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.
If I understand correctly, your car is 9 years old with 54K miles on the clock. Do what want...it's "your" car, but you should reconsider replacing the other fluids. You asked.
Come on, the dealership owner has a new lake house to pay for..... Some let the brake fluid change slide for a long time. I do. Never open the brake fluid reservoir to "top off the fluid". The fluid is in the calipers and will get pushed back up to the original level when new pads are installed. Plus, every time that cap is off moisture gets in. The reservoir is translucent for a reason. No need to ever open it. That engine air filter is suspiciously cheap.... Did they leave off a zero? Did they even change it or charge you $12 to say they 'inspected it'? Good for you for changing your own filters. Ta'heel with paying for the dealer's lake house. Here's my battery pack filer after 232k miles when I bought it last months ago. Probably never cleaned but it was very easy to tap the hairs and dust out and then clean it in the sink. It's fiber mesh, not paper. The area was easy to clean up also with a spritz of your favorite and some paper towels. Ready for the next 200k miles! This is a '19 ECO with the Li-ion pack. Some Gen 4's have the old school Ni-Mh pack and that filter could be different.... One screw/pull pin and you're there! Rear right seat floor area.
Well, we disagree on these points. The brake fluid system is sealed, until some doofus with good intentions opens the lid and lets the humidity in. There is no need to 'top off the brake fluid'. You'll just make a mess the next time you get brake pads installed. The ATF fluid in these simple transaxles does go bad with contaminates. It NEEDS to be changed at some point if you want to keep the car a long time. Here's a thread I started years ago after having an oil analysis done on the fluid I drained from my '10 w/112k miles. It was in very bad condition. The first post is wordy, so skip to the attached reports. This thread continued for 37 pages, and I think some were still maintaining that the fluid does not need to be changed...... ATF fluid changes ARE Required. | PriusChat
Japanese cars are more reliable but neglect is just another form of abuse. I just sold my 9 year old HEV for 63% of its original purchase cost. A new HEV is pushing $50K here in Canada after taxes. Basic service to prolong the life of a vehicle is a lot cheaper than buying a new HEV in 2026.
