What is brake fluid and what does it do?

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We all hear about brake fluid and the fact that it’s extremely important to keep an eye out for its current levels. The problem is that you don’t always know exactly what brake fluid does, whether you need to check it often, where and how to do that and so on. We are here to help you with that and provide some information that might come in handy.

What does the brake fluid do?

The fluid in your car’s brakes is designed to help move the components of your car’s braking system. A thing to note about it is that it always operates under high pressure and temperatures. However, without it there, the car will not be able to stop even if you press the brake. So it’s the fluid that puts everything in your hands and under your control as you try to make the braking process fast and very convenient.

What you will notice is that this particular fluid works in a very distinctive way. The driver will press the pedal, the pedal will compress a piston found inside the brake caliper and then the compression will increase the pressure found in the brake lines. This pressure is sending the fluid into motion and the fluid will make the brake rotors to squeeze down on the brake pads. That will make contact with the wheels and then the wheel rotation will stop. Simply put, the brake fluid is a crucial aspect of the braking process and without it, this will not work at all.

How often do you need to change your fluid?

Not a lot of people know this, but the fluid in your will absorb moisture from the air. That leads to degradation and the fluid not being able to work adequately. Which is why you must drain the fluid and replace it from time to time. If you talk with a professional mechanic you will be recommended to do that every year or two at most. Some cars have a specific brake fluid change requirement in the manual, so you may want to keep that in mind.

Can I drive with low brake fluid?

It is possible to drive with low brake fluid levels. However, it’s not recommended. You should always try to keep the brake fluid levels under control just to be safe. It’s a great and unique idea to consider and something that you must keep in mind. It will totally be worth it to add more brake fluid if possible. Low brake fluid levels can make the drive very bad if you’re not careful.

We recommend you to keep an eye on the fluid levels all the time just to be safe. The last thing you want is to deal with any issues while on the road. So, keeping a good eye on the brake fluid levels does make a lot of sense.

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