Brake Fluids Explained: Types, Compatibility, & Lifespan!

What's the difference between DOT 5 and DOT 3, 4, and 5.1? How often does brake fluid need to be changed or flushed? What makes brake fluid go bad? That and more is explained here!
Your brakes are one of the most vital safety item in your vehicle, and having them work properly is important. Hydraulic brakes are found on nearly every car ever made, and having the brakes controlled by fluid allows for many advanced features, like ABS brakes and stability control. The occasional brake fluid change can keep moisture and contaminants out of the brake system and allow these parts to work at their best.
DOT 2 brake fluid was an early brake fluid formula that you will probably never come across. DOT 3 brake fluid is the basic, modern, glycol ether formula of brake fluid. DOT 4 brake fluid adds borate ester to the glycol ether to increase both the wet and dry boiling points.
What's the brake fluid wet VS dry boiling point? It's the danger zone where your brake fluid becomes a compressible gas due to the heat. The wet VS dry part is referring to how much water the brake fluid has absorbed from the air, which lowers its boiling point.
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[@randywelch55]

Very well explained. Thank you

[@spiralnapkin]

Great video! Clear and concise information.

[@johnmurphy40]

Very informative , I took in every word, thank you Jack Murphy

[@4411825]

Excellent information!

[@Alfenium]

Brrrrakrrr fluid very helpful made carr go good sir. thnak you sir.

[@802Garage]

Nice overview! I've recently been checking out and bought some Bosch ESI6. It exceeds DOT 3, 4, and 5.1 standards plus has some other benefits and it's not even crazy expensive.

[@CarsSimplified]

Thanks! That sounds like fancy stuff! Have you put it in any of your vehicles yet?

[@802Garage]

@@CarsSimplified Not yet. Have a brake upgrade for my purple Impreza. Will switch to it when I do.

[@mdev8846]

@@802Garage Be careful, Subaru Impreza uses DOT 3 ( AP RACING R1 is a good option ).

[@802Garage]

@@mdev8846 You can use DOT 4, 5.1, or Bosch ESI6 in place of DOT3 without any risk of harm. All are upgrades.

[@YasinNabi]

wonderful ................

[@orboakin8074]

Thanks for this video. I'm a new driver and just bought my first car (a Pontiac g3 2010) and I am gonna be changing the brakes and need all the info I can get on car stuff. Thanks. My dad has a bottle of DOT3 brake fluid for his old Hyundai I used to drive and I think I can use that for my Pontiac but I wanna be sure first.

[@AgastyaXV]

you sure can put old brake fluid, but it absorbs water, fresh will be better

[@orboakin8074]

@@AgastyaXV many thanks friend

[@AgastyaXV]

@@orboakin8074 btw you can use dot 5.1 with dot 3/4 systems too. It will provide better braking as it compresses less, and the boiling point is higher so it will not fade as easily. Also since it can absorb more water before it degrades compared to dot 3, 3-4 years of dot 5.1 will be the same as 2 years of dot 3, so it will be better and cheaper too.

[@anupamdebnath4959]

What is the shelf life of a dot 3 Castrol brake fluid

[@fredsanford336]

Good info. Thank you

[@4darleneredwood410]

Is hydraulic Dot 3 damage the standard 2005,chevy truck ?when it states dot3

[@JR-ss3td]

I accidentally put dot 4 in a dot 5 system. Now the brakes are grabbing a little bit. I'm Going to flush it. Do you think there may be any long term damage from doing this?

[@davidsundquist1845]

people would like to know about paint damage

[@cloudchaser9951]

Hi. so i noticed my brake pedal a bit stiff after i refilled my brake fluids but did not bleed the brakes. Would this be the main cause of a stiff brake pedal? thanks

[@CarsSimplified]

It would be weird for just a top-off to cause that. A faulty brake booster or clogged brake line could be the cause, but it's definitely something I can't tell for sure without messing with it myself. Also, this may be obvious for some people, but did you start up the engine yet since pressing the pedal a few times? The brake booster has a reserve of vacuum to assist a little bit after the engine is off, but then it stops providing the usual assist. Starting the engine will get the vacuum brake booster (or hydraulic booster, if it has that) to help with braking again.

[@cloudchaser9951]

@@CarsSimplified Thanks im trying to eliminate the causes as well. brake pads are new rotors are 2.5 years old calipers only at 90000km havent done a brake flush for 2.5 years ive booked my mechanic. ill let you know the issue 😅

[@vermontvermont9292]

I use valvoline for everything.

[@joshsantana4377]

How about dot 4 regular vs dot 4 synthetic?

[@CarsSimplified]

As far as I have seen, there isn't any non-synthetic DOT 4. Sometimes there will be bottles that specifically say "synthetic" but it's just something to get someone to buy it over another brand. The last brake fluid that I have heard of that isn't synthetic is DOT 2 (it's based on mineral oil).

[@comodice905]

How long does it last after open

[@mestizoboy]

Years, *if* your container is 100% airtight

[@comodice905]

@@mestizoboy bloke chill

[@comodice905]

@@mestizoboy bloke chill

[@me-also-youtuber]

dot= dept. of transport

[@SpiralDogma1990]

Can I use dot 4 on a dot 3 car?

[@Michael-uo4jj]

Yes you can use dot 4 in a dot 3 system but cannot use dot 3 in a system that calls for dot 4

[@SpiralDogma1990]

@@Michael-uo4jj Thank you :)

[@comodice905]

What are you saying

[@driversteve9345]

Just buy the OEM breakfluid from your local dealership! It's usually best to use all OEM parts and replacement fluids.

[@kalani1987]

Also the most expensive

[@driversteve9345]

@@kalani1987 Would you rather be cheap about it now and potentially pay big later or pay for the correct fluids now and not have to worry about it later?

[@kalani1987]

@@driversteve9345 you can buy OEM fluids at other places than your local dealership. Why pay their overhead when you can buy cheaper elsewhere!

[@driversteve9345]

@@kalani1987 I would rather pay a little more knowing I'm getting the parts and fluids that are within spec of the design of the engine/vehicle. After market parts and fluids are not guaranteed and are often less than the original OEM specs. I would rather pay more knowing what I'm getting than to be sorry later having to replace the engine or taking the car to the salvage yard way too early! I took an Uber ride yesterday in a Prius. The guy had 380,000 miles on his car and he said that he gets his vehicle serviced only at the dealership.