Brake Fluid Flush

Why is Techstream required to flush the brakes?

I replaced the front calipers of my wife's 2004 Suzuki XL-7 4x4, 111k miles. Flushed the fronts lines, took 10 minutes a side. The fluid was a very light honey color, but since I already there, I just had her pump it through a few more times. Nice and clear, now.

I did it on my old DeVille, and the stuff was NASTY when it came out, so I did a complete flush.

BTW, after 111k miles on the Suzuki, the front calipers are the only mechanical repair that's been needed. And, only the left side needed replaced, but I did both just to satisfy my OCD.

 

ohhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh

 

Try these every 15K and let us know: Phoenix Systems Brake Fluid Test Strips Set of Two Kit 3003 | eBay

That's a great deal at LG for this. I think the book pegs the job at 2 hours.

 

There is really no reason to be doing this early. I thought it was 5 years or 100k or something like that. I don't think it will do any damage to wait. Same with your transaxel i think your just wasting alot more money. Send it in to the people that do thats sad cat commerical, or the feed the children one if you got the extra to spend

 

Lexus' 3 year or 30,000 mile guideline is similar to Honda's: 3 year, regardless of mileage.

Personally I would just get the dealership to do this. Even on previous vehicles without the need for computer intervention, when I tried to do it myself, as often as not I ended up with a softer pedal, must have introduced air somehow. I finally decided the dealership has better equipment to automate the process, and better knowledge of the process.

 

Max interval on the trans should be 60K. By the time you hit 100K, the fluid is the color of transmission death -- black. Every 15K is a very conservative schedule -- 15K initial and every 30K thereafter would probably have the same result -- but to each his own. I just hate Toyota for suggesting that this is a lifetime fill, when for them it is mission accomplished to get cars past the 100K miles mark. Because the manufacturer claims it to be maintenance free, dealership hands are tied, otherwise they would upsell trans fluid change above all else.

 

I'm a little confused, I just finished my 30K service, and none of this was mentioned. Here's what I did:
Oil/Filter
Cabin Air Filter
Engine Air Filter
Tire Rotate
Wipers

I don't think I missed anything, did I?

 

No, you did not miss anything, according to the Toyota maintenance schedule. Transaxle fluid is one of those that should be replaced on a schedule, but is not, because most trans will make it to 150K miles, which satisfies Toyota as being a car's lifetime. There's been a lot of information posted here about trans fluid analysis, suggesting that a reasonable schedule for fluid changes is at 30K and every 60K miles thereafter. When I did my car at 60K (that's when I got it), the fluid was very dark, similar to what you would see in a conventional automatic transmission that had bombed, minus the bits and clumps.

 

That seems to be a common at 60k+ miles on these transmissions. Was there any burnt, or overheated smell to it?

Considering there are no friction elements like functioning clutches, bands or conventional CVT elements in it, the fluid seems to take a beating. Are the MG units possibly overheating the fluid?

 

A few things: the more extensive brake inspection, suspension component inspection, transaxle fluid inspection (whatever that constitutes), and a few more. Have a read:

http://priuschat.com/forums/gen-iii...93946-2010-prius-maintenance-schedule-us.html

This is basically just a summary of the US maintenance schedule, in the slimmer booklet you should have received. I'm not in agreement with all of it, the transaxle fluid change interval in particular..., but that's the schedule fwiw.

 

In the Toyota Shop manual, that is only a level check.

 

Smells like dirty oil, but not burnt. Still, do you want dirty oil in your $5000 gearbox?

 

Not me, mine is getting it's first change soon and I'm at 10k miles.

 

:thumb:

 

A good read.
Why Change Brake Fluid

 

Maybe I'm a little off topic, but I may as well ask here -- what are all the fluids?
Engine oil
Brake
Transaxle
Inverter Coolant
Windshield Washer
Radiator

Is that right? The only fluids I've dealed with at 30k miles are engine oil and washer fluid.