Just shy of 54K miles. The technical service advisor tried to start me off with changing the brake fluid. I said it doesn't need it. He then said changing the transmission fluid is coming up. All this after seeing my $45.95 oil change, tire rotation and fluid top up. Thoughts?
It's a question of time AND/OR mileage. If the brake fluid is dark instead of clear you might want to change it. Use the Toyota recommended fluid change schedule if you want to be sure. If your car is a 2017 and all original then you may want to do the tranny, coolant and brake fluids after 9 years of service. Fluids are cheaper than replacing cars.
If I were a life insurance salesman. You would be my target customer of a term life insurance policy. Japanese made/built./assembled cars in Japan are the most reliable cars in the world if they have the Toyota badge. The Prius is made in Japan. My car didn't even have the oil change before the service rep started talking about more services.
Be advised. Prius owners used to think it was OK to go 10K miles before oil/filter change and that trans and brake fluid was lifetime...they were wrong. Yes...SAs are salesmen, but you still need to service your vehicle.
Brake fluid naturally absorbs moisture from the atmosphere. The reservoir is closed, but it isn't a total seal. Once brake fluid has been contaminated with a lot of water, there is a real risk of steam flashover causing a locked caliper. That is an extreme scenario- it is very, very rare in the wild, but it can happen. With a Prius, there is an additional concern where the master cylinder is much more sophisticated than that of a non-hybrid car, much more expensive to replace and generally more sensitive to contamination. I'm not here to sell you a brake fluid change, but I do think it is worth inspecting the fluid for color and if you have doubts you can use a conductivity tester to measure the water content and make an informed decision on whether replacement is needed. Transmission fluid replacement is a different story, it really isn't necessary in these cars.
I am not against servicing my Prius. I just do not think there is anything major that needs to be addressed until the car hits 100K miles. If someone has a Prius that they store for 10 years. Does it need all the service a Prius with 100K miles has because of time or is it mileage? Tires need to be replaced after probably 8 years regardless of mileage. I have brand new cabin air filter and engine air filter. I have a brand new 12V battery. I have brand new tires. My Prius gets serviced, mostly by me. Obviously I know they are on commission.
What do they mean by "changing the brake fluid"? Are they talking about a full system flush or a turkey baster job - sucking the brake fluid out of the reservoir, then replacing it and charging you $50-$100. At close to 10 years; I'd do a brake system flush or at least test it. Most OEM's will usually recommend 3-5 years or around 30K mile intervals. That was before everyone was getting competitive with "total cost of ownership numbers". The more deferred maintenance and the car making it out of OEM warranty - the lower your cost of ownership. Your brakes aren't going to fail; if this isn't done - but you will experience longer stopping distances; which you probably wouldn't notice - since it comes on gradually. YMMV
They are saying I need to flush the brakes to the tune of $280. I could buy some brake fluid for $10 or less and top off my brake fluid reservoir when needed. But no, they believe I need to flush the whole system. My brake pads were rated as excellent. I never complained of stopping problems as I use the regen brakes for most braking. They also added shop fees to the tune of close to $20 for my $45.95 oil change. I guess they need the money more than I do. Times are tough. I am studying my bill of nearly $70. It seems they added a $12 charge for an engine air filter even though I installed a new engine air filter in January. It makes no sense but who else gets these crazy oil change offers from a stealership? Lastly, there is some hybrid filter that needs attention for $120. That's a filter for the hybrid battery pack. Good news, that is not something that is crucial issue at the moment but something I need to consider. Like changing my own engine air filter and cabin air filters.
