[JG.26]

Hope someone can help

Had my first service under the TLC on my S when it was 2 years old which was July last year. Am I right in thinking that the brake fluid should be changed at 2 years? and how does the brake fluid inspection service indicator work? does it go by the vehicles mileage or by time lapsed? Reason I ask is I have a feeling my dealer didn't change fluid it at it's first service (ie 2 years). If so would this be because the service indicator said it didn't need doing even though 2 years had passed because the car had done a low mileage at that time? Confused lol. Will be booking the car in on Monday for it's MOT so will quizz the dealer on it but thought I run it by on here

Cheers for your help,

Tim

[Pobsey]

Brake fluid is purely time based,

[JG.26]

Quote: Originally Posted by Pobsey

Brake fluid is purely time based,

Cheers Pobsey, Just wandering how I can find out whether it was changed or not, I guess just have to trust that the dealer did the work

[Pobsey]

in your TLC booklet if you have one, should be stamped mine was done last saturday only 6 months late....

[JG.26]

Quote: Originally Posted by Pobsey

in your TLC booklet if you have one, should be stamped mine was done last saturday only 6 months late....

Just got the service books out the car, The first TLC voucher has been used for the oil change, but the first brake fluid change voucher is still there unused. The service book indicates as well the oil inspection was done at 2 years but nothing entered for brake fluid change which is under the time based maintenance. It says in the service book that it should be changed at 2 years so I guess the dealer should have changed it then last July.

Have just checked the brake change indicator and it reads minus 375 which I guess means the fluid should have been changed 375 miles ago? is that correct, the car has only 5600 miles since new. If the fluid should have been changed 375 miles ago would any damage have been done?

[Pobsey]

the counter is days, if your over it says +375 if you were over so I'd guess that it was done, the counter is right if it was changed last july as it would be due next july...

[Root Ginger]

The number is the number of days so it should of been changed 375 days ago

[Root Ginger]

You will have a little symbol of a clock on the dash when it is due also.

A lot of people forget that the brake fluid is a separate service to the other services and so must be asked for separately. Admittedly though the dealer should warn you if it is nearing being due or overdue.

The coolant should be changed every second brake fluid change too.

[JG.26]

cheers guys, so it should have been changed 12 months back if it's reading minus 375 which would have been it's first service at 2 years. A little annoyed with this as the dealer should have sorted this out at it's 2 year service. I guess all they did was change the engine oil and air filter element.

Would going over the time period for the brake fluid change harm the braking system or would it just affect braking efficiency?

Will be dropping into the dealer on Monday to get the car booked in and having a polite word with them.

[JG.26]

Quote: Originally Posted by Root Ginger

You will have a little symbol of a clock on the dash when it is due also.

A lot of people forget that the brake fluid is a separate service to the other services and so must be asked for separately. Admittedly though the dealer should warn you if it is nearing being due or overdue.

The coolant should be changed every second brake fluid change too.

Thanks Ginger, there is nothing on the display to say change brake fluid or anything flashing to say it's overdue which is probably why I have missed it. It's only when you put the ignition on to get the service indicator and then press the button to get the brake fluid indicator that it reads minus 375 at the moment

[JG.26]

Quote: Originally Posted by Pobsey

the counter is days, if your over it says +375 if you were over so I'd guess that it was done, the counter is right if it was changed last july as it would be due next july...

Still confused Pobsey so if it's overdue should it be reading plus? as mine is saying minus? there is nothing in the TLC booklet or service booklet to say it was changed

[Pobsey]

I'll go and double check, pretty sure there was a + symbol in from,

[JG.26]

Quote: Originally Posted by Pobsey

I'll go and double check, pretty sure there was a + symbol in from,

Cheers Pobsey, appreciate it. Just need to know whether a minus sign means to get it looked at?

[Pobsey]

Just phoned my sister who's car is booked in for a brake fluid change 335days over due.. and hers reads -335

[JG.26]

Quote: Originally Posted by Pobsey

Just phoned my sister who's car is booked in for a brake fluid change 335days over due.. and hers reads -335

lol, great thanks Pobsey, thank your sister for me too lol, so I guess your sisters MINI does a low mileage as well? I don't understand why the dealer didn't check the indicator last year as it would have read that it needed doing then if it reads -375 now. So I wonder how many other low mileage MINI's are driving around with an overdue break fluid change lol.

