'07 Accord Brake Fluid Change?

According to the Maintenance Minder, my 07' Accord V6 EX-L with 25,000
miles is coming due for a B12 service in Atlanta. I don't need the "2"
as I just changed the engine and cabin air filters myself. But one of
the dealers I checked with says I need to change the brake fluid too.

I always do all the factory-recommended maintenance-- but usually take a
pass on the extra stuff the dealers push.

So--- do I need to change the brake fluid or no?

 

Look in the Owner's Manual for the definitions of the various services.

Is brake fluid listed for the B12? If not, then you don't "need" to do it,
but it's certainly a good idea.

 

What does the owner's manual to your shiny $25,000 toy say?

Hint: it's in there.

 

Honda always specifies 3 years for brake fluid. It's not the miles,
honey, it's the years.

And yes, it's in the owner's manual.

 

Yeah, it's not how many times you use, it's how long you've had an
opportunity to use it. If the car sat in the garage for three years,
you'd REALLY want to change it.

--

- dillon I am not invalid

Toby (Tri-Umph That's the Sweet Truth)
March 1998 - June 2010
What a dog. What a dog!

 

Absolutely, normal (DOT3/DOT4), i.e., non silicone (DOT5), brake fluid
is hygroscopic, meaning it attracts water. Why do we care? Water boils
at a lower temperature than brake fluid and forms gas bubbles, meaning
brake fade. It's also corrosive.

I don't know what Honda is recommending these days, but I bleed the
brakes on my 2003 Accord sedan every 2 years (same as I used to do to my
1969 Porsche 911 many years ago).

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brake_fluid

http://www.motorcycleproject.com/motorcycle/text/cows-brakefluid.html

Definitely skip their recommendation on lubing your exhaust pipe or
sanitizing your plell.

 

you change it - like it says in the manual. as others have said, it's
due to moisture absorption.


and following from a different thread, it is odd how others refer to the
manual for this because when it comes to the topic of engine oil
maintenance, complete /disregard/ of the manual is the norm. for that
one topic, there is some kind of weird logical disconnect like
witch-doctry where, despite all scientific evidence to the contrary, 3k
mile oil changes are their law. and learning to dip the oil hot, like
it says in the manual because that's how it's calibrated? it'll /never/
happen.

 

Most of the guys I race with (not AX, but road race) use silicone
because it does have higher heat tolerance. But they also change
fluid as much as three or four times a day.

--

- dillon I am not invalid

Toby (Tri-Umph That's the Sweet Truth)
March 1998 - June 2010
What a dog. What a dog!

 

do they change engine oil three or four times a day too? if that stuff
is deteriorating so quickly, it's entirely inappropriate for that
application.

besides, silicone fluid is poor for lubricity and is more compressible
than glycol ether fluids. non-silicone dot 5.1 meets or exceeds dot 5
silicone in all performance aspects, esp temperature, only without the
disadvantages.

 

Silicone fluid is a bad idea for most road-going motorists.

DOT3 and 4 fluids absorb moisture. Since moisture ingress is inevitable,
absorption is a /good/ thing. I tell why, below.

Silicone fluid (DOT5) does NOT absorb moisture. Instead, water immediately
sinks to the bottom of the brake system, and is left in direct contact with
the metallic parts. Since most road-going drivers change their brake fluid
anywhere between a century and never, rust is the inevitable and relatively
quick result.

Rust is inevitable with DOT3/4 fluids too, but at least those fluids need
to surpass their saturation points before corrosion becomes a danger. This
can take over five years, so you've got a bit of a buffer.

 

And water turns to solid-state below 32 Deg. F also. Who wants ice
plugs in the brake system.

 

(M.A. Stewart) wrote in

Nobody, of course. But I'm not sure you'd end up with ice plugs; probably
more like a few crystals here and there.

One thing I've discovered over these many years is that modern brake
systems are astoundingly tolerant of all manner of internal and external
abuse, such as inept servicing, severe wear, dirt, air, sand, gum, rust,
you name it. And even once they actually /fail/, they usually still do work
to a degree sufficient to stop the car in a timely manner.

It's actually kind of difficult to force a modern brake system to
completely give up the ghost and refuse to stop the car.

 

Pffft It can be done with side cutters in about 5 secs.