I drive the 1996 850 and my wife drives a 2003 Honda Accord. I work on the 850 and am not allowed to touch the Accord. Only the "professional" dealer tech is allowed to touch my wife's car. With this in mind, consider the following maintenance practice.

The "professional" dealer tech just changed the brake fluid on a recent service appointment. (The car is 4 years old and has 46,000 mile on it.) This procedure involved inspecting the fluid in the master cylinder to see if it "looked okay", evacuating only the fluid in the master cylinder and topping it off with new fluid. The next service is at 60,000 miles or in another year. The fluid has not been changed previously.

According to my readings and personal practice (on the Volvo) a brake fluid change involves changing fluid and purging all brake lines at three years or 30,000 miles. I know that brake fluid absorbs moisture and old fluid can corode your system and degrade your seals not to mention reduce the boiling point of brake fluid (Honda uses DOT 3)during hard and continuous braking.

My wife says the "professional" dealer tech must know best. I think this brake fluid change "light" is a misguided shortcut. Has the traditional brake fluid change gone the way of the 3,000 mile oil change?

Who is right on this one? Has any one out there had a negative result due to a similar brake fluid change?

Dan