started this blog to help you understand why we make the recommendations we do.

So. Brake fluid. Before you start to snore, hear me out. It is important to maintain proper brake fluid levels for safe vehicle performance. When the fluid in your brake system is old, your vehicle’s performance will negatively impacted, and driving said vehicle becomes less and less safe. Ignoring this problem is likely to lead to an expensive brake repair or an accident because you couldn’t stop in time. Besides, during winter in Ann Arbor, the LAST problem you want to have is with your car’s brakes!

To help you gain a better understanding, here are a few facts about brake fluid:

What is brake fluid? While motor oil is lubricates your engine’s internal moving parts, brake fluid has a similar function with the components of your vehicle’s braking system. To properly stop your vehicle without any issues, you need adequate brake fluid making its way through the brake lines. Not only that, but the fluid also has to work flawlessly under high temperatures and pressure.

Brake fluid is hygroscopic, meaning that it absorbs moisture. You guessed it, that’s not a good thing! Brake fluid pulls moisture right out of the air. If the fluid becomes too saturated with water, it will begin to degrade the brake lines and components, and the brake hydraulic system won’t function properly. This is why it’s important to replace your brake fluid.

Because of the moisture absorbing nature of brake fluid, many European and domestic car manufacturers recommend getting your brake fluid changed every two years, regardless of mileage or the make of your vehicle. Without fresh, clean brake fluid, you could find yourself in a bad situation — such as hitting another vehicle because you couldn’t stop, or the brake system failing due to rust in the lines. For safety’s sake, replace your brake fluid every two years.

If your brake fluid has absorbed too much water, it then makes sense that a leak can cause corrosion and rust. Brake fluid that’s past its prime can cause internal corrosion of all the brake parts that become saturated—including the master cylinder, calipers, wheel cylinders, ABS controller and smaller braking components. Rust forming inside the brake lines is another major concern. Having your brake fluid changed on a regular schedule every two years is a whole lot less costly than paying to replace internal brake components.

At Louie & John’s Complete Auto Service, we offer the Ann Arbor community all the auto services you need to keep your vehicle running smooth. Our services include regular maintenance checks, transmission fixes, electrical system tests, oil changes, engine repair and brake repair. Don’t hesitate to contact us next time you need your car fixed or maintained!

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