It should go without saying that your brakes are the most important safety component on your car. Replacing brake pads and rotors is par for the course to ensure your vehicle stops when you want it to, but what’s this you’ve recently heard about a brake bleed or brake flush? Today, we talk about the differences between these maintenance items and which you need.
First, an overview of your brake system
To understand why you might need a brake bleed or flush, you first need to have a basic understanding about how your brake system works.
Your brakes work on a hydraulic system. When you press the brake pedal, the system transfers the pressure of your foot to your vehicle’s brakes. The lines that connect your brake pedal to the brakes themselves are filled with brake fluid. This fluid also keeps the hydraulic system lubricated and corrosion-free.
The lifespan of brake fluid varies from vehicle to vehicle, with some manufacturers recommending that you replace it every 3 years, others saying that it should be checked every 40 – 60,000 miles, and others yet saying that brake fluid will last the life of the vehicle. You’ll want to check your maintenance schedule to learn the exact recommendations for your car.
Regardless of interval, your brakes may be either bled or flushed at the time of service.
Does brake fluid need replacing between services?
For the most part, you shouldn’t need to touch your brakes between services. However, it’s still important to check your brake fluid as part of your maintenance schedule.
Ensuring that your vehicle has the right amount of brake fluid helps them work their best, so top off the reservoir if your levels are running low (just make sure to use the type recommended by the manufacturer in your owner’s manual).
What is the difference between a brake bleed and flush?
Now that you know how your brake system works and how brake fluid is a part of it, what does a brake bleed or brake flush have to do with it?
Brake bleed
A brake bleed involves pumping new brake fluid into the system in order to eliminate air that might be in the lines. Air bubbles can decrease the braking power of your vehicle, so a bleed may be recommended if you’ve noticed that your brakes aren’t as effective as they used to be.
Brake flush
A brake flush involves draining all of the old fluid out of your brake lines and replacing it with new fluid. This service may be valuable if your brake fluid has gone bad.
How does brake fluid go bad?
Even though your brake fluid is designed to last several years, it’s possible for it to go bad. Brake fluid that has gone bad will reduce the effectiveness of your brakes, making it harder to stop.
Your brake fluid can go bad when:
- The fluid has absorbed moisture, which can cause corrosion and damage in the braking system
- The fluid has been contaminated with dirt and/or debris from components in the braking system
- The fluid starts breaking down due to frequent exposure to high heat, such as hard stops from high speeds
Which should you choose, a brake bleed or brake flush?
A brake bleed is often all your vehicle needs to top off the fluids in your brake system and make sure that your brakes respond like they should when you press the pedal.
Whether your vehicle needs a brake flush or not depends on the performance of your vehicle and the manufacturer’s recommendations. If your brakes are still working normally and your manual doesn’t recommend a brake flush, there is likely no need to get this service performed.
If you’ve noticed any change in the way brakes handle, it’s important to get your vehicle serviced.
Talk to your mechanic if:
- You’ve noticed problems with braking
- Your vehicle is needing longer and longer distances to stop
- You’ve noticed that your brake pedal feels squishy
- Your brake fluid looks dark or has particles/debris floating in it
Brake Repairs And More At T3 Atlanta
If you need a brake bleed or brake flush, want to keep your car on its maintenance schedule, or require more intensive repairs, T3 Atlanta can help. We provide fast and friendly service for Nissan, Infiniti, Lexus, and Toyota vehicles. Give us a call and we’ll pen you in for an appointment today!
Tune ups as we know them today are completely different than they were when the term was first coined. A tune up in an early car was routine maintenance work on the vehicle’s ignition system to ensure that ignition and fueling worked in perfect tandem with each other.
Every modern vehicle comes with what’s known as a ‘maintenance schedule’. This schedule consists of routine work that is required after a certain amount of miles have been driven. A modern tune up is another way to refer to this routine maintenance.
Back in the day, old vehicles might need a tune up every 10,000 miles or so. Newer vehicles are designed to last longer and may go 20 – 30,000 miles between maintenance items. Depending on the condition of your vehicle and driving habits, you may need to get a car tune up earlier than this.
Like all stories, there’s a reason that letting your car come to operating temperature became common knowledge.
Modern vehicles are equipped with complex electronic systems that monitor how much air and fuel can enter the combustion chambers and make adjustments as needed. These sensors are as fast as they are accurate, and they ensure that your engine gets the correct amount of fuel regardless of whether you immediately put your car into ‘drive’ or not.
The paint on the outside of your vehicle is very susceptible to sun damage, so it’s important to keep your vehicle out of sunlight as much as possible, especially during the sunny summer months. The easiest way to do this is park your car in a garage or carport when possible.
It’s important to wash and wax your car regardless of the time of year, but it’s especially important during the summer. Over time, sunlight can fade the paint on the exterior of your vehicle. Wax protects your paint from damage, dirt and debris, as well as sap bird droppings that result from parking under the shade.
