To ensure your vehicle is properly maintained, AAA recommends that motorists:
- Read the maintenance requirements set by your car's manufacturer in the owner's manual. There is no longer a "standard" maintenance schedule for vehicle services – including brake fluid. Each automaker has different requirements, making your owner's manual the most accurate resource.
- Inspect brakes as recommended in your owner's manual, or sooner if you notice pulsations, pulling, noises while braking or longer stopping distance. Correct minor brake problems promptly. Check your owner's manual to see if the brake fluid should be changed at a specific interval. If no interval is specified for brake fluid service, AAA suggests flushing the system every two years or anytime the brake system is serviced.
- Follow the recommendations of in-vehicle maintenance reminders, as they have the best information to determine maintenance needs for your vehicle because they account for how you actually drive. However, many reminder systems do not specifically cover maintenance operations that need to be performed on a time or mileage basis – such as brake fluid and coolant flushes or timing-belt replacement.
- Enlist the help of a trusted repair provider to keep vehicle maintenance on track. Quality repair shops will help motorists schedule and budget for necessary maintenance services. Find a quality repair provider through AAA's Approved repair network by visiting AAA.com.
Additional information on AAA's recommendations for proper vehicle maintenance is available on the AAA Newsroom and AAA's YouTube channel. AAA's network of more than 7,000 Approved Auto Repair providers is listed on AAA.com. AAA members can receive a free maintenance inspection anytime they have work performed at any of these locations.
AAA continually conducts proprietary research to better understand implications of automotive technology, design and functionality for consumers.
As North America's largest motoring and leisure travel organization, AAA provides more than 54 million members with travel, insurance, financial and automotive-related services. Since its founding in 1902, the not-for-profit, fully tax-paying AAA has been a leader and advocate for the safety and security of all travelers.