Brake Fluid Date Codes/Shelf Life

Created by Roberta Charles, Modified on Wed, Oct 2, 2024 at 2:44 PM by Roberta Charles

Date code format for our brake fluids has the same architecture, with changes in its second part in order to reflect the actual fluid type inside the bottle. Take the picture below as an example:

Code printed on the bottle
12 = Day 07 = Month 18 = Year / 07005 = Code identifying type of Brake Fluid and Blend Batch Number 14:18 = Hour
80366 = Code identifying type of Brake Fluid and Blend Batch Number 21 = Year 06 = Month 29 = Day

What is the shelf life of unopened and sealed RBF 600 (and RBF 660)? Does it make a difference if the cap is open, but the foil seal is not? I read that you guys add nitrogen to extend unopened shelf life, but I assume plastic bottles (unlike metal cans) absorb water. What is the shelf life of opened (both plastic cap and foil seal broken) brake fluid?

We declare a shelf life of 2 (two) years for brake fluids. Under extremely hot and humid conditions, this period could be as short as 12 months, especially if exposed to direct sunlight or other heat sources. Please understand that this is not going to be a “binary” situation in which after 12 months and 1 day, the brake fluid no longer works. It simply means that after the recommended shelf life, we cannot guarantee to meet the specification against which it was tested.

While a metal can could initially be considered safer, we have experienced certain corrosion issues or damages during transportation and/or storage that made us give a certain preference to the current plastic container and metallic foil as a seal. Yes, a properly screwed cap helps a lot, but you still need the metallic foil in top shape to complement the sealing of the bottle.

Now if the foil has been opened, depending on the storage conditions, contents could be compromised in about 6 months depending on the ambient conditions in your region (temperature, humidity, etc.)

If you want to control the brake fluid’s ability to function, at least from a boiling point perspective, try not to use the common analyzers with the two electrodes and the LEDs signaling condition (left side of the picture). These are called “conductivity-testers”. Usually, they will tell that perfectly good brake fluid is contaminated, as they confuse some of the components in brake fluids with water. Always try to use “direct boiling point” measurement devices such as the one on the right side of the picture below:

Extreme conditions such as track use in combination with lack of ventilation for the brake calipers, brake pads with low heat-transmission coefficient, etc. will diminish brake fluid’s life. Extreme off-road activities including water fording might compromise brake fluid life because of contamination. Racing Brake Fluids can maintain their physicochemical characteristics for a longer period of abuse in these conditions, but attention to inspection and maintenance when required are of the utmost importance.