1 in 4 cars have defective brakes – survey shows

More than a quarter of cars in the UK have brakes that could fail without warning, according to a new report.

Research carried out for Cosan Lubricants’ Mobil Car Care range at independent service garages across the UK found that 26.5 per cent of UK motorists had defective brake fluid, with nearly one in 10 even risking their lives every time they drove.

The research tested the quality of brake fluid – the liquid that allows the modern braking system to work. Overall across Europe, a scary 41 per cent of vehicles are operating with sub-standard brake fluid. Brake fluid absorbs moisture from the atmosphere, which reduces its effectiveness by lowering the boiling point.

Mobil Car Care said: “Once the boiling point dips beneath 180 degrees Celsius, brake fluid becomes all but useless, potentially causing sudden and inexplicable brake failure.”

Some of the vehicles tested had brake fluid that boiled at 130 degrees.

The research found that the age and mileage of a vehicle is not necessarily linked to the quality of its brake fluid. One in seven vehicles with less than 80,000 miles on the clock had fluid showing a boiling point of less than 200 degrees.

More than a third (34pe cent) had not changed their brake fluid for two years or more.