Shop notes · 4 min read
How to check brake fluid
Reservoir on the firewall, MIN/MAX marks, DOT 4 on Volkswagens. If it’s dark or low, that’s a shop visit — not a bottle from the supermarket.
Updated 2026-09-17 · Platinum Volkswagen, Hicksville, NY
- 1
Park level, engine off
Let it sit. The reservoir is usually on the driver side of the firewall, translucent.
- 2
Read MIN / MAX
Clean the plastic first. Fluid should sit between the marks. Low often means pads are worn — the calipers have eaten the volume.
- 3
Look at the color
New DOT 4 is pale. Coffee-brown is old. Don’t open the cap to ‘top off’ with mystery oil.
Education, not a work order. Specs vary by VIN. Owner’s manual and a quote from Platinum Volkswagen LLC win arguments. Schedule service.