Brake Fluid code 7 after only 33k highway miles?

Design

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The evidence is pointing towards time-based or another calculation independent of mileage. Some owners are getting the Code 7 reading as early as 12K:
https://www.civicx.com/threads/question-about-a-1-7-code.30061/

My gut says we'll get a lot more of these threads in the next 18 months as more and more of our cars hit the 3 year mark. Or at minimum, a better understanding of what triggers the code.
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NoHonor937

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Working in engineering for the last 25 years, many times calibration and service intervals are set (or finalized) by sales people.

My main issue is that I just can't wrap my head around 2 years no matter what climate or driving style (city/why). I just dont get it.

If it's a moisture issue it would be much much worse in cities that have tons of rain and a non issue in Arizona.
you live in cleveland not arizona. you get lots of snow and MOISTURE.
 
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hunter44102

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you live in cleveland not arizona. you get lots of snow and MOISTURE.
That's my point. The car doesnt know I live in Cleveland so I would get the same code in AZ where my sister lives
 

fjrman

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Owner's Manual says brake fluid change every three years. Same OM for everyone in USA. General recommendation.
Not specific to average relative humidity.
It's a cheap car not a SpaceX rocket. One or two levels above a lawnmower on the hierarchy of machines.
 


Design

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There's really no reason to argue semantics. The bottom line is that if anyone is going to recommend/imply something outside the 'recommended' service interval, it's probably best to back it up with some hard data. A sample size of 2-3 owners claiming "nothing bad has happened yet" is not nearly as scientific as a single brake strip test illustrating the corrosion level (let alone the color).

Carry on... :cool:
 

andromeda

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I suspect that Honda's recommendations are more stringent than applicable to practical reality.

I ask again, since it wasn't answered before, just how does brake fluid "fail" ?
 

Design

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I suspect that Honda's recommendations are more stringent than applicable to practical reality.

I ask again, since it wasn't answered before, just how does brake fluid "fail" ?
True, Honda tends to err on the side of caution. But your definition of "practical reality" could be much different than someone who does most of their driving on a mountain road in varying traffic. :)

We tend to look at brake fluid performance from two perspectives - moisture and corrosion. A typical DOT 3 synthetic absorbs on average 1.5 - 2% of moisture (water) per year - perhaps a little less in drier climates. For each percentage increase, boiling point decreases on average by 25-50*. After 3-4 years, the boiling point can drop as low as 200*, depending on brand & quality. As we know... boiling fluid = brake fade = bad. And modern braking systems are much more susceptible to heat, thanks in part to the evolution in pad compounds.

Failure is pretty easy to spot. It's usually accompanied by a soft brake pedal and/or extended travel after repeated moderate to heavy braking. Troubleshooting involves the following:
  • Inspect fluid level and color
  • Inspect braking components
  • Inspect pads and rotors for glazing
  • Test fluid for moisture and corrosion
Corrosion resistance of the fluid isn't as big of an issue, but can still lead to failures in the calipers and ABS unit over time. Although it's fairly cheap/easy to measure, it's unnecessary unless the history of the fluid is unknown.

My 2 cents...
 
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jtamase

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I’m at the dealership right now, just said yes to the break fluid change because i dont know anything about this process. Is there a how-to for the civicx? Thanks!
 

bb49

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I’m at the dealership right now, just said yes to the break fluid change because i dont know anything about this process. Is there a how-to for the civicx? Thanks!
Can you tell us what the dealer charged for this job? This code came up on mine after just 20,000 km, 12000 miles.
 


Frixos

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Mcclaughry95

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Brake fluid is also Clutch fluid in the MT so I would change it when the MM tells me to.
 

Dario1101

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I got the code and my car recently just turned two years old. Had 24,500 miles on it when the code popped up. On Monday I flushed the brake fluid and reset the code associated with it. It doesn't feel much different, and it still breaks well, so I think I did a good job. I used Prestone DOT 3 brake fluid though, and it sure is different from the Honda Heavy Duty DOT 3 Brake Fluid. When I first got my car I had a look under the hood and noticed the brake fluid was a cool amber color. I have a picture of the fluid that came out of the brake fluid job and it was considerably darker at the start of the job than at the beginning.

I know that the owners manual says to use Non-Honda brake fluid as a temporary measure and to replace them with Honda brake fluid as soon as possible; is that really necessary? I thought as long as the specific rating of the brake fluid was DOT 3 that it should be okay. I will say this: Prestone's DOT 3 brake fluid is clear and it is very hard to see in the brake fluid reservoir. I'm not sure if I filled up to the max... I sure hope so!
 

Dario1101

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Here is something to know if you are ever doing your brake fluid change. Do NOT have the emergency brake on while you do the job. The moment you finish everything and undo the E-brake the little bit of compression that the brake makes will end up introducing air into the system it seems. I feel a little bit of air and I can also tell since the emergency brake is very hard to disengage now when the car is off and in neutral; that was not the case before the flush. Sadly, I flushed the system two times and only after I finished it the second time did I realize what I did wrong. What a shame. I really don't want to go through that whole process again haha.
 

GoodBytes

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You can get yourself some break fluid testers from amazon.
They are inexpensive, you just stick it and it will tell you if it is good or not, and how bad it is.
The reality of things, is that many people don't ever change the break fluid (assuming they keep the car for 5-7 years), but in the end, it all depends on where you live, and how many time you break. The system is not sealed, so Honda recommendation are on the very safe side (mostly for legal reasons).
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