Purchased two 16oz bottles of official DOT3 brake fluids ACDelco brand from pep shop boys (the GM parts no matched). Siphoned 16 oz out of reservoir, and it looked EXACTLY like coca cola. Put 16 oz new in. Drove a bit. Took 16 oz out (still looked exactly like coca cola although a tiny bit lighter). Put 16 oz new in. Car has 96k miles never had a brake fluid change.
Just did a $20 brake fluid refresh
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I've done something similar for many years with brake and power steering hydraulic fluid. Though I'd drive more than a bit, like several weeks; otherwise, one is only "changing" the top little bit of fluid in the lines. Plus DOT4 beats DOT3 in every way.
Why not do it correctly and actually bleed it through until you get fresh fluid at each corner?
Heheh. Easy way to ensure your fluid won't fail the water or copper test. I thought about getting DOT4 but decided to play it safe and get the official oil recommended in the manual (formerly GM part 88863461 which has been changed to GM part 19299818)
I thought about doing the same with the engine coolant but that woudl be too messy and not worth the money savings.
I thought about doing the same with the engine coolant but that woudl be too messy and not worth the money savings.
This was a quickie 5 minute job.
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Nah, actually just like bleeding on a regular car. I've already done it on my Volt that I purchased about six weeks ago. I'd advise disconnecting the negative terminal of the 12VDC AGM battery just to be sure nothing funny happens.
I do know there is some fancy-shmancy brake actuator .... so by all means DO NOT allow the reservoir to go low and suck air while bleeding at the corners. I suspect that would require a dealer visit to fix.
I think it's only tricky because the brakes are electronically actuated via an eletromechanical pump instead of just the brake pedal with power brake assist. In theory, if the car's on in neutral with the parking brake applied, the brakes should be actuated just like on a standard ICE car.
Exactly, especially given that's where you want to ensure you've got clean fluid.
Doesn't the brake fluid in the reservoir eventually completely blend into the brake fluid at the corners?
P.S. A picture of a copper test on the original coca colored brake fluid (I saved some after siphoning it and got the copper test from amazon).
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P.S. A picture of a copper test on the original coca colored brake fluid (I saved some after siphoning it and got the copper test from amazon).
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