Launches emotive brake fluid campaign

Cosan Lubricants is supporting its Comma brand distributor network across Europe with a compelling campaign highlighting the dangers of poor quality brake fluid.

The marketing and PR-led campaign is targeted at both workshop and consumer-facing media and is designed to carry an emotive and educational message that should result in increased sales opportunities for its brake fluid range.
Research conducted for Cosan Lubricants’ Comma brand, has revealed that the brakes on a quarter of all cars could fail at any time. In the UK alone, 26.5% of UK motorists had defective braking systems, with nearly one in 10 unintentionally risking their lives every time they drove. Overall across Europe, that figure rose to 41% of vehicles operating with sub-standard brake fluid.

The study also revealed a worrying lack of understanding among motorists about how brake fluid functions – three quarters had no idea, meaning distributors can unlock the chance for workshops to build trust and educate customers.
Brake fluid absorbs moisture from the atmosphere, which reduces its effectiveness by lowering the boiling point. Once the boiling point dips beneath 180 degrees Celsius, brake fluid becomes all but useless, potentially causing sudden and inexplicable brake failure.

Brake fluid testing expert, Alba Diagnostics, recommends replacing brake fluid when its boiling point reaches 200 degrees Celsius. But, shockingly, some of the vehicles tested by Comma had brake fluid that boiled at 130 degrees.
Comma brands’ extensive brake fluid range covers at least 99% of the UK vehicle parc.
 
Table showing boiling points of braking fluid

Temperature °C           Percentage of Vehicles
        <181                                         8%
      181-200                                    18.5%
      201-250                                      64%
        >250                                       19.5%

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.
Meanwhile, 75% of workshop customers either admitted that they don’t know how brake fluid works, or gave an inadequate account when questioned. More than a third (34%) had not changed their brake fluid for over two years.
The rest of Europe is not much better, with a total of 71% of motorists quizzed unable to explain how brake fluid works.

Mike Bewsey, spokesperson for Comma said: “Our research shows that the quality of brake fluid in the car parc is poor and that consumers do not understand how it works. This gives our distributors a perfect chance to help their customers educate and safeguard the consumer.”

In the UK, a visual fluid level check may be carried out during a vehicle’s MOT, but quality testing is not part of the test.

Bewsey added: “Testing the boiling point temperature is the only way to check the quality of brake fluid. Workshops with foresight to offer brake fluid quality testing will unlock not only an additional revenue stream and upselling opportunity, but will also be more likely to win the on-going trust and loyalty of their customers.”