Brake Fluid/Trans Fluid

Ok last night me, my friend, and his friend changed the brakes on my car. After bleeding the lines and all, my reservoir was low on fluid. Looking around the garage we were in we found just a little bit of brake fluid, some trans fluid, and some oil. The third guy then grabs the trans fluid and starts pouring telling me that brake fluid and trans fluid are the same thing. So, my question now is how much trouble am I looking at here? Cause I was pretty sure that it was brake fluid and power steering fluid that you could substitute for each other. Thanks.
--Twigz

[freeze12]

You are screwed if there is brake fluid in the Transmission as You will have to drop the pan & drain the fluid. If You started the car then You will have to spend $$$ to get the Trans. system flushed.
As far as putting transmission fluid in the power steering that is a no-no. It was okay for the older cars but now the new fluids have lubricating properties for that particular system be it power steering.trans.,brake etc.No substituting fluids nowadays.

It's not a huge deal, but still go get some real brake fluid, open all the bleeders, drain it out, and replace it. It's similar, but you should have brake fluid in your brakes. It's not expensive, either, so no reason to mess with a something that's such an important safety system.

[johny_boy32]

its like $60 to get your tranny flushed...you should prolly go and get it done

Originally posted by johny_boy32@Jan 1 2004, 08:31 PM
its like $60 to get your tranny flushed...you should prolly go and get it done

It's not brake fluid in my trans...it's trans fluid in my brakes.

Please read and understand the thread before you reply.

Twigz, yes they are similar, but at your first convenience, you should bleed out your brakes and replace with brake fluid, like misslindseysue said.

Got it. Thanks, all. :thumbsup:

Well, 3 months later and here's my update...

I went to Wal-Mart and got this big syringe (sp?) looking thing and sucked as much of the trans fluid out as I could. Then I bleed the brakes and wipe the reservoir as clean as I can, and put some DOT 3 in.
Everything's fine until late february when the brake pedal starts going to the floor 2 or 3 out of 5 times pushing it. So we take it to the shop the next day, come home and get the call. They say the WHOLE braking system needs replaced. I'm talking everything that has anything to do with the brakes at all. They said that the trans fluid had eaten through every seal and gasket. Now wait...look back up at what all I did...Do you think that there was enough in there to do all that? I don't. Oh yeah, I haven't even mentioned the $2,900 bill for all this. It got paid (not by me, of course) and it got fixed two weeks later...
In late march the brakes started squeeking and still do today, getting on my nerves more and more. The car has already been back in the shop for a bearing they left off the first time and they say I can't do anything about the squeeking. It's just the metallic pads. For $2,900 they should have put cross-drilled and slotted rotors, or some ceramic pads, or something cool that I don't even know about yet on that biotch.
What do U think?

[Oldsman]

did you use dexronIII in the brake system?

that has different propertiors than old ATF. maybe that caused it. but not sure.


Oh never tell the shop what you did. make them think what happened.

Originally posted by Oldsman@Apr 9 2004, 08:41 AM
did you use dexronIII in the brake system?

that has different propertiors than old ATF. maybe that caused it. but not sure.


Oh never tell the shop what you did. make them think what happened.

Don't quite remember if it was dex III or not.
Nobody told the shop anything, either. Just told them that the brakes went out and to fix it.

[StockAlero00]

The trans fuild ate away your break line...hmmm. Even if u put a little amount in, or a lot, I still think the trans runs at different temperature. Next time dont be mixing up the fluids. Not a good idea. That's why it says transmission fluid. :rolleyes:

Originally posted by StockAlero00@Apr 9 2004, 12:00 PM
The trans fuild ate away your break line...hmmm. Even if u put a little amount in, or a lot, I still think the trans runs at different temperature. Next time dont be mixing up the fluids. Not a good idea. That's why it says transmission fluid. :rolleyes:

Yeah, I think he's learned his lesson, if you read the rest of the post.

i don't think he had a lesson to learn other than not letting his friends do work on his car. he isn't the one that poured in the transmission fluid.

Yeah, just meant that she didn't have to tell him not to put tranny fluid in his brakes.

[brsexton]

$2900...WOW! By the way, who ended up paying for that?

Can't really say all that...

Put it this way, I've got the car payment, insurance, an $800/mo. apartment, all utilities, food, etc. taken care of. I pay for gas, diapers, and cigarettes. That's about it.

Gotta get it how you live, pimpin'.

[BLK03GXS]

Jeasus... i have to ask what kind of IDIOT your freind is.. because that is retarded..
I wouldnt let him within MILE of mine... or any other car.
And he should be paying...No questions asked... i work on my freinds cars quite a bit, and if i was DUMBenuff to do a poop ass mistake like that i would pony up the dough.

Dude that did it wasn't my friend...he was my boy's friend, and the last time I saw him was when I jacked his jaw for burning my seat. That happened in between the time he poured the tranny fluid and when the brakes went out. Haven't seen him since...

[BLK03GXS]

Oh ic...
Well i have to sympathise wit chu cus that sucks... Your boy cant hunt his ass down for some Bling?

Like he fell off the face of the earth...