DOT rating of factory brake fluid 2003 ML?

[Bobby Dazzler]

Changed the pads today and had to draw off some excess brake fluid, and I was absolutely paranoid about spilling drops.

Done some research and found several sources (google.co.uk: brake fluid paint) that suggest that glycol-based (DOT 3 and DOT 4) brake fluid strips paint - as per normal thinking. However, also several sites suggest that silicone-based (DOT 5) brake fluid doesn't affect paint at all.

Any idea which would be used when the vehicle was being built, ie glycol/silicon DOT3/4/5?? (2003 ML270CDi)

All thoughts gratefully received, as usual.

 

[Myros]

a good piece of advice my mechie gave me

don't mix 3 or 4 with 5. Being synthetic, 5 has to have been in there all the time for you to use it. You can use 4 on all mineral systems spec which precede it