Mercedes-Benz CLK550 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

(17)

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

(17)

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 Mercedes-Benz CLK550 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
2008 Mercedes-Benz CLK550V8-5.5LService typeBrake fluid is black or brown InspectionEstimate$114.99Shop/Dealer Price$132.49 - $145.62
2009 Mercedes-Benz CLK550V8-5.5LService typeBrake fluid is black or brown InspectionEstimate$94.99Shop/Dealer Price$112.52 - $125.67
2007 Mercedes-Benz CLK550V8-5.5LService typeBrake fluid is black or brown InspectionEstimate$94.99Shop/Dealer Price$112.52 - $125.67
Show example Mercedes-Benz CLK550 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 Mercedes-Benz mechanics

Real customer reviews from Mercedes-Benz owners like you.

Excellent Rating

(17)

Rating Summary
16
0
0
0
1
16
0
0
0
1

Keith

30 years of experience
76 reviews
Keith
30 years of experience
Mercedes-Benz CLK550 V8-5.5L - Pre-purchase Car Inspection - Phoenix, Arizona
Great job. Very professional. Yes I'd recommend him and give him a A+.

Damian

11 years of experience
465 reviews
Damian
11 years of experience
Mercedes-Benz CLK550 V8-5.5L - Control Arm Assembly Replacement (Front Upper Right, Front Lower Right) - Bowie, Maryland
Very prompt and professional. Knowledge of my car, identified the repair immediately.

Carlos

21 years of experience
47 reviews
Carlos
21 years of experience
Mercedes-Benz CLK550 V8-5.5L - Battery - Sugar Land, Texas
Carlos was fantastic. He called to let me know that he could come immediately to where I was. He was extremely professional, and got me going very quickly. I highly recommend him.

Jeff

33 years of experience
441 reviews
Jeff
33 years of experience
Mercedes-Benz CLK550 V8-5.5L - Engine is running louder than normal - Sacramento, California
Jeff is the best. Diagnosed the problem with my vehicle's suspension in no time.

Excellent Rating

(17)

Rating Summary
16
0
0
0
1
16
0
0
0
1
Number of Mercedes-Benz CLK550 services completed
187+
services done by our mechanics
TOTAL NUMBER OF EXPERT Mercedes-Benz MECHANICS
1100+
experts on our platform

Recent articles & questions

What Happens to Sensors if They are Dirty?
Car sensors can get dirty with normal use. Symptoms of dirty sensors include reduced engine power, worse gas mileage, or an engine that hesitates.
How a Car Ignition System Works
The The complicated process of a vehicle's ignition system requires precise timing on the part of the various systems involved. Starting a vehicle involves much more than just turning a key in the ignition switch; it requires each system to...
P0511 OBD-II Trouble Code: Idle Air Control Circuit
P0511 means that there exists an abnormal condition in the RPMs when the engine is idling due to faulty valves, electrical wiring, or a severe leak.

RPMs fluctuating

This sounds like there could possibly be a vacuum leak somewhere. My other guess is that the new idle air control valve may also be malfunctioning. If you switched out some parts lately, getting new car parts that are bad...

Milky residue at the oil cap

That depends on a lot of things. If you don't drive much, especially if you are one of those people like my wife who drives 3 miles to work and 3 miles back, you can get an oily residue. This...

I touched the positive and negative battery terminals together, now the car has no power at all

Everyone does this at some point. Sounds like there may be an issue with your starter. When you grounded the battery out, those wires are also connected to your starter and could have arced it out. But first, check your...

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