Brake Fluid Flush Cost: Everything You Need to Know

Learn about brake fluid flush costs and the best place to have the service performed

A typical brake fluid flush costs between $125 to $250. The majority of the cost is due to labor, since the brake fluid costs less than $20.

A brake fluid flush usually takes slightly less than an hour if all the bleeder fittings operate properly. However, it can take longer if the bleeder(s) are rusted shut and the technician must use some gentle”persuasion.” In a worse case scenario, the technician may have to drill out a stuck bleeder or even replace the entire brake caliper.

What’s involved in a brake fluid flush and how does that relate to brake fluid flush cost?

Do you need a brake fluid flush? Here’s how to know for sure

Here’s a typical brake fluid flush

Technician fills a canister with fresh brake fluid and connects

Brake fluid flush adapter fitted to the master cylinder reservoir

an adapter to your master cylinder reservoir. They then use an air hose to charge the canister with air pressure to about 15-psi. That inflates a bladder inside the canister to exert pressure on the fluid.

Pressurized brake fluid bleeder

The technician raises the vehicle and attaches a drain tube and drain bottle to one of the bleeder screws on a rear wheel.

They open the bleeder screw and drain the fluid until the color changes, indicating that fresh fluid as reached the brake

They repeat this procedure on each of the other wheels.

Brake fluid flush cost

Here’s how the brake fluid flush costs break down:

Labor is generally .75 to 1 hour at the shop’s normal hourly rate

Fluid cost is usually 1-2 quarts costing around $20

Where to get a brake fluid flush

Since car dealers have the highest hourly rates, you’ll pay the most at a dealer. Instead, I suggest finding a locally owned shop with good online reviews. They tend to have lower hourly rates and do just as good a job.

I don’t recommend having this service done at quick lube shops. They tend to hire untrained people who are under tremendous pressure to complete the job quickly.

There’s not a lot you can screw up on a flush, but they manage to screw them up quite often.

©, 2021 Rick Muscoplat