how to check brake fluid?

BahnStormer · August 9, 2018, 13:06

So I figured I'd get the entire brake system bled and the fluid replaced with DOT5.1 when I got my calipers cleaned up and new discs and pads installed last week Monday...

300 miles and 7 days later, the car was in for a service with Toyota and they insisted that the brake fluid was in a bad state and needed replacing.

I told them not to as it was supposed to have just been done... but how do I check what brake fluid I've got in the car and what the quality is like? $:-\$

james_ly · August 9, 2018, 13:09

They usually have a tool that you dip in to reservoir that measures the water content. But either way someone is lying

BahnStormer · August 9, 2018, 13:21

Quote from: james_ly on August 9, 2018, 13:09
They usually have a tool that you dip in to reservoir that measures the water content. But either way someone is lying

Agreed. Any idea where I can get that checked independently and quickly?

I assume DOT5.1 would be lower water content than ANY OEM fluid, so although non-standard, it definitely shouldn't show up as "deteriorated"?

lamcote · August 9, 2018, 14:18

Could try this?

https://www.ebay.co.uk/i/182548080823?rt=nc&_trkparms=aid%3D222007%26algo%3DSIM.MBE%26ao%3D2%26asc%3D20160908110712%26meid%3Defbe23aa48824249b9bb62ca74cbe458%26pid%3D100677%26rk%3D13%26rkt%3D30%26mehot%3Dpp%26sd%3D332631636129%26itm%3D182548080823

furbern · August 9, 2018, 14:19

Just as a quick and dirty check, what colour was your fluid? It seems to get darker as it gets older and absorbs moisture. If it was fresh it should be almost colourless.

1979scotte · August 9, 2018, 17:13

My money is on the MrT main stealer telling porky pies.

Sorry had a few bad experiences with main dealers and I just don't trust them

shnazzle · August 9, 2018, 18:06

Did you get it done last time or did you do it?
What I'm getting at is... are you 100% sure it was done last time.
It's a job often skipped/lied about

BahnStormer · August 9, 2018, 21:07

Quote from: shnazzle on August 9, 2018, 18:06
Did you get it done last time or did you do it?
What I'm getting at is... are you 100% sure it was done last time.
It's a job often skipped/lied about

It was done by the guys that did the brakes 10days ago. No, not sure it was done at all, hence why I'm trying to figure out how to verify it - they charged ~£20 for it, so I could have bought 2 litres of DOT5.1 for that... hence why I'm going back to them if I can prove it wasn't done.

wotugonado · August 9, 2018, 23:25

I had a similar dilemma once over brakes, my new mechanic said he had changed them after he he'd noticed damage caused by someone else. Id previously had the brakes done by another garage so I took it back to them for an inspection, they swore blind they were the brakes they'd fitted and they hadn't been touched $:-\$ Long story short, I was raging at being ripped off by one of them so I said I'd get the new mechanic on the phone, on loud speaker in their customer reception and they could discuss who'd done what etc..... they immediately declined, admitted their balls up and refunded me.. the @rseholes.
It's a bit confrontational but it will flush the liar out...

BahnStormer · August 10, 2018, 08:38

Quote from: BahnStormer on August 9, 2018, 21:07
Quote from: shnazzle on August 9, 2018, 18:06
Did you get it done last time or did you do it?
What I'm getting at is... are you 100% sure it was done last time.
It's a job often skipped/lied about

It was done by the guys that did the brakes 10days ago. No, not sure it was done at all, hence why I'm trying to figure out how to verify it - they charged ~£20 for it, so I could have bought 2 litres of DOT5.1 for that... hence why I'm going back to them if I can prove it wasn't done.

I'm no mechanic, but this looks fairly clear in the reservoir and from the swab, certainly free from any contaminants...

If people agree - I'm going pop in at the Toyota Dealership's busiest time on Saturday morning and ask them a few questions very loudly, next to all the people waiting to test drive / buy their new Prius's:

why I was advised to get the fluid changed when it had been done 7 days earlier
why they charged me for filling a washer fluid bottle that was already full to overflowing when it was brought in
why they identified my car as having a 215/45R16 tyres on the front (!)
why they complete misidentified all the brake disc thicknesses (I think they said 9mm and 10mm, when it should be 20mm front and 16mm rear

and while I'm there...

why they completely missed two failed O2 sensors last year - clearly showing on the ODB2 scan
why they missed a broken (sabotaged) EML light last year

BahnStormer · August 10, 2018, 08:42

clean, tissue swabbed in top of reservoir:

Carolyn · August 10, 2018, 09:15

I take it by 'them' you mean the dealer?

Judging by the other issues you list, they are extracting the urine.

I do hope you have paperwork recording all this. Then a quick email to Toyota UK might be in order. (Trading standards are generally useless these days but include the threat in your email.)

https://www.toyota.co.uk/contact-us/

I hate this kind of theft.

BahnStormer · August 10, 2018, 12:26

They have clearly indicated that the brake fluid needs replacing in the "engineer's report". When they phoned to say that it appeared "deteriorated" and asked if they should do it, I said not to do it and explained that it should have been done one week earlier and that I needed to take it back to the mechanic that had done the brakes (and allegedly done the brake fluid)... but to please put that in writing. I'll check the wording, but they've definitely indicated that the brake fluid needs replacing...

I take it from your response that my brake fluid is pretty much "squeaky clean" - as you'd expect after ~300 miles?

frogger · August 12, 2018, 01:09

It's outrageous for any garage to charge for topping up your washer fluid in any situation - so they are clearly bending you over.