brake fluid color

[Kevin W]

Can anybody enlighten me on this subject? I've never seen any brake fluid other that clear. I'm talking about new fluid out of the container, dot 3. Not the stuff that's been sitting in an old bike for years.
My F-I-L and B-I-L say it's a green color, or caramel! (Sounds like an interesting Sat, eh?)
Thanks
KW

[John]

It's clear.

[jwoell]

Not always clear

Dot 5 brake fluid is actually purple, at least all the stuff I've used. It's silicon based and doesn't hose up your paint among other things. Works well in our bikes, but not good for ABS systems in cars and so forth. Don't know anything about a caramel colored fluid though.

[79XS11F]

All the DOT 3 fluid I have seen is clear. I don't use DOT 5 on any of my bikes so I have no idea what color it is. In any case you don't want to be using DOT 5 for these bikes.
Rob

[fredintoon]

Hi Kev,
new DOT3 & DOT4 brake fluids are clear.
ATF is red and engine oil is caramel coloured. I would advise that you not travel in any of your in-laws' vehicles until you know for sure what they've been topping up their brake systems with.

[DiverRay]

NEW DOT 3&4 is clear! IF it's another color, time to take it back, and get some Castrol GTLMA from a good shop. I DO use DOT 5 in Daily ride. Been in for over two years, and NO PROBLEMS. I DID rebuild the brakes, master, calipers, and new hoses, when I changed to 5.

[John]

I stated it was clear because he asked about DOT 3, new in the bottle. We also use DOT 5 at work in our deicing trucks. It is purple, and it's silcone based.

[Kevin W]

Appreciate the responses and advice.(Esp. Fred's ) There's more to the story, but it doesn't belong in this forum. You have confirmed what I was pretty sure about.
Thanks
KW