Maintenance

Another classic thread started with an innocent question.....

This is why dealers fear electric vehicles. NO maintenance for five years.
How do you rip people off when they do not even come in?

Not going to replace large vehicles towing in the near future but for the cars on the road... good luck to them dealers.

rhagfo wrote:
Coolant Yes,

Brake Fluid, When brake pads are replaced, rebuild calipers and flush with fresh fluid.

Fuel system, just use good fuel!!!

I'd say more often than that for brake fluid. On my 2004 duramax with 160K miles on it the brake pads are down to maybe 50 percent. Others I'v known say 250K is pretty common for the brakes even when towing heavily. and mine had about 100K miles towing. So, either when brakes replaced or every 2 or 3 years.

Padlin wrote:
While in Phoenix over the winter I stopped at a Ford dealer for an oil change on my F150 Ecoboost. During check out, after the 90 minute job, they mumbled that I was due for a Brake System Flush, a Fuel System Flush, and a Coolant System Flush, $200-$250 each. After mumbling back that they were out of there mind I left.

The only one I ever heard of was the coolant flush, which Ford says is due at 100k. So I goggled the others and they do indeed exist, and are recommended by the web sites I visited. I have 70K on the 2012, about 30K of towing. The Scheduled Maintenance Guide for truck says nothing about these flushes, other then the coolant.

Do any of you folks have a brake or fuel system flush done? if so how often?

Figure I'll have the coolant done before next winters trip, and maybe the tranny although Ford says 150k for that one, but the rest?

I do a pressure bleed and flush on the brake system on all my vehicles every two years and fill with ATE DOT 4 fluid. brake fluid is very hydroscopic that is water absorbing. water boils at a lower temp than brake fluid and causes corrosion. Todays vehicles are better than vehicle of the 60's for fluid contamination, they are sealed better, but still IMHO should be flushed every few years.

Now many mfg do not specify brake fluid flush interval, however there are a few that show it as required maint between 2 and 5 years.

fuel flush..... Nope

"Official" OEM RECOMMENDATION...

A service writer does not qualify as an official OEM recommendation...

Or the recommendations from advisors here on this/these forums....does NOT apply

BenK wrote:
"Recommended" is also 'required' if you wish to be covered by warranty...and after that warranty runs out if you wish to be covered by liability of design from the OEM

One of those 'can' vs 'should' vs 'rated for' language mix-ups...A half ton 'can' and did tow a curb (stripper) Space Shuttle...but is NOT rated for that 160,000 stripper model shuttle. Plus it will not tow it for long before it's wheels fall off...nor can it 'manhandle' that during an emergency situation...

Me too...won't fly on any plane serviced by a mechanic that believes in not servicing brake fluid...even though an aeroplane brakes only see a few hundred to maybe a few thousand (private vs commerical) miles in it's lifetime...

More than just being a sponge (hyroscopic) for moisture out of the air (via the bleed holes and even those MC reservoirs with bladders...or whenever the cap is opened to check fluid...gets moisture in there) that reduces the fluid boiling point (turns the fluid into steam and a gas pocket that is compressible) to reduce all the way to eliminate braking all together

That H2O in the unplated braking lines will have it rust. Both flakes of rust to mess up the seals and the biggie...thinned out the tubing that may burst or leak (loss of braking power) at the worst time...when you try to nail the brakes...

Depends on where the recommendation comes from. My Ram service writer thinks the lug nuts need to be polished every time I take it in for an oil change. I have to reminder her that, that's not what the manual says. And she always comes back with it's just something that WE recommend, but that I'm still fine with the warranty. I usually give her the finger rub dollar sign meaning it's just a way for them to make more money. I think she's gotten the hint as she hasn't brought up out of sequence maintenance items lately.

"Recommended" is also 'required' if you wish to be covered by warranty...and after that warranty runs out if you wish to be covered by liability of design from the OEM

One of those 'can' vs 'should' vs 'rated for' language mix-ups...A half ton 'can' and did tow a curb (stripper) Space Shuttle...but is NOT rated for that 160,000 stripper model shuttle. Plus it will not tow it for long before it's wheels fall off...nor can it 'manhandle' that during an emergency situation...

Me too...won't fly on any plane serviced by a mechanic that believes in not servicing brake fluid...even though an aeroplane brakes only see a few hundred to maybe a few thousand (private vs commerical) miles in it's lifetime...

More than just being a sponge (hyroscopic) for moisture out of the air (via the bleed holes and even those MC reservoirs with bladders...or whenever the cap is opened to check fluid...gets moisture in there) that reduces the fluid boiling point (turns the fluid into steam and a gas pocket that is compressible) to reduce all the way to eliminate braking all together

That H2O in the unplated braking lines will have it rust. Both flakes of rust to mess up the seals and the biggie...thinned out the tubing that may burst or leak (loss of braking power) at the worst time...when you try to nail the brakes...

Passin Thru wrote:
HOOBOY! I'm an aircraft mech and you never flush airplane brakes. Like PT Barnum said, There's one born every minute.

Another on the list of reasons I don't fly!!!

The only one that I would recommend at this point is the brake fluid flush. Towing can heat up and brake down brake fluid. and as mentioned it absorbs moisture. I flush it on all my vehicles. Trans fluid I do every 25k, but I don`t pay for fluid and I drain it and refill with a new filter every other service. P/S flush is dependent on the quality of the fluid. I do my rear diff fluid every 50k.

Just because it isn't in the owners manual doesn't make it bad or a money grab. some places recommend them when they feel they are necessary, others go by mileage.

Fuel system service (not a flush) runs a cleaner through the injectors from a separate reservoir. you bypass the fuel pump and run it off the separate reservoir. I have never done this on my cars as its just a concentrated cleaner that you can buy and put in the tank.

As your post title indicates "Maintenance" Take care of it and it will take care of you!

I have a 2012 truck as well and only had the radiator fluid changed and transmission fluid changed (not required but did it since I was already taking the truck in).