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What Colour Should Brake Fluid Be?

The whole braking systems works completely on hydraulics. The liquid used within the braking system is a solvent and silicone mixture which makes up one chemical that won’t corrode the linings of the system. The brake fluid is made with these elements because the brakes need to react immediately after applying pressure to the pedal.

All brake fluid is almost the exact same colour with little to no differences. The different types of fluids are called DOT 3, 4 and 5. The oil is made for the type of vehicle you drive and how much force the car needs to come to a complete stop once the brakes are applied.

Overall, all brake fluid should have a light colour that looks like oil. The darker the hue of the liquid gets, the older it actually is. So it needs to be changed occasionally to optimal driving performance.

When the brake fluid is brown to black, you need to flush out the liquid and replace it with new brake fluid. The easiest way to purge the system is by disengaging the pipe that runs to the brakes and continuously push down on the brake pedals. You can do this activity on your own but it’s quicker if you have someone assisting you by pushing on the pedal whilst you analyse what type of liquid is being released.

Dark or different coloured fluid could mean that your car is collecting debris and injecting the particles into the braking system. A contaminated system could cause problems for you when you are driving. There is a possibility that the rubbish could block up the entire system thus making the braking action an impossible task. Hence this could become dangerous.

The fluid is supposed to be checked every time you do maintenance on your car. Usually when your vehicle goes in for a service, the brake fluid is one of the first things that the technician will check.

If you are experiencing problems when you brake or apply the brakes then you need to take your car to a centre that specialises in brake and clutch repairs. It might be easier and cheaper for you to do your own home repair job but sometimes a professional can assist and give you advice if contamination occurs.

Another important aspect to keep in mind is that if brake fluid has the ingredients mentioned on the container and you find another liquid in the system, such as water that was not mentioned on the label, you need to flush the system. A technician will never accidentally add an unnecessary ingredient in mechanical systems.

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