Dodge W250 Brake fluid is black or brown Inspection at your home or office.

Our certified mobile mechanics come to you 7 days a week between 7 AM and 9 PM.

Estimate price near me

Service Location

Customer Ratings

(8,649)

How A Diagnostic Works

Instantly book a certified mobile mechanic to come to you

Mechanic diagnoses the problem and quotes necessary repairs

Your vehicle is ready to go

Fair, upfront & transparent pricing for all services

Our certified mobile mechanics can come to you now.

Customer Ratings

(8,649)

Brake fluid is black or brown Inspection Service

How much does a Brake fluid is black or brown Inspection cost?

On average, the cost for a Dodge W250 Brake fluid is black or brown Inspection is $95 with $0 for parts and $95 for labor. Prices may vary depending on your location.

CarServiceEstimateShop/Dealer Price
1989 Dodge W250V8-5.2LService typeBrake fluid is black or brown InspectionEstimate$114.99Shop/Dealer Price$124.99 - $132.49
1983 Dodge W250V8-5.2LService typeBrake fluid is black or brown InspectionEstimate$94.99Shop/Dealer Price$105.01 - $112.52
1991 Dodge W250V8-5.9LService typeBrake fluid is black or brown InspectionEstimate$94.99Shop/Dealer Price$105.01 - $112.52
1987 Dodge W250V8-5.9LService typeBrake fluid is black or brown InspectionEstimate$94.99Shop/Dealer Price$104.99 - $112.48
1988 Dodge W250V8-5.2LService typeBrake fluid is black or brown InspectionEstimate$94.99Shop/Dealer Price$105.02 - $112.55
1987 Dodge W250V8-5.2LService typeBrake fluid is black or brown InspectionEstimate$94.99Shop/Dealer Price$105.01 - $112.52
1992 Dodge W250V8-5.9LService typeBrake fluid is black or brown InspectionEstimate$99.99Shop/Dealer Price$109.87 - $117.28
1986 Dodge W250V8-5.2LService typeBrake fluid is black or brown InspectionEstimate$99.99Shop/Dealer Price$110.24 - $117.94
Show example Dodge W250 Brake fluid is black or brown Inspection prices

Your car requires several different fluids in order to operate. Engine oil, transmission fluid, power steering fluid and coolant are all essential. Another important one is brake fluid. Like other fluids, your brake fluid will deteriorate over time and eventually need to be replaced with a brake system flush. If you’ve noticed that your brake fluid appears black or brown, it’s well past time for a service.

How this system works:

Your brakes are operated by fluid pressure. The master cylinder and brake booster work to create pressure, which is then directed to the moving parts of the system (the calipers and shoe actuators). In a normal system, the brake fluid is clear or very light gold in color. This is true whether your car requires DOT 3, 4 or 5 brake fluid.

Brake fluid is held in the master cylinder reservoir, but it is also stored in the brake lines that run from the master cylinder to each wheel. You have two types of brake lines – steel and rubber. Over time and through normal use, brake fluid becomes contaminated. This happens on all vehicles, even brand new ones.

It requires only a couple of years for the fluid to build up enough contaminants that the color begins to change. It will darken over time, changing from clear/golden to a darker gold. In severe situations, your brake fluid may appear to be brown, or even black (think used engine oil).

It’s important that your brake fluid is changed regularly, before it turns brown or black. Very dark colors indicate that your fluid has collected a significant amount of contamination, and might have absorbed moisture, as well. This reduces the system’s ability to build pressure, which compromises your braking performance. You may have noticed that your brake pedal feels softer, or spongy. In serious situations, you may have to pump the pedal a couple of times for it to work properly.

Common reasons for this to happen:

  • Normal Aging Gone to the Extreme: The most common reason that brake fluid appears brown or black is that normal aging has gone unchecked (you haven’t had the fluid changed in too long). Contaminants collect in the fluid, darkening the color and reducing its ability to work.

  • Moisture Contamination: Brake fluid can absorb moisture from the surrounding air. This generally occurs by rubber brake lines allowing moisture to seep in. When moisture accumulates in brake fluid, it causes problems in a couple of ways. Water has a much lower boiling point than brake fluid, and can reach very high temperatures at the calipers and drums. This causes the water to flash boil into steam, causing the brake fluid to darken, but also creating air in the lines. This can cause a soft pedal, or even cause you to have to pump the brake pedal to get the system to work properly.

