Brake fluid

[MrJollygood]

Hello,

The brake fluid on my MK7 Gti PP looks to be towards the lower end of the scale - where's the best place to purchase some more to top it up with?

Thanks in advance,

Greig

[Watts]

I doubt it'll be specific to VW so check the manual and buy where ever is convenient. I assume it hasn't dropped suddenly?

[SRGTD]

@MrJollygood, based on the details in your signature, your car is a 2013 model, so it’s around 5 years old. VW brake fluid change intervals are;

- first change; at 3 years old
- after that, every 2 years

So your car’s due a brake fluid change. Rather than top it up, I’d be inclined to get the brake fluid change done as it’s due, then monitor the fluid level and if it drops again, get it investigated.

[Talk-torque]

Check your rear brake pads and discs, too. If mine are typical, which evidence on here suggests they are, you will find them very worn and the reason for the fluid level drop.

[Gnasher]

... and if you top it up and then go to change the pads, you'll then need to siphon some off from the master cylinder.

[willni]

Reviving an old one here.

My brake fluid reservoir went from about half full to zero in the reservoir at all, now has a little bit in it. Going to get some DOT4 from VW to top it up and monitor it for leakage.

Any special way to top it up in the mk7 with the electric handbrakes? Assuming flat ground, handbrake off and in DSG in neutral?

Edit - My rear brake discs never fully 'clean' themselves even on spirited drives with heavy braking periods, so never look shiny like they should, feeling like this could be linked.

[madstaff]

Willni, providing the fluid hasn't fully disappeared fully out of the master cylinder reservoir just top up as normal. 

[Finglonga]

Before you top up check your Pads for wear because as they go down the fluid will also fall. Never needed to top mine up with fluid at all.

As for the rear discs I presume you have a PP with the bigger Front Discs so the rears are hardly used and the faces never get use to clean them properly. The inside of the disc on mine was much worse than the outside but VW say it is normal.

[willni]

Nevermind folks I was being silly, put a torch to the reservoir and it was at level. I've never seen a tank hide the actual level of the fluid before!

[Carbon VW]

Opening the cap and looking into the bottle helps too