lifetime brake fluid

[mikep]

While at the dealer with my truck yesterday I inquired how much it would cost to have the following two items done;

1. Completely flush tranny fluid and replace with new

2. Completely drain brake fluid and replace with new.

Well they don't have the machine to flush and replace the tranny fluid so they could only do what is in the pan and drain the converter which will get most of it. But my truck has the tow package and I'm not sure how much the auxillary cooler holds?

Then the service mgr told me changing the brake fluid was a waste of time and money since it's good for the life of the vehicle.

He said changing it won't do a single bit of good and make no difference whatsoever. When I asked about the fluid absorbing moisture over time he said maybe if you still have the truck 10 years from now

.

Funny thing is, this is the "good" dealer in the area.

Mikep

 

[OneQuartLow]

Mike, I'd say that's a common expectation. Can we assume that dealer service dept only sees 150K vehicles when they sputter in as a trade?

I grew up in a mechanically inclined family but was never taught more than the usual folklore about vehicle fluids. It's fair to say a brake flush would have garnered immediate ridicule. We drove many old vehicles that only saw an occasional addition of fresh fluid during brake work. Soft-pedal was always handled with a minimal bleed for bubbles. Of course those vehicles rarely lasted beyond 150K of short trips, and any fade was assumed to be the fault of bad pads or _shoes_. That was in the wet PNW, so I'm assuming people in dryer climes can push things further.

It was many years later I learned about boiling points & such.

This reminds me how many times I heard "Synthetic oil is a waste of money!"

 

[Whimsey]

As I understand, with ABS brakes it's even more important to maintain clean/fresh brake fluid. ABS parts are VERY expensive to replace and sensitive to brake fluid quality. Besides and even more important your life is riding on those brakes. Sometimes a foot or two better stopping distance can make a difference between a near miss and a major accident, $$$$

. With my car, the Ford dealer told me the same thing. I still had them replace the brake fluid! You'd think they'd be happy to take your money

. As far as the tranny, you should be fine if they can drain your torque convertor along with the pan. What's left will get mixed with the new fluid and won't really cause any dilution problems for the new fluid since you've removed most of the old fluid.

Whimsey

 

[TheTanSedan]

You won't go wrong with annual changes of all fluids if you plan to keep the car the longest time and maintain the highest level of integrity.

A dealer saying otherwise is just a guy who:

1] Would rather sell you another.

2] Doesn't want to be thought of as recommending service not needed.

3] And, as the majority take terrible car of their vehicles, service of systems "not broken" is simply foreign to their way of thinking.

Replacing components before they wear out, servicing fluids annually, etcetera, is just a way of keeping it new for the longest period of time. This keeps lifetime car expenses to a minimum (yours, not the cars).

Plenty of folks will tell you it isn't necessary.
Believe what you will. Test by analysis if you can, change it if you can't.

My last car went a quarter-million miles in daily-driver service before I sold it. My current daily driver is over thirty years old. Age and time take their toll, but wear problems can be reduced to a minimum. Most folks simply don't want the hassle.

The whole "system" is rigged against the guy who wants to drive a car as far as possible (service, financing, etc), but if you really like the car, then it is worth a plan covering time and mileage.

As to specifics on brake fluid, I'd be inclined to change it once it darkens appreciably OR a year has gone by.

 

[ex_MGB]

I change my brake fluid with a mini-vac. Also use the mini-vac to suction out the power steering fluid reservoir.

Do the brake fluid in hot weather with the car jacked up on all fours and tires off during a tire rotation. With an assistant keeping the master cylinder topped up, it's a 45 minute job. Do this every two years. I use Valvoline synthetic brake fluid Dot 3/4. Buy plenty and give it a good flush.

I'm on a mission to see how many miles I can get on my vehicles, '96 Astro, '97 Maxima, 2001SE Miata and 2002 Protege5.

 

[digitaldrifter91]

where u get that mini vac...i would like one...i never got all the fluid out of my power steering resavor...hahah i coulnt even take it out

 

[digitaldrifter91]

how much..

 

[S2000driver]

http://www.harborfreight.com

Item #38053

$29.99

 

[sprintman]

I change brake & clutch fluid every 12mths religiously. Brake fluid is hygroscopic and the water can ruin master/wheel cylinders. Costs me A$36 by local shop and complete brake inspection included. Thats good value IMO.