So I've been working on a Stratus ever since the wife bought it and it has had both rear brake hoses collapse now. I came across this information posted on a Silverado/Sierra forum from 'Murco' who did training for Bendix techs.


Brake fluid - You must replace it every 2years or 24K miles. Surprised? Most are and our owners manuals (just like every other domestic owners manual) say not a word about it, but check every Japanese or European car's owners manuals and they will recommend every 1-2 years. Brake fluid is similar to motor oil in that it is designed to encapsulate the moisture and sediment in brake systems but it only has so much capacity to do so. As it ages the boiling point drops, deposits collect, and problems start becoming more expensive to correct. Flush and bleed the brakes after every other oil change and you'll avoid 70% of common brake issues. I recommend DOT 4 fluid or Castrol LMA fluid (low moisture absorbtion) as it has a higher temperature rating and is less suceptible to breakdown in high-performance use.


So, I can vouch for this being necessary on the Stratus even though I have never changed fluid on my other brands of vehicles. I will be starting changing out all brake fluids when spring comes. I just wanted to pass this along.