Brake Fluid

Genuine Volkswagen Brake Linings and Brake Discs alone will not ensure optimum deceleration. Old brake fluid can also be a problem. The Volkswagen owner’s manual recommends discarding old brake fluid – at the latest every two years.

That is when the water content in the brake fluid starts to reach a dangerous level, because the boiling point then rapidly drops. The feared "step into nothing" threatens, because the brake force can no longer be transferred onto the brake callipers and the wheel brake cylinders. Hardly any hydraulic pressure, if any, is created because the brake fluid is so contaminated with water that cannot be compressed.

Brake fluid is required to work flawlessly at all times. As an integral part of the complete brake system, the high-performance brake fluid from Volkswagen provides for your safety.

        • When the brakes are applied, the brake fluid transmits the force exerted on the pedal to the brakes on the wheels, forcing the vehicle to slow down, if necessary to a standstill. It must be absolutely reliably at all times.

        • Brake fluids are required to have a high boiling point as bubbles of vapor could otherwise cause a pressure increase as the brakes heat up, which could cause a total brake failure.

        • The usual pressure is between 50 and 200 bar. On no account should the boiling point be less than 180°C. For reasons of safety with respect to function and effectiveness, brake fluid should be renewed by a VW-Certified Technician every 2 years.

VW Standard 501 14 is the very first standard to have been defined especially for new brake fluid. To avoid any confusion with conventional brake fluids or with brake fluids of poorer quality, make sure that your brake fluid satisfies the new standard.

The major advantages of brake fluid include:

        • Helping to optimise the quality, function and economy of the brake system.

        • Improved viscosity at low temperatures and guarantees a better performance at temperatures between 0 and 40°C.

        • A 10°C higher wet boiling point specified in VW Standard 501 14, which leads to greater operating safety with a water proportion of 4 percent.

With the new brake fluid, the pressure build-up times for the Electronic Stability Control (ESC) are reduced by up to 30 percent at low temperatures.

The new brake fluid represents optimum quality for the brake systems of all Volkswagen vehicles, both current and prior model year vehicles. It is fully compatible and can thus also be used for all prior model year vehicles. It can be mixed with fluid already in the vehicles and can therefore be used for topping up.

Still Need Help?

If you need help with your Volkswagen brake fluid, Ontario Volkswagen in the Inland Empire is happy to assist you. Our Volkswagen Certified Service Consultants can walk you through the process step by step and will make sure that your VW is correct before leaving.

You can schedule an appointment with us online or by calling our service center at 855-569-9561. Ontario Volkswagen is conveniently located in the Giant Ontario Auto Center at 701 S. Kettering Drive, Ontario, CA 91761.