Anyone planning on doing 25k or 30k mile fluid flush?

[Robins21]

I was a service advisor for many years for several of the major manufacturers, & they ALL push service, as stated above it is how they make their money It was never like that when I started in the business in 1978, but is the main reason I left the automotive business in 2003. I would tell the customer what is recommended, & what needs attention at this time & it is up to the customer to decide what they want to do, it is their vehicle & their money. When they started to push service on customers I decided it was time to get out.

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[RushMan]

Is anyone planning on doing 25k or 30k mile fluid flush? Radiator, transmission, etc etc.?
My dealership has a 30k mile recommended maintenance and outside of oil change, tire rotation, air filter, cabin filter, the remainder is fluid flushes. They have it marked at $1,000 and curious what others thoughts on flushing fluids at that mileage is.
This is my first brand new vehicle so I’ve never had to make these decisions this early on.

The trans in the Ford Escapes have had a questionable history, and with no replaceable filter, owners and dealers have been recommending changing the trans fluid every 30K, in spite of the owner's manual recommending 150K miles.
I know its not the same transmission as in the 2nd and 3rd Gen Escapes, but it does make one questions Ford's engineering, and the decision to not have a replaceable filter in those.
I'm not a BS owner just yet, decided to wait until the '24s and place my order come July, but I will do this preventative maintenance on my BS, as I am doing on my '17 Escape.

 

[abxponce]

Is anyone planning on doing 25k or 30k mile fluid flush? Radiator, transmission, etc etc.?
My dealership has a 30k mile recommended maintenance and outside of oil change, tire rotation, air filter, cabin filter, the remainder is fluid flushes. They have it marked at $1,000 and curious what others thoughts on flushing fluids at that mileage is.
This is my first brand new vehicle so I’ve never had to make these decisions this early on.

 

[Mark S.]

The trans in the Ford Escapes have had a questionable history, and with no replaceable filter, owners and dealers have been recommending changing the trans fluid every 30K, in spite of the owner's manual recommending 150K miles.
I know its not the same transmission as in the 2nd and 3rd Gen Escapes, but it does make one questions Ford's engineering, and the decision to not have a replaceable filter in those.
I'm not a BS owner just yet, decided to wait until the '24s and place my order come July, but I will do this preventative maintenance on my BS, as I am doing on my '17 Escape.

My wife's previous Escape (2014) made it to +140K miles with no major mechanical issues following Ford's recommended maintenance schedule.

 

[Jmuns]

Well i got my oil changed last week and the dealer wanted to change about everything in the entire car. I'm at 25k miles. I said no and just got my standard "The Works" with full synthetic. Guy gives me some story about staying under warranty by changing all the fluids but couldn't explain what they meant after I said I'm under 36k and also have an extended to 150k and 7 years. Then halfway through the oil change they come get me and give me the old "your cabin air filter is contaminated" spiel. I entertain them and ask how much for the filter. "$80 and that includes installation because we are already changing the oil".

No thanks, I'll get one for about $20 at Advanced Auto down the street. Needless to say don't fall for the scare tactics at the dealer. They must have been having a down month because this is the first time they have tried to upsell me multiple times in one visit.

 

[davidg4781]

The trans in the Ford Escapes have had a questionable history, and with no replaceable filter, owners and dealers have been recommending changing the trans fluid every 30K, in spite of the owner's manual recommending 150K miles.
I know its not the same transmission as in the 2nd and 3rd Gen Escapes, but it does make one questions Ford's engineering, and the decision to not have a replaceable filter in those.
I'm not a BS owner just yet, decided to wait until the '24s and place my order come July, but I will do this preventative maintenance on my BS, as I am doing on my '17 Escape.

Do these dealers get so pushing on these services if you have the Ford Extended Maintenance Plans? If that's the case and Ford's plan covers it, I'd probably let them change some of these fluids earlier than want.

 

[mikldom]

I went ahead and changed ptu fluid at 30k. Easy to do when I was under there doing a change. The oil pump on Amazon was 7 bux and the 75w-85 Motorcraft Hyphoid gear oil was like 30 bux. Expensive but cheaper than having the stealership doing it. Takes an extra 20-30 minutes and is super easy as a dump and refill. Takes less than a quart.

 

[Dude]

I haven't had to deal with the BS yet (only 887 miles so far), but I took my F-150 Platinum into the dealership for its second oil change at 15,000 miles (Ford recommends every 10k, but I do 7.5K), Dude at the service bay tried selling me on a brake fluid flush. I just looked at him and asked, so does Ford know that you are accusing them of using such crappy brake fluid that you are saying it has broken down at 15,000 miles? He dropped it.