You can generally treat hard-top convertibles the same as other vehicles when it comes to protecting them from the summer sun. If you own a soft-top convertible, though, it’s important to 
The interior of your car can be affected by sun damage, too. Damage to these components can range from bleaching to cracking or warping. It may not impact the performance of your vehicle, but can affect its appearance and resale value.
It’s important to remember that your tires need protection, too. It’s natural for your tires to deteriorate with use and time, but regular exposure to UV rays can accelerate that process.
The general advice goes that you should change your oil every 3,000 miles. In fact, the exact frequency 
Your belts and hoses can be easy to forget about, but it’s important to check them when your car hasn’t been driven for a while. These vehicle components naturally degrade over time, but disuse can accelerate this degradation. For example, rubber hoses can dry out and crack when fluids aren’t regularly flowing through them.
Your car battery relies on the engine being run to recharge it. When your car isn’t being driven, the battery doesn’t have the chance to regain any power lost while your car has been sitting idle. A car battery tester can help you quickly identify how much charge your battery currently has, helping you eliminate the chance of getting stranded on the road.
Your tires likely won’t need a rotation if your car hasn’t been driven much, but it’s still important to make sure that they are properly inflated since your tires naturally lose air over time. This can impact the tread wear when you do take your vehicle out.
A less frequently considered part of car maintenance during the pandemic has to do with ‘new residents’. When your car is sitting idle and unused, it suddenly becomes prime real estate for certain rodents, such as mice and chipmunks. This is especially true for cars that are parked outdoors.
Most cars on the road these days are front-wheel drive vehicles. This type of car features a drivetrain that powers the two wheels at the front of the vehicle. There are several benefits of this type of drive train, including:
In a rear-wheel drive vehicle, the engine is positioned at the front of the vehicle and provides power to the wheels at the back of the car or truck. There are several benefits to a rear-wheel drive vehicle, including:
As the name suggests, 4-wheel drive (4WD) vehicles feature a drivetrain that is designed to deliver power to all four wheels. The vehicle may be designed to have a full or part-time system; part-time offers the additional choice for the driver to switch between rear and 4WD depending on their needs. There are several advantages of 4WD vehicles, including:
Although all-wheel and 4-wheel drive types may sound like different terms for the same thing, they work a little differently and are distinct enough to be considered their own category.
Regardless of how much or how little you drive your vehicle, car owners are eventually going to need to drop money on maintenance and repairs. After all, keeping your car on its maintenance schedule will prolong the lifespan of your vehicle and help prevent you from getting stranded on the side of the road.
Maybe you’re about to welcome a new member to your family and your two-seater won’t cut it anymore. Maybe you’re about to pick up off-roading as a new hobby and your minivan just isn’t up for the task. Perhaps you’ve decided to start driving for a ride-share service and you need a vehicle that’s more suited to transport passengers around town.
A change in employment – for better or for worse – can significantly impact whether it’s time to replace your car. A promotion or raise may mean you can comfortably afford that car which has been on your wish list, while a job loss may mean you need to trade your vehicle in for something more affordable.
Drive-ins don’t just operate in perfect weather; they’ll be open rain or shine. All the same, it’s a good idea to look at the weather report before you go and plan accordingly.
You can get concessions at the drive-in, but to save costs and also enjoy your favorite treats, you can also bring your own. Since you can’t have your car’s cabin lights on during the show, it’s best to pack food and drink that you can easily grab in the dark.
You and your fellow drivers are at the drive-in for one purpose: to enjoy a movie. Since you’re in your car and not in a theatre, it’s important to practice drive-in etiquette and not distract others from their viewing experience.
The reasoning behind this myth is that there are fewer impurities in premium gas, so your car can run cleaner and more efficiently with a tank full of the expensive stuff.
The train of thinking here is that you already have all the tools you need on hand to wash your car – assuming you have dish or laundry soap, of course. You save yourself cash and a trip to the auto supply store, all while getting the same results as a specially-formulated car washing solution, right?
Whether your car’s air conditioning wastes gas
The idea behind this myth is that gasoline, like other liquids, expands in warmer temperatures so pumping warm gas in the middle of the day means you’re getting less – literally – bang for your buck.
One of the most common car maintenance myths is that you need to get all of your tires replaced at the same time. This isn’t necessarily true. For front and rear-wheel drive vehicles, you can replace one, two, or even three tires at once. Just make sure they’re the same type as the remaining tires on your vehicle.
Carbon monoxide is a natural byproduct of your engine’s operations, and the designers of your vehicle have gone to great lengths to make sure your exhaust system keeps harmful fumes out of the cabin.
Carbon monoxide is odorless, invisible, and tasteless, so you may not know there’s a problem until you start to notice lightheadedness, dizziness, or headaches when you’re on the road. In worst case scenarios, you can even pass out while driving.
Aside from noticing the symptoms mentioned above, there are two ways to detect a carbon monoxide leak in your vehicle.
