Brake Fluid "?" - 2003 Elantra

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Now that I have found a nice mechanic 5 min away from my house, I thought of getting a brake fluid bleed/refill. (rotors/pads still ok according to mechanic). Brakes feel a bit spongy and stopping power low-ish...

1. Shall I just get OEM/Hyundai stuff? It's pretty cheeap and DOT3 type is available on Amazon.
(DOT3/DOT4? does it matter? EDIT: Owners manual states DOT3 OR DOT4 - any advantages/disadvantages to using DOT4?)

or is there a better/cheaper alternative than OEM fluid?

I THINK DOT3 was recommended for this car, but can I safely use DOT4? They SHOULD be backwards compatible, right?

Also, how much will be needed for a full bleed/refill?
Owner's manual says "as needed"
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2. Considering the car has 211k miles, should I replace the front brake hoses, or is it overkill? (about $15 for parts - Friendly mechanic said brake bleed/refill he will charge about $40)

3. Also, when I push the brake pedal I hear this SQUEAK noise but it comes from the REAR wheel area..
The squeak occurs when I LET GO of the pedal after pushing (so, while the pedal is returning to normal position), NOT when pushing it. Happens when car is still AND moving
what can that be? Drums? (It's a GLS so it has DRUM brakes on rear); Parking brake? (I almost never set the parking/emergency brake when parking, FYI)
 
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Thanks.

But will doing that NOW solve the CURRENT problem? or is it too late?
(I will try to develop the habit of doing it once the current problem is solved/remedied).
 
Replace the front and rear flex hoses. They're due. It makes no sense to just change the front.

They can get weak and give you a spongy feel just by themselves.

Chances are your rear brakes need adjusting. They should self adjust but after a while the adjusters usually stop functioning correctly.
 
DOT 4 is backwards compatible but... is required to be changed every 2 years while DOT 3 is recommended to be changed every 3 years. If the fluid is dual rated DOT 3-4 it can be used for 3 or more years in a car that specs DOT 3, but must be changed at 2 years if DOT 4 is speced.

The OEM fluid should be good enough if you can get it for a decent price. If you can find the new DOT 5.1 fluid it would probably be better. DO NOT use DOT 5.0; it is not compatible with 3, 4 or 5.1.

I would only change the hoses if they are starting to get weather checks or are damaged. You never know, new ones might fail sooner than just leaving the old ones. If you are going to change them, go ahead and change the rear hoses too. On your Hyundai if you blow a rear hose, you will also lose brake pressure on the diagonally opposite front brake at the same time.

The squeak on release is just typical drum brake noise. If it bothers you pull the drums and thoroughly wash everything except for the spindle with warm water and detergent. Then very lightly grease any rub points with high temp brake grease.
 
Thanks, guys, for the great info!
I will ponder more on the hoses; but will try to get Valvoline or some other DOT3/4 BF for now...
 
Before you buy DOT 4 there have been a few posts by some others here who are pretty well versed in automotive chemistry and they believe that it is POSSIBLE that some of the additives in
DOT 4 may not be completely compatible in vehicles where DOT 3 is called for. rubber or plastic could be adversely affected.

My advice is to use the exact DOT version that your cars
owners manual advises to use. (or it is labeled on the brake fluid reservoir cap.

Do not use any DOT "3-4" fluids either.

Use the DOT 3 ONLY that Hyundai called for.
 
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Originally Posted By: antiqueshell

DOT 4 may not be completely compatible in vehicles where DOT 3 is called for. rubber or plastic could be adversely affected.

My advice is to use the exact DOT version that your cars
owners manual advises to use. (or it is labeled on the brake fluid reservoir cap.
Do not use any DOT "3-4" fluids either.
Use the DOT 3 ONLY that Hyundai called for.

Yep I have read that too, about DOT4...

but but but look:
This is from the Elantra owners manual (yes, correct year and all):
it does NOT say ONLY DOT3 : it says DOT 3 OR DOT 4:



What do you do in THAT case ??
 
Originally Posted By: 901Memphis
Valvoline or Prestone dot 3 will be good. Both are synthetic but I guess it all is these days.
ALL brake fluid is synthetic.
 
If it says DOT 3 or DOT 4 either will work fine. But DOT 4 would be an upgrade (higher dry and wet boiling point) and new model Hyundai's now spec DOT 4 exclusively.
 
Originally Posted By: antiqueshell
What does the brake reservoir cap say? That is what I would use in this case.


Here's the brake fluid reservoir cap
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It also says DOT3 OR DOT4:


 
Originally Posted By: 97tbird





LOL A wise guy, hmmm?
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I would think about what the manufacturer originally filled the system with, and since most mass manufacturers of economy oriented vehicles go cheapest I would bet that Hyundai used DOT 3 when the car was made. A guess , but probably a safe bet.
 
It doesn't matter what brake fluid you use as long as you change it every 2-3 years. The regular brake fluid flushes are MUCH more important than what fluid you actually use. Any brake fluid that isn't silicone is fine.

However, I happen to like Wagner Severe Duty DOT 5.1 (5.1 *is* compatible with DOT 3-4 and is NOT silicone). Dry boiling point is 500, and the wet boiling point is 356.

Castrol DOT 4 is also very good. Supposedly it absorbs moisture more slowly than other brake fluids. It used to be called LMA (low moisture activity). Dry BP 509, wet BP 329

The aforementioned Valvoline is a good choice too, often the cheapest DOT 4 available, and is labeled DOT 3&4. Dry 480, wet 311

But even cheap Walmart DOT 3 is fine. Remember, changing it out every 2-3 years is more important than what you actually use.
 
I use DOT4 in everything and have no problem. I hear all the time that it will not last as long as DOT3, but the opposite happens to all cars in my family.

See if you can find low viscosity DOT4. According to the manufacturers, it helps the ABS brakes to function more quickly. I get Pentosin DOT4LV at Carquest.
 
Thanks again, guys.
I will let you know what I go with. I do believe Antiqueshell, that the factory fluid was DOT3.

Low visc. is not much of a factor, as the car does not have ABS.
 
UPDATE on the squeak noise:

The noise is definitely E-brake related:

- When E brake is engaged and releasing foot brake pedal: NO NOISE.
- When E brake OFF and releasing foot brake pedal: SQUEAK
- When engaging E brake itself: NO NOISE
- When releasing E brake: SQUEAK!
 
Your noise is definitely brake shoe related. Our 01 Elantra does the same thing. The shoes are making noise as they move across the backing plate. Do as suggested earlier and clean/lube the sliding points. I've already done ours once and need to do it again. Maybe I'll do it today if I get ambitious.

The reason why it won't make the noise when the e-brake is engaged is because the shoes are already planted against the drum and pushing the brake pedal doesn't make them move in or out.

The noise comes when the shoes move back to the released position, whether they're actuated by the e-brake or the brake pedal.
 
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