Brake Fluid for Automobiles: Essential Knowledge for Vehicle Owners

If engine oil is the lifeblood of an automobile engine, then brake fluid is equally crucial to a vehicle's hydraulic braking system. To ensure safe vehicle operation, car owners must regularly flush and replace their brake fluid. Have you learned about this maintenance procedure? If not, let Huynh Chau guide you through the following article!

Related Articles:

• 8 Common Causes of Automobile Brake Fluid Leaks
• Everything You Need to Know About Automotive Brake Pads
• Understanding AMSOIL DOT 3 and 4 Synthetic Brake Fluid

Automobile brake fluid is an essential component of your vehicle.

1. Overview of Automotive Brake Fluid

1.1 What is Automotive Brake Fluid?

Automotive brake fluid, known in English as Brake Fluid, is a non-compressible hydraulic liquid that plays a critical role in operating an automobile's braking system. Brake fluid is manufactured from highly refined base oil combined with multifunctional additives, providing brake fluid with energy transmission capability, lubrication ability, and corrosion resistance. Brake fluid utilizes a base liquid as an intermediary and employs brake pressure to transmit the liquid to the braking components of the automobile.

While lubricating oils and engine oils are primarily used to reduce friction, cool components, and dissipate heat, the primary function of brake fluid is force transmission.

Because brake fluid is formulated from compounds with poor compressibility, automotive brake fluid can transmit pressure from the brake pedal to the braking system accurately and quickly.

Currently, there are many types of brake fluid such as glycol-based, silicone-based, and mineral oil varieties. Similar to engine oil, brake fluid also requires periodic inspection and replacement to ensure vehicle safety during operation.

Regular inspection of automotive brake fluid is essential to ensure vehicle safety.

1.2 Characteristics of Automotive Brake Fluid

Due to the non-compressible properties of the liquid, automotive brake fluid can transmit force from the vehicle's brake pedal to all braking system components with utmost precision. Since the force transmission function of automobile brakes requires brake fluid to have high viscosity while maintaining a low viscosity index, the physicochemical properties of automotive brake fluid must be stable, with low volatility and no foam formation.

To meet these requirements