Brake fluids interchangeable?
 

A friend of mine asked me if I could help her get rid of her "low-brake-fluid"-light in her Polo, after I said; Sure thing, it's easy as hell, I even have some fluid left over at home! But, as I got home and started reading on the flask I had I noticed that it was non-silicon based and that it could NOT be mixed with silicon based fluid..

How the heck am I supposed to figure out what kind she already has? And if I can't, are there any types of fluids that can be mixed with either silicon or non-silicon based ones?

It's very unlikely that it has silicon-based fluid
 

because it's really pretty rare except among racers and antique car collectors who appreciate its lack of water absorbsion. The silicone I've seen has always been blue in color, but I can't guarantee that it's the same in Europe.

By the way, my brother-in-law, Leonard Duevel, teaches at the International School in Stavanger, and his wife Linda is the headmaster.

I'm not sure what a "Polo" is, but it should say what type of brake fluid it's supposed to have in it on the reservoir or cap someplace. I belive DOT5 is silicone based.

Gilly

Gilly

A Polo is a VW, smaller version of a Golf.;)

Her car is a late eighties / early nineties VW Polo - I think you are right about it probably needing non-silicon based fluid then. I will check for the DOT-number tomorrow :)

Thanks a lot for your replies!

@Finum Fit; So, have you ever been to Stavanger yourself? Let me know if you come by sometime so that I can show you a proper slow-a$$ European car* :)

*mine ;)

Take a sample of brake fluid from the car and see if it'll mix with water. If it does mix with water, then it is the glycol type of fluid. If it doesn't mix, it's either silicone or something else.

Harley-Davidson is the only manufacturer I know that specifies silicone-based brake fluid.

Here's a good link on the different brake fluids:

Brake fluids

Ja, Sven, Jag har rest til Stavanger,
 

med hela familien, men det var 1982. Nu kommer vi att besöka hustrus släktingar i Sverige i tvaa veckor, därför att min yngsta dottir läser vid Uppsalas universitet. Men hustru och ja är föda i Minnesota, inte i Norden.

Förlaat om den Svenska bokstavningen.

We figured out which kind she had and sorted it out today - thanks for all your help! :)

@Fimum Fit: Svensk bokstavning är inget problem - det är endog veldigt likt Norsk :) Har ni begge förfedre fraan Norden?

Just a little FYI on DOT 3,4, 4 plus, and DOT 5. Each one has a different boiling point, obiously DOT 5 is the highest. MBs call for DOT 4. The Polo being a VW probably calls for that as well. Most of our domestic cars here in the states call for DOT 3.