how to flush brake fluid with abs

How to Flush Brake Fluid With ABS The Right Way

Introduction

The vehicle’s braking system is one of the most important safety features a car has. Depending on the car variant, it may or may not have some of the high-end features; however, a car equipped with ABS or Anti-lock Braking System is a must-have. The ABS includes wheel speed sensors in each wheel and, of course, has its own ABS module to manage the input and output of this braking system.

The ABS comes with a brake fluid that runs through your wheels through the brake lines. When the brake pedal is pressed, the brake fluid allows force to be applied to the brakes; this makes your vehicle slow down or come to a stop. From time to time, this brake fluid may be contaminated with moisture; this leads to corrosion and rust, or in general cases, it may become worn out and too old already. All of these scenarios affect the overall braking system of your car. In this article, we are to discuss how to flush brake fluid with ABS.

Do everything the right way to avoid problems in the long run

This is also related to giving your car a regular preventive maintenance check-up. Doing this helps you more than you think, like saving more money and allowing your car to last longer with lesser problems in the future (after driving thousands of miles). You may ask how to bleed Toyota ABS brakes if you have a Toyota car, but this instructional material can be applied to any car.

However, there will always be times when you need help to do preventive maintenance. If so, issues will inevitably come, especially with the braking system; this includes issues with the braking fluid. Usually, there are two ways how to approach this problem. Either you will seek professional help from automotive service centers or do it yourself. If you are going to do the former, no hassle is given to you; however, you need to shell out some money for the fee. But if you go for the latter, you can save money and gain more knowledge and experience.

Before doing the flushing, how often should you flush your brake fluid with ABS? This is a standard question, especially for new car owners. Typically, it is advisable to do flushing after every 30,000 miles, or other OEMs (car manufacturers) recommend doing it every two years.

So, let’s check out the latter method – DIY.

How to flush brake fluid with ABS?

Take note of the following steps and detailed explanations below; don’t forget that we are not using any scan tool for this set of instructions. To inform you ahead of, flushing the brake fluid with ABS having no scan tool is very tedious and requires more time and attention span. It needs focus because we are doing it manually. Also, there may come a time when you need someone to help you with this task, but that will happen later.

So finally, here are the tools you will need: Carjack (standard jack), Jack stand, turkey baster, drip pan, tubing, hammer, lung wrench, and of course, the most important thing – new and fresh brake fluid.

  1. Prepare the tools as enumerated above.
  2. Ensure your car is parked in a conducive area with proper lighting and a flat surface. This is to avoid spillage or other accidents. When bleeding brakes, should the car be on? Of course not. Turn off your car when doing this task.
  3. Let’s get to the car. Since this is related to the braking system, we need to access the desired areas, so all four wheels should be removed. Use the carjack to heighten up your car, just enough for you to remove all the wheels and finally do the task. This is where you will need the help of someone and instruct that person on what should be done.
  4. Because we are dealing with brake fluid, it is vital to know the location of the brake fluid tank. After locating it, drain the current brake fluid and replace it with the new one. But before refilling it with the new brake fluid, ensure that the tank is completely drained and empty and everything is in the plastic bottle. You can let your assistant step on the brake pedal until the last drop.
  5. Carefully check for air bubbles if they are present in the brake fluid. If yes, do your best to remove these air bubbles because they cause brake failure. This is a severe problem, and a lot of accidents have already happened just because there is something wrong with the braking system.
  6. Put back all of the parts together. Carefully do this to double-check potential scenarios of leaking. There should be no leak. This is the ultimate goal. After everything is done, drive the car in just a few miles and check the behavior of your brakes to see if they are all working correctly.

Another method to consider when flushing brake fluid is through a scan tool. If you have a scan tool, proceed to an automotive shop and let them do the flushing.

Conclusion

Regular preventive maintenance is still the best way to avoid headaches and extends the life span of your car. As to the vehicle’s braking system, check the mileage count regularly to know if your brake fluid already needs flushing. Another important reason for this checking is to avoid air-contaminated brake fluids. Air-contaminated brake fluids can damage the overall vehicle braking system and may cost you more money.

This article has explained how to flush brake fluid with ABS. This is useful instructional material to gain more knowledge and eventually share with others, especially new car owners. Being mindful of your car’s health is a positive way of prolonging your car’s life span and lets you enjoy the comfort of driving without worrying anything might happen down the road.

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