Toyota Main Dealer Brake Fluid Change?

[fordulike]

Does anyone know if Toyota Main Dealers use a high tech brake fluid flush/change machine, or do they do it the old fashioned way?

[FROSTYBALLS]

It may vary from dealer to dealer ......

[TomdeGuerre]

I believe they do it through the onboard diagnostics and using a pressure bleeder. I posted on here a while ago about how I questioned a Toyota tecchie about exactly how they bled the ABS when renewing the fluid and he didn't know.

[rajivrattna]

Here in Sweden, they (quite a few Toyota and BMW workshops that I have visited) use vaccuum bleeder. They change and bleed brake fluid every two years.

[fordulike]

4 hours ago, rajivrattna said:

Here in Sweden, they (quite a few Toyota and BMW workshops that I have visited) use vaccuum bleeder. They change and bleed brake fluid every two years.

Hi Rajiv, do the Toyota dealers change the brake fluid as part of the routine servicing schedule?

Here in UK, you have to request to have this done as an extra 

It is important to have it done regularly, if only to keep the bleed nipples serviceable in case the system needs draining or bleeding later on. I've had a couple of cars where I've left a brake fluid change for years, and then one or more of the bleed nipples have seized into the caliper.

£39 to get it done at the Toyota dealer, which is excellent value for money, considering replacing a brake caliper or ABS system would end up costing much much more.

[rajivrattna]

They are required to be serviced every year (one year big service and the other year small service) and brake fluid change is included in the big service.The big service costs 270 Pounds and the small service 180 Pounds, rather expensive compared to U.K. You are right about the brake bleed nipple jamming up. Ours did that last year and the Toyota mechanic broke it while loosening it. The garage was not prepared to take responsibility for it (and were cheeky enough to say that you did not have to fix it since it was not leaking). I complained bitterly to the head office and the Toyota Sweden forced the garage to come to a settlement. We agreed on half price for a used new caliper (about 30 Pounds) and they changed and flushed it. Lesson learnt. Spray WD 40 after bleeding the nipple so that they do not rust.

[TomdeGuerre]

The brake bleeder nipples seal by the tapered end closing on a machined seat in the caliper orifice. If over-tightened the taper will bind on its seat and when you try to slacken it, that is more often the cause of the bleeder snapping off rather than the threads being rusty, although that may be a contributory cause. There's no excuse for any hamfisted oaf to snap off a tight bleeder, if you feel that it's not going to slacken you should stop well before you snap it and try something else. 

Using a ring spanner, apply pressure to loosen it and then strike the head of the bleeder smartly with a hammer, this will often shock the bleeder enough to break the seal. Or use some heat on it, heat it up and let it cool several times then try again, it will almost certainly come free.

If you do snap one off, it's relatively easy to drill it out because it's hollow. Get a new bleeder and gauge how far down the taper seat is. Wrap some masking tape around a suitable size drill to just reach that and then drill down the centre of the bleeder. When you get to the required depth, disconnect the chuck from the drill bit and apply vice grips very firmly to the remains of the bleeder and unscrew it. If you try using vice grips on a hollow bleeder you will almost certainly crush it.

There's other tricks I could tell you but gotta keep some things up my sleeve otherwise everybody would be doing it.

 

[Heidfirst]

1 hour ago, rajivrattna said:

They are required to be serviced every year (one year big service and the other year small service) and brake fluid change is included in the big service.The big service costs 270 Pounds and the small service 180 Pounds, rather expensive compared to U.K.

For an Avensis the Intermediate service under Toyota UK's Fixed Price Servicing is £169 & the Full is £239. A brake fluid change is classed as an additional maintenance option (but recommended every 2 years) & would add £39 so the prices are pretty comparable.

[rajivrattna]

I have actually managed to bleed my BMW E91 brakes last year and it was not difficult. Used a plastic tube with one way valve and a plastic bottle. The only concern I had was trying to tighten the nipple after bleeding. The million dollar question is "how tight is enough?" You don't want to under tighten for the fear of losing brake fluid when brakes are applied and you do not want to over tighten it and break the nipple.

[Raeman]

Last time I had brake fluid changed I got it done at local Honda dealer for the 2004 Civic I had then.

They charged me £48 which I thought was reasonable.

Not Toyota I know but maybe the prices would be similar or even less.

[fordulike]

As the braking system is pretty damn important in my eyes, I'm surprised manufacturers don't incorporate a fluid change as part of a full service.

I know it would increase the price and make it look less competitive, but it's a small price to pay for maintaining braking efficiency and protecting key components.

The average driver probably isn't even aware that brake fluid deteriorates over time, and dealers and manufacturers don't really go out of their way to explain this to customers. The long term benefits of fresh fluid are huge. Less likely to encounter a seized caliper or wheel cylinder, and the ABS system will thank you for it too. I may be sounding a bit dramatic about all this, but it works out at less than £20 per year for fluid change every 2 years at £39.

[fordulike]

11 minutes ago, fordulike said: