Hey guys, I have a 23 Prius XLE AWD with 45k miles. My Prius has had all of its maintenance done at my Toyota dealer where I know the owner (helped me get the car and upgrades, discounts, etc.) This last maintenance the tech recommended a brake fluid flush and fuel injection service. I know it’s not stated on the scheduled maintenance log in the owners manual. But wanted to ask if any one of you have done this service or plan to at what intervals? I have a good friend who’s a mechanic outside of Toyota who also said he recommends these services. Let me know!
Toyota Canada maintenance schedule recommended to replace the brake fluid every 48k kms (~30k miles) or 3 years, whichever comes first. I’ve roughly followed that, though stretched it some. Fuel injection service seems purely a dealership instigated service, I’ve never seen it recommended as a regular maintenance, over our years of owning cars. Hand cleaning the throttle body, say every 50k miles at the most, seems a good idea.
Some brands say every 2 to 3 years for brake fluid. Others say mum on it. I believe climate has more to do with it than time, doing a change when a moisture reading says to do it. I don't think a true flush is necessary though; just a fluid change. Avoid cheap gas brands, and the injectors should be fine. An intake cleaning that reaches the valves is likely a good idea for direct injection engines at some point.
IMHO; since it's pretty dry in Az - humidity below 85% most of the time. I would push out the brake fluid flush to every 5 years. Whereas Toyota Canada states 3 years 30K miles, would be worst case, high humidity environments - where you step outside and immediately get drenched with sweat. If I lived and drove in someplace like that; I'd stick to the 3/30K intervals. The brakes aren't going to seize-up and fail; if it's not done - just take longer distances to stop. As for the injector maintenance; dump some Techron into your next fill-up and call it a day.
With those low miles, I think you could wait a year for the brake fluid service. Because I only refuel with "Top Tier" gasoline (that has cleaners in it), I've never had a fuel injector service in any of our Toyota's. (We do get it done in my daughter's Hyundai because of that GDI engine....needs all the help it can get to avoid carbon build-up!!)