Why does VW specify changing brake fluid every 24K?

We could try to fixate on only one thing but it is probably a combination of factors including:

- Revenue for dealership shops
- Err on the side of safety, they'll be checking things in addition to changing fluid.
- Poor design that doesn't hold up as long as some other brands
- Shift the warranty burden onto customers, so if you didn't tow the line and do every xyz maintenance item, your warranty on that subsystem is void.
 
any number of reasons- if you own one I would email their technical site and ask directly.

I don't say that to be "cutesy" but I know from experience that when OEM's deviate from what we can call "norms' there is always a reason and a driver.

If you own one it might benefit you to know
 
If anything brakes on German vehicles are longer lasting in every respect than anything Asian or American.
I'd like to hear Travs experience on this matter.
 
Honda says three years no matter what the miles are.

Frequently they need to say something, so they error on the side of safety.

Plus I can't imagine the dealer being upset about it.
 
Originally Posted by skyactiv
If anything brakes on German vehicles are longer lasting in every respect than anything Asian or American.
I'd like to hear Travs experience on this matter.


The surveys I've seen of average yearly vehicle maintenance and repair costs don't support that.
 
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Brake fluid absorbs moisture which affects it's boiling point and effectiveness......I think the term is 'hygroscopic'...
 
Answers here
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You can probably get away with doing it when you replace the pads and rotors, but brake fluid life mostly depends more on time than mileage, unless you boil the fluid
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Most cars go to the junkyard on their original brake fluid
 
Originally Posted by dwcopple
That seems unreasonable

It is VERY reasonable.
First of all, warranty is not conditioning you to change brake fluid in dealership.
Second, brake fluid is hygroscopic. It absorbs moisture, when it does your boiling point goes down, when it goes down due to presence of moisture it can create "air pocket," and when it does you are out of brakes.
Third, it is cultural thing. Europeans, but especially Germans are obsessed with technical conditions of their vehicles. Every time you want to register car you need to pass technical inspection. One of the things they will check is boiling point or % of moisture (depends how each country does it). If boiling point is below 120c (as far as I remember when I was doing it) you cannot register vehicle. If moisture level is 3% or higher, you are also out (that is just brake fluid. There is slew of other things including how your headlight beams are set up).
So, when VW creates manual there is a LOT of cultural preferences that trickle down into it.
I personally change fluid every two years on all three vehicles using ATE TYP200 fluid. But then, I also have winter tires for all three vehicles etc.
It is your choice.
 
Originally Posted by pbm
Brake fluid absorbs moisture which affects it's boiling point and effectiveness......I think the term is 'hygroscopic'...

And the fluid they use these days is very hydroscopic.
 
Brake fluid should be change every 2-3 years so while 24K seems a bit low it's not out of line. I would try to do this within the warranty period so there are no issues.

Paul
 
Originally Posted by dwcopple
Why does VW specify changing brake fluid every 24K?

That seems unreasonable

They say to change the oil every "x" miles as well but the holy grail around here is oil analysis and time after time, the majority of those indicate that the oil can go thousands of miles longer. Oh wait, "it's cheap insurance" changing the oil every 3000 miles....

Back to VW, do they "recommend" or "require" this interval ?
 
Originally Posted by edyvw
Originally Posted by dwcopple


That seems unreasonable


It is VERY reasonable.
First of all, warranty is not conditioning you to change brake fluid in dealership.
Second, brake fluid is hygroscopic. It absorbs moisture, when it does your boiling point goes down, when it goes down due to presence of moisture it can create "air pocket," and when it does you are out of brakes.
Third, it is cultural thing. Europeans, but especially Germans are obsessed with technical conditions of their vehicles. Every time you want to register car you need to pass technical inspection. One of the things they will check is boiling point or % of moisture (depends how each country does it). If boiling point is below 120c (as far as I remember when I was doing it) you cannot register vehicle. If moisture level is 3% or higher, you are also out (that is just brake fluid. There is slew of other things including how your headlight beams are set up).
So, when VW creates manual there is a LOT of cultural preferences that trickle down into it.
I personally change fluid every two years on all three vehicles using ATE TYP200 fluid. But then, I also have winter tires for all three vehicles etc.
It is your choice.


^^++1...AND... moisture in brake fluid causes corrosion. Like Yah-Tah-Hey says... do this and you generally will avert caliper bore and wheel cyl bore pitting / seal failure. Do this + vacuum bleed only at the calipers and/or wheel cylinders and you will ALSO protect the master cyl. Pressure bleeding will also preserve the master cyl. - but use the two-person method of bleeding and you will soon have a knackered master cyl (unless it is a brand new master cyl).

For best results also cycle the ABS unit too.
 
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Originally Posted by Pelican
On my Lexus it say every 3 years. On my MB it says every 2 years.


Yeah, MB has been 2 years for a very long time. I think that's their standard recommendation on all their cars.

I seem to recall that the difference was that although brake fluid like dot 4 and up are less hygroscopic than dot 3, it doesn't take as much to hit the wet boiling spec.
 
Mercedes (2018) specifies every 20,000 miles. Of course they also specify 10,000 mile oil changes, so what do they know?
Rolls Royce USED to specify every 100,000 miles, but that was probably before lawyers got involved.
 
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