  • Deteriorating Rubber Lines: The rubber brake lines on your car will eventually deteriorate and need to be replaced. Brake fluid is also corrosive, and while the lines are designed to withstand that corrosion, they’ll eventually begin to break down. Microscopic pieces of rubber and chemicals leaching out of the lines into the fluid will also cause it to darken.

  • Normal Heating: Brake fluid is heated by contact with the calipers, and this heat creates a chemical change in the fluid, adding to the darkening created by moisture and other types of contamination.

What to expect:

A top-rated mobile mechanic will come to your home or office and visually inspect your brake fluid’s condition, the master cylinder and the rest of the system to determine if the problem is simply due to normal age and wear/tear. The mechanic will then provide a detailed inspection report that includes the scope and cost of the necessary repairs.

How it's done:

The mechanic will inspect the master cylinder, lines and other brake system components. The mechanic will also determine how long it has been since your brake fluid was last changed, and may need to perform a brake fluid flush to remove the contaminated, old fluid and replace it with fresh, clean fluid.

How important is this service?

Brake fluid darkens as it ages – it’s natural, and due to normal contamination that occurs in all brake systems. However, it must be changed regularly, or you risk reduced braking performance and the deterioration or damage of other brake system components. One of our professional mechanics can inspect your system, change your fluid, and ensure that you enjoy the safety you deserve on the road.

Fast and easy service at your home or office

Backed by 12-month, 12.000-mile guarantee


Meet some of our expert Dodge mechanics

Real customer reviews from Dodge owners like you.

Excellent Rating

(8,649)

Rating Summary
8,120
290
51
42
146
8,120
290
51
42
146

Nick

66 years of experience
96 reviews
Nick
66 years of experience
Dodge W250 V8-5.9L - Put the Spare Tire - Sacramento, California
Nick arrived on time and did the job professionally and correctly.

Kevo

312 years of experience
189 reviews
Kevo
312 years of experience
Dodge W250 V8-5.9L - Starter - Sacramento, California
Will use again. Kevin is a top notch mechanic! Thanks again

Joseph

20 years of experience
652 reviews
Joseph
20 years of experience
Dodge Nitro V6-3.7L - Windows - Salt Lake City, Utah
He was awesome! He explained everything to me and even went out of his way to help fix my car within the time frame I had! Thank you so much -- I appreciate that!

Joseph

20 years of experience
652 reviews
Joseph
20 years of experience
Dodge Avenger V6-2.7L - Alternator - Syracuse, Utah
Did an awesome job getting my car to work again. Arrived on time, friendly and trusted.

Excellent Rating

(8,649)

Rating Summary
8,120
290
51
42
146
8,120
290
51
42
146
Number of Dodge services completed
95139+
services done by our mechanics
TOTAL NUMBER OF EXPERT Dodge MECHANICS
1400+
experts on our platform

Recent articles & questions

How Does a Distributor Work?
In In older cars, a distributor is one of the central parts of the ignition system. Since the early 1990's, many automakers have moved to using ignition systems without distributors. Though the number of cars with distributors has declined over...
The Story of YourMechanic
Why Why YourMechanic began The car repair industry, as it has stood for over a hundred years, is often met with skepticism. Car owners who aren’t car experts (which, let’s face it, is most of us) rely on the honesty...
P2410 OBD-II Trouble Code: Fuel Cap Sensor/Switch Circuit Low
P2410 means there is a fault with the fuel cap sensor switch, possibly due to a bad sensor, improperly installed cap, or electrical defects.

Tail pipe sucks in at times, sucks in a dollar bill

If you have an engine that is running rough and misfiring and the exhaust is sucking in sometimes then you may have an exhaust valve that is sticking open. You should have a compression test to the motor. The valves...

wiggle steering wheel to start engine ?

Hi there. It is quite possible that the issue you're experiencing is due to an exposed electrical wire that is creating a short inside the steering column, within the ignition switch or possibly the ignition relay. Diagnosing this issue is...

If my car goes below 1000 rpm it'll stall

What you are describing sounds like a dirty or failing idle air control valve. The idle air control valve (https://www.yourmechanic.com/services/idle-control-valve-replacement) monitors the air intake as it is mixed with fuel prior to being injected into the engine at low speeds...

How can we help?

Our service team is available 7 days a week, Monday - Friday from 6 AM to 5 PM PST, Saturday - Sunday 7 AM - 4 PM PST.

1 (844) 997-3624 · hi@yourmechanic.com