We have a Toyota Corolla and the brake flush at 30k increments is even in the Owners Manual. I use a very reputable mechanic and around 50k or whenever the front pads have to be replaced is when the brake fluid will get flushed out and replaced. Just can’t understand why brake fluid is made so crappy for Toyota to put 30k change in the owners manual.

 

[Dude]

My wife's previous Escape (2014) made it to +140K miles with no major mechanical issues following Ford's recommended maintenance schedule.

So what happened at *140k … ??? or a trade in ?

 

[Mark S.]

So what happened at *140k … ??? or a trade in ?

Traded in for a new 2020 Escape. The new one already has 50K trouble-free miles.

 

[davidg4781]

We have a Toyota Corolla and the brake flush at 30k increments is even in the Owners Manual. I use a very reputable mechanic and around 50k or whenever the front pads have to be replaced is when the brake fluid will get flushed out and replaced. Just can’t understand why brake fluid is made so crappy for Toyota to put 30k change in the owners manual.

I looked into this a few years back. Honda was suggesting I change out my brake fluid at 100k miles. My family and I had gone 150k+ miles on many cars and never changed out the brake fluid.

Turns out, it's really a 3 year fluid since it is hygroscopic (I had to look that up, it absorbs water and moisture). What happens long term is as the moisture levels rise, the components in the brake system and lines start to rust and break down. And 30k is usually around the 3 year mark. I guess it makes it easier to remember.

Interesting enough, I came across a Scotty Kilmer video while I was researching this and he mentioned the same thing, unless you don't plan to keep the car more than 5-6 years since the next owner can deal with it.

 

[Dude]

I looked into this a few years back. Honda was suggesting I change out my brake fluid at 100k miles. My family and I had gone 150k+ miles on many cars and never changed out the brake fluid.

Turns out, it's really a 3 year fluid since it is hygroscopic (I had to look that up, it absorbs water and moisture). What happens long term is as the moisture levels rise, the components in the brake system and lines start to rust and break down. And 30k is usually around the 3 year mark. I guess it makes it easier to remember.

Interesting enough, I came across a Scotty Kilmer video while I was researching this and he mentioned the same thing, unless you don't plan to keep the car more than 5-6 years since the next owner can deal with it.

Yes I also saw the reasons but certainly there are better quality brake fluids available that Toyota could use to at least go 50k

 

[davidg4781]

Yes but certainly there are better quality brake fluids available that Toyota could use to at least go 100k

I think it's just the year. I guess after about 3 years, it absorbs enough moisture to start causing issues.

 

[Mark S.]

I looked into this a few years back. Honda was suggesting I change out my brake fluid at 100k miles. My family and I had gone 150k+ miles on many cars and never changed out the brake fluid.

Turns out, it's really a 3 year fluid since it is hygroscopic (I had to look that up, it absorbs water and moisture). What happens long term is as the moisture levels rise, the components in the brake system and lines start to rust and break down. And 30k is usually around the 3 year mark. I guess it makes it easier to remember.

Interesting enough, I came across a Scotty Kilmer video while I was researching this and he mentioned the same thing, unless you don't plan to keep the car more than 5-6 years since the next owner can deal with it.

Bleeding a few ounces of brake fluid from each of the brake assemblies when you change brake pads can help avoid many of the issues surrounding bad brake fluid. High temperature near the brake assemblies breaks down the brake fluid and encourages moisture intrusion. You step on the brakes, they generate heat, and the fluid in the line near the assembly absorbs some of that heat. After you park, the fluid cools off and condensation can form on the cooling brake lines and fittings. Get enough water in the brake line near the brake assemblies and it will flash to steam when it gets hot.

Hydraulic brakes work on the principle of non-compressibility. That is, fluid does not compress. Gas, on the other hand, is very compressible. So if there's enough steam in the brake lines you have to step harder on the pedal to get the same performance from the brakes.

Bleeding a few ounces from each line near the brake assemblies gets the contaminated fluid out of the line.

This doesn't negate the requirement to replace all the fluid at the recommended interval, but it is a good way to preserve brake performance and reduce corrosive water in the lines between system flushes.

 

[PaulOinMA]

Fordtechmakuloco recommends that, too. Has video on it. Open the bleeder when you push the caliper piston in. Drain a little of the cooked fluid out.

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