The Car Brake Fluid - Function, Types And Dot Rating Meaning

Brake fluid is what is also called "hydraulic fluid." It is also ranked as one of the most important automobile fluid along side the motor oil. How ever many are ignorant of its true significance. In this articles we shall discuss

• The function of the  Brake fluid

• Dot Rating of brake fluids

• The types of Brake fluid  

Function of the brake fluid

Most people have heard the term "hydraulic" before, but many don't know exactly what it means.  It means moved or powered by fluids. That's exactly what brake fluid does: it moves components in your vehicle's braking system. It serves as the hydraulic fluid in the braking system ( Read more about the braking system and the function of hydraulics). Hydraulic Brake fluid is special because the job it does is especially hard. It has to work perfectly under high pressures and temperatures. That's why it's so important to maintain your brake fluid under good repair, because as it ages it doesn't work as effectively.

What  Would Happens If there is No Brake Fluid in a Car?

It is a very bad thing if your vehicle suddenly has no brake fluid because it could cause your brakes to stop working and your car to be in an accident. Most mechanics advice that brake fluid should be maintained on a schedule of replacement about every 30,000 miles. If you suspect your car is leaking brake fluid, you should have it checked by a mechanic to see what is causing the problem before the lack of fluids causes you to have major issues with your vehicle.

 Dot Rating of Brake fluids

DOT ratings - What does it mean?

The DOT stands for Department of Transportation. The DOT has placed regulations concerning the acceptable specifications for brake fluid to be used in automobiles in the US. This is to assure a uniform quality of product for everyone's safety. The biggest factor in the different DOT ratings is resistance to the effects of heat and moisture.

Can different DOT rated fluids be mixed?

The answer is Yes and No. How?

Yes since any two DOT rated fluids can be mixed without causing a harmful condition however cross-compatibility is one of the requirements of the DOT rating.

No, beacuse it isn't recommended. It's important to take the utmost care in maintaining your braking system, so there's no reason to cut corners on something like mixing fluid.

Is a higher DOT rating better?

Not necessarily. DOT brake fluids are backwards compatible, meaning that each new release meets or exceeds the specifications for the previous grade. What that means is that you can put DOT 5 fluid in a DOT 3 braking system, but you should never put DOT 3 fluid in a DOT 5 system.

What is the right DOT rating for my car?

The appropriate brake fluid for your car is decided by several factors, including the age of your car, its size, and whether it is equipped with ABS or traction control. The easiest way to be sure what type of fluid your car needs is to check your owner's manual.

Types of Brake Fluid

There are several types of brake fluid. They include glycol-based fluids DOT 3, DOT 4 and DOT 5.1, as well as a silicone-based brake fluid named DOT 5. The silicone-based brake fluid is put only into vehicles with non-ABS systems. These must not have ever been filled with the glycol-based fluids. The different DOT categories refer to the different boiling points of the fluids and DOT stands for Department of Transportation. The higher the DOT number, the better quality of the brake fluid, as well as the more expensive it is. Your car's manual can tell you which one is best for your car or truck's optimal performance level.

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