I got my brake fluid serviced at the dealer thinking that it'll help eliminate early brake fade, but it doesn't seem to be doing its job all that well and I once was decelerrating normally by applying the brake downhill and after that I noticed a strong smell. Obviously that was because of the brakes, curious is that smell released because of the fluid or is that a whole 'nother issue.

Anyway I should mention that after a few stops in a warm day 80+ degrees Farenheit I notice that the brakes feel as if ABS is engaged, I'm pretty confident the rotors are not warped as there is no feeling of pulsation when I apply the brakes after the car has been sitting a while.

Question is how do I check if the brake fluid was actually changed, and does the brake fluid change actually help eliminate some brake fade.

Car just hit 40,000mi 2006 Acura TL.

 

Brake fluid will not effect brake fade.

Fade is most normally from the pads/rotors getting so hot they basically slide across each other instead of grabbing each other. Once they cool down, everything seems normal again.

Some fade in the *pedal feel* will come from the brake hoses expanding under pressure. When the brake fluid is hot, the brake lines will expand more. But this is more of a secondary type of fade; on its own it will increase pedal travel initially, but not decrease braking performance much. This is most normally addressed with Stainless Steel Brake Lines.

IF your brake fluid reaches boiling temperatures any water in the lines (brake fluid is hygroscopic - it attracts water) can boil into vapor. Water vapor is compressible and the pedal will get soft. I was under the impression that if this happens, the pedal will be soft ALL the time. Too much water vapor and the hydraulics basically fail and you cannot provide enough pedal to get the calipers to close on tightly on the rotor. That would *feel* like Brake Fade, but I don't think of it as Brake Fade.

For that (overheating the Brake Fluid) changing to new or higher Wet Boiling Point Fluid would help.

 

I guess stainless steel brake lines are in order.

 

open the cap up and take a look a the color of the fluid, is it clear? Red? Dirty looking?

 

From my limited knowledge in this area, I recommend that you change brand of brake pads.

Don't wait for your current pads to wear down. Buy a quality, high performance pads and have those installed now.

Go with a high performance pad. The high performance pad is designed to bite harder as the brakes get hotter. See. This is the opposite of what you have now...now, your pads are biting less as they get hot. I see this as your only solution.

 

Open the cap and check the fluid color to see if the work was done hahahahahahahahahahaa

What happens sometimes when it's busy: the fluid in the master cyl gets sucked out and replaced with new. The area wiped clean as if it had been worked in. With the plan to bleed the system correctly next time the car is in--and not say anything!

The only way to confirm fluid change is to do a manual bleed of one of the rear calipers, the farthest end of the system driver rear caliper- its odd but true
The color of the fluid coming out from there is the tell all,- brand new looks brand new
if its dirty- there was no change.
Moisture in the fluid gives you that fade feel because the moisture does compress under pressure---

brake fluid needs to be changed every year starting at year 3 and then EVERY year forever.
rubber lines give that soft pedal feel too when they are hot and repeated use, or just bleeding the brakes watch them swell with pressure-
You have to start with good brakes,,, you dont know the condition of yours and have some belief about them parked and how that relates to pressure vibrations??
The rotors need to be resurfaced- common on the 1st brake pad replacement- then next time it gets rotors too
Have a professional- not the dealer- inspect your brakes now and fix whats wrong

40,000 MILES and never had brakes!?- wow,,- you need a brake inspection- I bet the rotors are warped and you need new pads
Who did the brake fluid flush and didnt do a brake inspection? thats a crazy liabilty risk there!!!

Smells could be an actual fluid leak getting on the exhaust
Check the fill level of the brake cylinder - it should be right up to the base of the neck
If much lower there may be a bleeder valve leaking
Or there may be a slight spill of engien oil or trans fluid or something- was it in for a service?
If you cant see whats wrong, go back and ask to speak with the tech and the manager.

They want you r car right when it leaves the shop.
Acura sends out phone calls, cards, and email surveys of customer satisfaction -
those directly relate to bonuses coming or not---so they will work to make you happy~

 

Have you had the gen3 RECALL for the power steering hose fixed- ]
you know, the one that breaks and sprays flammable fluid on the hot exhaust- maybe yours is leaking a little- soon enough it will erupt in a fireball.... as you look for a way off the road....quickly and with liitle steering control.
Get those recalls fixed NOW- power steering hose and windshield wiper motor that just quits one day at a young age!