Refilling your vehicle’s brake fluid is part of your vehicle’s maintenance calendar. However, you should be careful when you’re handling brake fluid because it can damage and leave marks on your vehicle’s paint.
In this article, we’ll tackle why brake fluid affects vehicle paint and what you can do to remove brake fluid marks.
Why Brake Fluid Creates Marks On Paint
Glycol-based brake fluids have molecules that can react with paint and cause it to peel.
If you accidentally spill brake fluid on your vehicle’s paint, then you need to act quickly. Brake fluid affects car paint like paint thinner. It’ll eat away your paint and expose the metal beneath. Brake fluid only damages the paint that it touches, so it’ll leave drip marks as it flows downward. Unlike bird droppings or other stains, brake fluid marks are permanent.
Luckily, brake fluid doesn’t leave a mark instantly. It can take around five minutes before the brake fluid damages your paint. This gives you ample time to clean it up.
The brake fluid’s effect on car paint will become visible after five minutes. At this point, it’ll compromise your vehicle’s clear coat and leave dull marks. After ten minutes, the brake fluid will penetrate the clear coat and stain the paint. After more than thirty minutes, paint damage will be evident.
A vehicle’s clear wax coating can offer additional protection from brake fluid. Meanwhile, older cars with low-quality paint or cars that don’t have any wax protection are more susceptible to damage.
How To Safely Remove Brake Fluid From Paint
Since brake fluid can cause paint to peel, it can also be harmful to a person’s skin. You should take precautions such as wearing gloves when it comes to cleaning spilled brake fluid.
Use a paper towel to soak the spilled brake fluid. Avoid wiping the brake fluid across your vehicle’s paint, since it can spread the fluid across the surface, which can damage a larger area. Instead, place several paper towels over the affected area and let them absorb the brake fluid.
Afterward, use water and soap to rinse the affected area. Soap is an effective brake fluid remover, so it’ll remove any leftover residue. You can dip a soft sponge or cloth into a soap solution and gently scrub the affected area. Note that the brake fluid could have affected the paint, so make sure that you don’t scrub too vigorously.
Only glycol-based brake fluids or DOT 3 or 4 brake fluids are corrosive and can cause paint damage. Silicon-based brake fluids or DOT 5 brake fluids are non-corrosive and won’t damage your vehicle’s paint. Unfortunately, most vehicles use DOT 3 or 4 brake fluid.
DOT 5 brake fluid is silicone-based and won’t damage your vehicle. Unfortunately, most vehicles don’t use DOT 5 brake fluid. Instead, they use either DOT 3 or 4.
–Anthony Harlin, ASE Certified Master Automobile Technician
How To Repair Brake Fluid Paint Damage
If brake fluid has damaged your paint, you should have a reputable vehicle body shop look at the damaged area. Brake fluid might not have exposed the metal underneath, but it can sometimes soften the paint layers, which can eventually cause the paint to peel. A small spot can turn into an ugly rust spot if left untreated.
Fixing brake fluid paint damage can be as simple as repainting the affected area with color-matched paint, which is a simple task for a reputable vehicle body shop.
You should be extra careful if you ever find yourself working with brake fluid. You can take precautions such as covering your car’s paint with towels or covers when refilling your brake reservoir. At the end of the day, adding a few extra steps to prevent unwanted accidents could save your vehicle from getting an ugly scar.
Get a New Brake Fluid That You Can Rely On
The paint job isn’t the only thing you should worry about when working with brake fluid. You need a formula that meets the specifications recommended by the manufacturer. Fortunately, CarParts.com can provide you with a brake fluid formulated for your vehicle’s unique requirements.
CarParts.com has a wide selection of products that include brake fluids. We exclusively source our products from manufacturers trusted by many drivers across the US. Finding the right brake fluid for your car or truck is easy. On our website, enter your vehicle’s manufacture year, make, model, and engine in our integrated vehicle selector. When you identify the brake fluid you want, use our secure online shopping process to order the product. We deliver to your doorstep, and you won’t have to wait for more than a few business days if you live in the continental US and order before noon ET.
Get great discounts on brake fluid products at CarParts.com. Browse our selection of brake fluids to get a great deal on your purchase today!
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