Change transaxle fluid, engine coolant, inverter coolant & brake fluid at 30k?

Oil (and various other fluid) changes are often mentioned as being detrimental to the environment. But nowadays all those fluids are recycled responsibly. And it seems to me it's gasoline consumption that is more detrimental, the exhaust gases, clean as they are these days, are the main pollution contributor.

So just cutting back on driving, buying local, making things last, staycations, that sort of thing: cuts pollution immeasurably.

And with all my idle time, I've gotta do something: changing fluids keeps me off the streets, lol.

 

Sorry for the confusion. Look at my signature and the 04 was sold. My advanced plug-in is used for a lot of trips that either never turns on the engine or it only turns on right at the end of the trip. My wife doesn't drive as battery friendly as I do so her base plug-in gets in the upper 70's. Both cars are charged at least once a day and many times several times a day.

These cars are great!

 

Could never do that with only 10 +/- miles EV and my lifestyle/commutes...maybe a Volt though.

 

Once we moved back out of the city our mpg will drop a lot.

 

Yea...I'm happy with 47-50 actual for now. Was actually getting the high end here in Denver until I put on the snows.

 

In my experience --- it's time not miles. After 4 or five years we change out the trans and transfer case fluids (4wd) in all our cars -- they all have vents that allow moisture to enter. The sealed differentials never get changed unless they leak.

I think this is why some on this board have dirty fluid at 30k and others clean much later ... Our first Prius at 100k and 3.5 years ...really was not that dirty. Any moisture get driven out quickly. Moisture in any hydraulic fluid will make it very dark.

We change dot 3 at 4 years and dot 4 at 2 years.