How obtain Techstream for brake fluid flush?

Why are you doing that at 41K and 2 years old?

 

You can buy an official subscription, but there are not-so-legal versions floating around online.

As for the interface, you can buy the Chinese knock-off "Mangoose" interface or pay the $480 for the official one from Mongoose.

There is a way to do a brake flush without Techstream per the FSM, but the procedure must be followed to the letter and if anything goes wrong, the brakes may not work - so I would not bother doing a brake flush without Techstream.

Note: I am not sure why (perhaps the Toyota techs can chime in on this one), but after a brake flush, I've found that I need to do a linear valve offset relearn in order for the brake pedal to feel normal again.

And ed, a brake flush every 30,000 miles is a good preventative maintenance procedure.

 

You'd think so, but it's quite unnecessary (if you actually test your fluid first). My brake fluid was in excellent condition after 4+ years, I tested it using the brake dip strips.

 

Even if that's the case, practicing good preventive maintenance can never hurt.


I'll give u a good example:

Toyota says the CVT fluid shouldn't be changed or at least not before 100k.

I don't know about u but I'm not going to wait that long. I'll be changing mine every 30k.

 

To the OP (or anyone): have you asked a dealership what they'd charge for this? Also, you might feel them out as to how often they recommend, what experience they have doing brake fluid change on Prius, the complexity, and so on.

I'm more-and-more subscribing to the school of thought that you can co-exist with the pros, that some services are relatively easy DIY, and others might be within reach, but considering the outlay in equipment, and/or complexity, and/or consequences of a screw up, and it being a once-in-a-blue-moon item, I'll enlist a (competent) pro.

Brake fluid change on the Prius, for me at least, would fall into the latter category. I know others relish a challenge, and more power to them.

Since it's not on required maintenance, it might take several dealerships before you get positive responses. With questions like this I've found emailing every dealership within practical distance is a good idea. The difference in responses can be suprising.

 

I know what you're saying, however the difference is that fluid *testing* has shown that the CVT fluid should be changed much earlier than Toyota recommends.

I'm saying the same thing about the brake fluid. Test it to see if it needs to be changed. I can tell you from my experience that I tested mine with 4+ years and nearly 50K miles and it was in almost-new condition.

I agree that preventative maintenance is good, but not if it's wasteful. Changing brake fluid at 30K is like changing your oil at 3K miles, it's unnecessary IMHO.

These are what I use --> Fascar Brake Fluid Test Strips

 

FWIW: Honda recommends tri-yearly, regardless of mileage. At least with our last car, an '06 Civic Hybrid. I think the idea is that the stuff deteriorates over time, regardless of mileage. Also FWIW, the charge (with Honda dealership) was $65.

 

Unlike trans fluid brake fluid last a really long time. And unlike trans fluid even if brake fluid gets a little old it won't really harm anything. A flush and your good to go unlike Prius trans fluid and its bearing intensive transmission.

And not having to brake service a Prius for a long long time is one of its best features. The brakes are hardly used.

 

I bet he's not a Prius techie. And its not cheap to access TIS or Techstream lite.

 

Suck the fluid out of the reservoir with a turkey baster and fill it with fresh fluid.

 

This is the one I have. It mostly works....I cannot change the reverse beep for some reason, though.

Wholesale Mangoose toyota diagnosing and reprogramming interface

Sure, the fluid may test "OK," but the test is being done on the cleanest fluid - the fluid in the reservoir. Most of the nasty gunk is in the calipers itself. Plus, a lot of rubber debris usually comes out when you flush the fluid - which is also another what causes problems sometimes by plugging up passages in ABS components.

I feel that those test strips are ways for shops to "justify" the brake fluid flushes on the worst offenders...so that the consumer advocacy watchdog groups don't go after them.

 

I've done countless brake jobs on my cars over the years including some real high mileage mutts and have never seen "rubber" debris in the fluid. Which must be coming from the caliper diaphragm which means your talking high mileage ridiculous wear cars. Which does not even come close to applying to the OP post.

And those strips work great for testing the fluid.

 

IIRC it works fine on 7.

 

I've seen some amount of debris from every brake fluid flush that I've done. In fact, I'm doing one tomorrow on my mother's 2010 Altima V6 with 17,000 miles - I'll see if I can get a picture of the debris.

Regardless, I still stand by what I said - the nastiest fluid will always be in the calipers. The fluid test strips will be used to test the fluid in the reservoir, which is often the cleanest fluid anyway.