Brake Fluid Flush

I have a 1996 Olds 88 with 41K. It has ABS brakes. I took it in for an oil change at Firestone and they told me it needs a brake fluid flush.

Is there some way to tell if this is true or an excuse to charge an unnecessary service?

Will visually inspecting the brake fluid color tell me if it needs to be flushed?

How about those brake fluid test strips?

Brake fluid absorbs moisture. Moisture in the fluid reduces the boiling point. If the fluid can boil at a lower temp than the brakes can fail sooner during and emergency brake situation. Many manufacturers suggest every 30k. Take a look at your states traffic accident data especial from the state patrol and you will probably be surprised at how many "accidents" are blamed on fluid boil over.

I bought my '94 Delta with 78K on the odometer. It now has 184K on the ticker, and is getting me around in Moscow traffic like a champ. Constant hard braking. For better or worse, the brake fluid hasn't been changed since I bought it.

One does not get a warning when brake fluid issues cause a catastrophic failure.

He's been a mechanic for several decades, and isn't one for a lot of words, this is what he said:

"Money making scam. Just makes the fluid look prettier."

Stick your finger in the reservoir and touch the bottom. Is there a bunch of sludge in it? If so, I would flush it.

My view is that with 41K on it, there is no need unless you see sludge in the reservoir. I've never flushed the brakes on my vehicles, and have one over 250,000 km.

It should not be hard to do yourself, with one major caution. If you have a manual follow instruction for bleeding the brakes. Essentially you loosen the bleed nozzle on one brake at a time. Then put a plastic hose over it and to a can. Get someone to pump the brakes and hold the pedal down. Loosen the bleed nozzle further so fluid comes out. Do this a few times until the reservoir gets low, then top it up and move to the next brake. Be careful not to contaminate the brake fluid. Water in the fluid is the issue to be concerned about.

The one caution is that the bleed nozzles have a habit of seizing and then breaking or stripping when you try to loosen them. Use a good fitting socket and think about how much you can put on them without breaking them. If you break them, then they should be drilled and removed with an easy out. -- not so much fun.