Brake fluid change DIY with pictures

[canderson]

Originally Posted by OldSantaFeMan

In my time I've worked for three major vehicle manufacturers in Service, Training and Sales. Your, so called, Service writers only write what they are told to write by the design engineers ...

Whoa, whoa... stop there. The Service Manager is the one telling these guys to write up the 'extra' services. The design engineers don't even get a vote (although they should) for what happens at the dealer. Those same engineers would cringe if they saw some of the things that service writers recommend to customers. Service writers OFTEN suggest services or service intervals that were never recommended by the manufacturer - either the by engineers or the even the bean counters.

If you want I can post a document from an American site and an official USA Hyundai document stating brake fluid change intervals of 2 years. (This document is for a Lantra but would apply to other models)

I'm not particularly interested in the service schedule for a vehicle that has been out of production for 11 years, but hey, it might be entertaining. I'd be far more interested in any document that specifies such frequent mandatory changes for a Santa Fe, or at least something from Hyundai for a model within the realm of the CM period (2007 and beyond). Sounds like the Lantra had a design problem of some sort. That's not something you normally see recommended, even back in the pre-2000 era.

Surely it's better to carry out preventive maintenance than wait for a failure.

That's a straw man argument. Nobody here is suggesting the elimination of preventive maintenance, just the correct application of preventive maintenance. If a service operation insists on asking to perform service that may not be needed, and does so because they refuse to perform simple tests or inspections to confirm the need, that's a problem.

Service writers are OFTEN recommending service or service intervals that have not been specified by the manufacturer.

Let's try something FAR simpler. Air filters. Would you change out a perfectly serviceable air filter simply because of a mileage chart? Or would you perhaps physically inspect the filter before making that recommendation? NOW.. extend that to brake fluid. Like an air filter, there is a fairly simple test that can be done to determine if it has moisture issues. However, in THIS case, you can bet that 99.9% of customers don't have the gadget to determine this for themselves as they do with an air filter (a simple visual check, in the latter case). So many wind up taking the word of the service writer who has absolutely no idea what condition the fluid is in.

I am, surprisingly, largely on your side! Your contributions are invaluable but I'm not sure what you mean by Boat Payments.

Those extra, unnecessary services, and the $ they garner for the Service Manager, are what we lovingly refer to as his "boat payments". That expression is also used frequently by Click and Clack (Car Talk. Car tips, advice, and troubleshooting.). If you haven't caught their show, you've really missed some good fun.

My whole 'argument' relates to the 'Tossers' who never service their vehicles.

The scheduled maintenance that is recommended by the manufacturer (see the little booklets in the glove box of a Santa Fe) will keep the 'tossers' pretty much out of trouble to begin with. If they don't want to follow that, it's on them. But that is NOT what is being addressed here.

I'm not interested in anyone breaking their vehicle due to lack of service, either. However, I AM interested in what happens when someone who does care for their vehicle rolls into a shop and unnecessary services are recommended.

"Sir, your transmission fluid is due to be replaced at 30,000 miles", when there's no hitch on the vehicle and no one has ever asked the customer about his driving habits -- that's just inexcusable, but at least the service writer can beg off with the "Well, that's the extreme duty recommendation".

It devolves to the 'recommended' injector cleaning every 15K, power steering flushes, etc., none of which are being recommended by the manufacturer. There can indeed me times where both of those might prove to be beneficial, but only if there's a solid reason for doing so, and an arbitrary service writer's schedule (and the need for that Service Manager to scrape up his 'boat payment') doesn't qualify.

[canderson]

A quick P.S. I'm headed out of the country tomorrow a.m. for 3 weeks. If anyone was expecting replies, it's not that I'm ignoring you, but I may be out of communications for a large part of that time.

[skulldrinker]

this started out to be a very nice informative thread with pictures. But now it's just another dam presidential debate.

[OldSantaFeMan]

Originally Posted by skulldrinker

this started out to be a very nice informative thread with pictures. But now it's just another dam presidential debate.

I'm sorry about this going off piste a bit, it wasn't my intention.

I now see where the confusion regarding 'Service Writers' has come from, in my mind the 'Service writer' is a technical author employed by the manufacturer where as Canderson is referring to what I would call a 'Service receptionist'. (With this in mind I agree with a lot that he says) Our problem is a great language divided by a big pool of water!

I apologize again and with that I'll shut up!!

[polarfest]

This Guy is an awesome mechanic and has a bunch of nice videos. Here's one addressing the topic

How To Replace Your Brake Fluid - YouTube

How To Replace Your Brake Fluid - YouTube

Dan

[nemohm]

What would be the recommended bleeding order?