When they purchase a Subaru Impreza, Perth drivers are getting one of the best family cars on the market. The Subaru Impreza performs well, but it’s also an extremely safe car thanks to the all wheel drive system, safety features, and the excellent braking system. The brakes on your car are your first line of defence in avoiding or mitigating the effects of a collision, so they need to be in good working order. One of the most important tasks is keeping your brake fluid topped up, but when should you replace it?
How Does a Braking System Work?
In the past, cars would use a cable operated braking system to bring the car to a halt. This could take a considerable amount of time, leading to longer stopping distances. Braking technology has moved on a great deal since then and in the very near future electrical braking systems will the de facto method the stop a vehicle.
At the moment the vast majority of cars use a braking system that relies on hydraulic brake fluid to work. The brake fluid hydraulic system pumps the fluid through a channel to convey energy from the brake pedal to the brake cylinder. As the foot pressure is applied, brake fluid stored in the master cylinder is pumped into the brake line and then to a brake cylinder or caliper. This hydraulic pressure then brings two separate halves of the brake caliper together, or it expands the brake shoes so it can make contact with the rotating drum that’s fixed to the wheels.
The Subaru Impreza has disc brakes; the brake caliper clamps the brake pads to a rotor disc that is attached to all four wheels on the car. The pressure of the clamping on these rotors is used to slow the wheel rotation rate. This will slow the Impreza down and eventually bring it to a complete stop.
What is Brake Fluid?
Brake fluid has been a generic term for a variety of fluids, such as alcohol, castor oil, mineral oil, silicon and glycol ether, over the years. All of these fluids share a property; they can boil at a minimum of 140ºC, which is a much higher level compared to water. This is very important; when friction is applied to kinetic energy, heat will build up rapidly. Any good brake fluid will not boil under normal conditions, it will not compress, and it shouldn’t corrode the braking system components.
How Often Should Brake Fluid be Changed?
Most car manufacturers recommend that the brake fluid should be entirely changed every two years. The old brake fluid is flushed out, replenished to the correct level and then the system must be bled to remove any air bubbles. This is necessary because brake fluid can draw water in via braking system seals and water will lower the boiling point making the braking less efficient.
If they are looking for a Subaru Impreza for sale, Perth based drivers should get in contact with Perth City Subaru to arrange a no obligation test drive.