Preventative Maintenance Suggestions

PC Members and visitors, because of the number of miles I put on cars, I spend more time in service shops than most. We are not allowed to TOUCH the vehicles used for work due to liability concerns, like not even hand-wash This policy means that ALL required maintenance must be "fee for service", therefore I am forced to sit in a crowded waiting room at least once per month, while the car is serviced. During this time I often witness poor souls agreeing to needless parts and services, like they remove PERFECTLY GOOD - NEARLY NEW parts and replace them with el-cheapo ones.

I have been tearing apart, working on, repairing and rebuilding ALL sorts of wheeled vehicles for nearly 45 years. Many of the old ways are no longer relevant and much of the tribal knowledge passed to beginning gear-heads has been lost to computer speak; and no, the 'net is NOT a repository of all known facts, sorry folks.

The reason for this topic is not to start a discussion or flame war on the subject of maintenance, but to clarify WHO/WHOM are the "authorities" when it comes to what is "proper" for a given vehicle.

For the RECORD, the Owner's and MAINTENANCE Guide published be the specific vehicle's OEM is THE AUTHORITY on scheduled maintenance needs for your vehicle. No, the good-ol-boy at the kaputi garage who tells you your "fill in the blank" Filter is dirty and REQUIRES replacement because that "is what is recommended" is probably LYING!

Flushes - You don't need to have a "flush" of your: Coolant, Oil, PS Fluid, Transmission, Axle, etc at 30/60/90k or any other interval. You SHOULD get your brake fluid REPLACED every 2-5 years (2 in humid climates and 5 is OK in DRY areas). Follow the OEM guidelines if shorter!!!!

Filters - Most engine air and cabin filters are good for a LEAST A YEAR and 60k miles, many will go DOUBLE THAT. Fact is, a dirty filter does a BETTER JOB than a fresh new one. Follow the OEM guidelines for ALL filter replacements!!!!!!!!!

Lubricants - Fluid replacements are sometimes not included in the maintenance guides (transmission on a Prius for example). In these cases, tribal knowledge can be a useful guide, but a good rule is not to go further than 120k miles on any fluid that provides lubrication (PS/AT/Gears, etc). Use only fluids that meet your OEM's guidelines (WS ATF is one good example).

Coolant - This has really gotten out-of-hand since about 2004. There are a number of sources that claim "all makes" and "fully compatible" formulations, DO NOT believe them! Coolant life can be determined by color: Green = 3yr/36k, Other = More than 3/36, SEE YOUR GUIDE! Use ONLY the EXACT specification called for by your vehicle's manufacturer! Different formulations preferentially protect some materials over others. There is no formulation that has been proven to protect ALL materials without degrading ANY others.

Tune-up - Sparkplugs and wires should be replaced in STRICT adherence to OEM guidelines with parts that are "direct fit". Sparkplugs are particularly important in modern vehicles because of the advanced material, performance and emissions implications. It is widely known that plugs from different manufacturers while being listed as "equivalent" may not be EXACTLY the same specifications. This is primarily true of the sparkplug heat range. Another consideration is the coating on the threads of the plug, some plug manufacturers do not have rust preventative (Ni/Cr) thread coatings, this can be a HUGE problem on plugs in Aluminum cylinder heads. Adding a non-manufacturer specified coating (anti-seize) is contra-indicated as it can CAUSE galling and can significantly affect the final installation torque of the plugs.

"RTFB" - Read The Flipping Book to gain knowledge about your vehicle's maintenance requirements, so you can protect yourself rom aggressive sales pitches for UNECESSARY activities that do NOTHING WHAT-SO-EVER to make your vehicle last longer. At the end of the day, my hope is that all will carefully follow the guidance of your vehicle's OEM, which is backed by decades of experience and hundreds of millions of dollars in R&D. The vehicle OEM really does want owners to get good service life at the lowest maintenance cost possible without producing negative side effects.

I just shake my head every time some poor soul undergoes the HARD SELL for a new air filter to replace the CLEAN ONE that shop put in at the LAST OIL CHANGE.

Spend your HARD EARNED money on the necessary, not on what some high-pressure schooled lube tech TELLS you is needed!

For Toyota Owners, see: Toyota Owners Official Web Site

 

As an example of how important this is.....

Last week, while sitting in a waiting room, a nice lady got the HARD SELL on a new air filter. Her vehicle - a 2017 Dodge Charger with 12k on it!!!!!!

She was there for her FOURTH oil change and was sold a new air filter because her "old" one was "dirty". Well let me tell you, "dirty" it WAS NOT, damned thing looked like any 12,000 mile air filter for a vehicle driven on the highway. One small leaf and some dust, that was their definition of "dirty and needing replacement".

She declined the tire rotation, which she DID NEED

Coolant can get very caustic and will attack aluminum when it does, if the engine, chassis and battery grounds are all GOOD, you are fairly safe. But most often bad coolant = Head Gasket, Water Pump or Radiator failure, so $60 for new coolant every so often is well advised.

Brake fluid is odd, some areas the stuff is black (indicating high moisture) in a year, in other areas it seems to last 10+ years. The only way to KNOW is to have it tested, since I do not own a brake fluid tester, I have little experience with their results.

 

Not our Prius, the car I use for work, which I put about 5k per month on.

170k is no where near high miles for a 12 YO Prius, well Toyota of any type really.