Brake Fluid Change

[SilverT4]

When my car was in for a 20k service it was 15 months old. The service reception called me and advised me that the brake fluid required replacing. However when I checked the service book it said that every 2 years was the recommended time for replacement. I 'discussed' this with the service manager who admitted that they had been 'a little enthusiastic' in trying to sell me something that wasn't really necessary! So I declined the offer and had the fluid changed at the 30k service when the car was 2 years old.

Took my car in today for its 60k service. it is now 3years and 4 months old. Received another call recommending that the brake fluid be replaced again. I mentioned that the car was not yet four years old and asked why the fluid required changing again. After a brief discussion the service rep backed down and advised me that it was just a recommendation and that it wasnt really necessary. So i again declined the offer until the car is four years old.

I would be interested to know, if you have had your Prius a few years, how often have you had your brake fluid changed? Has it always been every two years or sooner?

I also have a similar issue with air con regassing, but I'll leave that for another post.

UPDATE: Went to pick up the car and had a chat with the service guy about the brake fluid situation. He told me he had discussed this with the service techician who had tested the fluid and found it to be within recommended limits and replacement was not required until the car was four years old!!!

[JerryW]

When my car was in for a 20k service it was 15 months old. The service reception called me and advised me that the brake fluid required replacing. <snip>

Went to pick up the car and had a chat with the service guy about the brake fluid situation. He told me he had discussed this with the service techician who had tested the fluid and found it to be within recommended limits and replacement was not required until the car was four years old!!!

Well, the servicing schedule is for every 10k miles or every 12 months. So to most dealers 20k is the same thing as 2 years and they would carry out the same work either way. It is that simple.

Whether the brake fluid needs replacing is another issue entirely. I would be interested to know exactly what "test" the technician carried out. Recommended limits for what? My dealer said they just look at it...

[SilverT4]

Whilst many service items are specified by mileage or years, some are just specified on years. The service schedule recommends the fluid is changed every two years but does not specify mileage. The indication to me therfore is that brake fluid deteriorates with age, but not mileage.

I asked how they tested the fluid and apparantly the check the boiling point. Quite how they do this whislt its still in the brake pipes is beyond me unless they drain some off for the test.

[Big Bad Bob]

Whilst many service items are specified by mileage or years, some are just specified on years. The service schedule recommends the fluid is changed every two years but does not specify mileage. The indication to me therfore is that brake fluid deteriorates with age, but not mileage.

I asked how they tested the fluid and apparantly the check the boiling point. Quite how they do this whislt its still in the brake pipes is beyond me unless they drain some off for the test.

When we test the fluid we dip the end of the tested in to the fluid at the reservoir this then boils a small amount of the fluid and it will give you a reading. there is a problem with this. You are only testing the fluid in the reservoir not at the brake calipers where the fluid works the hardest. Toyota recommend you have the fluid changed every 2 years regardless of mileage we now use dot 5.1 which is a better fluid than the old dot 4 but it dose not last as long.

The reason why your dealer dose not want to do it is that the way to bleed the system on a prius is a bit complex as you have to use the intelligent tester to open the valves in the brake control unit.

Warning If you try to blead the brakes the old way with a bottle the brake control units senses a drop in pressure on that line and cuts it off this then stops the brake working It can only be reset by a dealer !