Guess I should have checked it before it went in for it's first service 12 months ago rather than relying on the dealer to take care of it. Guess leaving it won't have done any harm, still braking ok.

Thanks again for your help

[Capsaisin]

So who's the dealer?

Talking of dealer competence (not), my MCS is also about 10 days away from it's 2 year brake fluid change, it's low mileage and the only reason I know it's due is because I'm the sort of nerd who reads the manual every night for 2 weeks when I bought the car. And yes if you push the trip button when you switch on the ignition, it will toggle between service and brake fluid. Brake fluid display is days to go and a negative number means you missed it!
Anyway my dealer - Bluebell, sent me a letter - Oh that's nice, to remind me of my 2 year brake fluid change under TLC. Wrong, it was to remind me to get my first MOT done immediately using Bluebell's excellent service facilities.
Strange that, I must have slept for a year and not noticed.

[JG.26]

Quote: Originally Posted by Capsaisin

So who's the dealer?

Talking of dealer competence (not), my MCS is also about 10 days away from it's 2 year brake fluid change, it's low mileage and the only reason I know it's due is because I'm the sort of nerd who reads the manual every night for 2 weeks when I bought the car. And yes if you push the trip button when you switch on the ignition, it will toggle between service and brake fluid. Brake fluid display is days to go and a negative number means you missed it!
Anyway my dealer - Bluebell, sent me a letter - Oh that's nice, to remind me of my 2 year brake fluid change under TLC. Wrong, it was to remind me to get my first MOT done immediately using Bluebell's excellent service facilities.
Strange that, I must have slept for a year and not noticed.

Thanks Capsaison, my dealer is in Stafford, I've always been happy with them and they have always been brilliant in dealing with warranty issues. I'm just a little peeved cos it's reading -375 which means it must have been reading -20 or so when I took the car in last July for the oil service and no check was made of the brake fluid indicator by the dealer. Looks like it's down to the owner to say to the dealer I want my brake fluid changing and make sure you check the indicator.

I think what stuck in my head when I took delivery of my car is I asked the salesman when do I need to bring the car in for servicing as it only does 4000 a year and he said see you every 2 years, somehow I missed the brake fluid change and assumed wrongly they would automatically check the service indicator

I'm just concerned if its a year overdue if any damage has been done to the braking system? anyone have any views on this? or am I just worrying over nothing? lol

[Root Ginger]

It's unlikely you have done any damage. Brake fluid is hygroscopic meaning it absorbs water. The more water it absorbs the less effective it is at transferring pressure to the brakes. This is why it should be changed every two years. The water absorbtion will be pretty similar on an unused car as a frequently used car over the two year period hence why usage is not taken into account.

[JG.26]

Quote: Originally Posted by Root Ginger

It's unlikely you have done any damage. Brake fluid is hygroscopic meaning it absorbs water. The more water it absorbs the less effective it is at transferring pressure to the brakes. This is why it should be changed every two years. The water absorbtion will be pretty similar on an unused car as a frequently used car over the two year period hence why usage is not taken into account.

Thanks for your help The dealer said it's only advisory to have it changed and no harm should be done, as you say braking could lose it's efficiency over time, booked in next week to have it changed

[YvonneX]

I have a quick question regarding brake fluid change. My Cooper had its first service inspection about a month ago and at the time I was told it is almost ready for a brake fluid change. I am going to ring them tomorrow to get it booked in, however when I stated that I have a tlc voucher for its first brake fluid change, the dude said it would have already been done(it is a 2001) but he was vague and not that helpful. So anyway when I got home and had a look through the service book, there is no evidence of any brake fluid work whatsoever. The only evidence of maintenance work carried out before I bought the car was an oil service and micro filter. So does this mean I am entitled to use the tlc voucher as there is no evidence, or am I going to have to pay? Please help, as I've had nothing but stress from this car and It would be great if something could go smoothly for me. Thanks.x.