GAFLE

Many mechanics only associate brake fluid with basic braking force transmission, ignoring the fact that the hydraulic modulator inside ABS and ESP is extremely precise. Contaminated, aged or substandard brake fluid can clog small solenoid valves inside the hydraulic unit, leading to delayed response or even failure of anti-lock and stability control functions.

When the vehicle skids, the ABS hydraulic unit opens and closes tiny solenoid valves hundreds of times per second. These valves have very narrow internal passages. If brake fluid contains sludge, metal particles or aging residues, the fine channels can get partially blocked. Blocked valves cannot build or release pressure quickly enough. In this situation, the ABS warning light may turn on, and the anti-lock function will not activate during emergency braking.

Water-contaminated brake fluid creates corrosion inside the ABS modulator. The small internal pistons and valve seats are made of precision metal alloys. Corrosion pitting causes sticking of moving parts. Repairing or replacing an ABS hydraulic unit is extremely expensive for vehicle owners. Using high-quality brake fluid and sticking to regular flush cycles is far more cost-effective than repairing damaged ABS components.

Most passenger cars with ABS and ESP require glycol-based DOT4 brake fluid. You must never mix incompatible silicone brake fluid into these systems. When performing a full brake fluid flush on ABS-equipped vehicles, technicians need to activate the ABS pump during bleeding, to fully remove old fluid trapped inside the hydraulic modulator. Simply bleeding the four wheel calipers cannot clean out all old fluid inside the ABS unit.

You can educate your customers that ABS faults are not always caused by electronic sensors; degraded brake fluid is a very common mechanical trigger. Gafle DOT4 brake fluid is formulated to keep ABS hydraulic units clean and stable. Our technical team can supply service guides for your workshop clients. Reach out to us for bulk pricing and supporting marketing materials.