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I have a 2009 Civic. I will be changing the brake fluid. Does anyone know what the capacity is? Is there any difference between the Honda brake fluid and the regular DOT 3 or 4?

 
Rep Power: 812

pretty much the same stuff. i would get the bigger bottle so you dont run out. the valvoline fluid is good.

 
Rep Power: 185

Any reason you're changing the brake fluid on an 09? There shouldn't be anything wrong with it.

 
Rep Power: 812

should be changed every 2-3 yrs.

 
Rep Power: 185

Personally, I'd never mess with brake fluid unless it's low. As long as air isn't getting into the resevoir it shouldn't be deteriorating.

 
Rep Power: 352

After a while air and crap will get into ur system through the caliper seals and such and ur brake fluid will deteriorate. Ur brake system is not a completely closed system.


You want to bleed ur brakes every year or 12,000 miles

And you want to flush ur system with new fluid every 2-3 years

You do NOT want to wait till the fluid is low

 
Rep Power: 352

A dot4 standard has a higher wet/dry boiling point than a dot3 standard brakefluid

Usually when it says "dot3 and dot4 compatible" it means the brake fluid is a dot4 standard and since the dot4 standard is higher than dot3, you can use this brakefluid for applications that use dot3 fluid

 
Rep Power: 812

i waited 3.5 yrs cause i didnt have the money to get a flush and the brakes changed separately, and there were all sorts of floaty chunks in the reservoir and fluid was dark. i sucked the chunks out before taking it in so it wouldnt get stuck in the lines. this was in a dry desert climate with a pretty new cap. i dont think i would even wait 3 yrs anymore unless i had to. 2 yrs is a good time to get use from the fluid but not long enough to degrade the fluid. honda does recommend 3 yrs (not mileage dependent) for a flush of the brake fluid.

 
Rep Power: 352

True that Honda recommends every 2 years but that's just the average. If u live in hotter or colder weather, the maintenance intervals will come much sooner.*

And once air or water gets into ur brake lines (especially in the caliper area) the wet/dry boiling point really suffers....especially under heavy braking, ur brakes get HOT

 
Rep Power: 253

Not only does braking suffer if you dont change fluid, your brake pistons can sieze and many times they cant be rebuilt and need to be changed all together.

 
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I am adding to my fluid on my 09 Civic. Will any DOT3/4 fluid work?

 
Rep Power: 188

If it has Dot 3 in it and your not replacing it then i would use any dot 3..you can mix brands just not grades..

 
Rep Power: 352

im most parts store, they only offer a "dot3/dot4"

most of them are a true DOT4 fluid but it is backward compatible. so if the bottle says DOT4, it is safe to use on a car that has been running DOT3 (but at that point you should flush ur system)


the only brake fluid u DONT WANT TO MIX is a DOT 3/4/5.1 with a DOT5.

DOT 5 brake fluid is a silicone base fluid and cannot be mixed with DOT3/4/5.1