Did you change yours at 30k ?
04-08-11, 02:20 PM
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Did you change yours at 30k ?
I have a '07 ES350 and I noticed the manual recommends changing the brake fluid at 30,000 miles or 36 months. This seems a little soon to me. I've had my Lexus for over 48 months but have only 29k miles on it because I'm retired and don't drive as much as I used to. I'm planning a long western road trip this summer, do you think I should have the brake fluid changed? I've never had the cap off the master cylinder so I wouldn't think moisture in the fluid would be a concern. The brakes work fine. Thank you for your thoughts on this.
04-08-11, 04:36 PM
#2
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I had my brake fluid changed at the 30k service. I'm not sure that it was really needed, but I hadn't had the car back to the dealer since I bought it and I wanted to get one or two of the major services done there and have them added to the cars service history.
I guess overall it can't hurt.
I guess overall it can't hurt.
04-09-11, 08:32 AM
#3
Well, I've 96K+ miles on my 07 and haven't flushed the brake lines yet. No problems.
Moisture will get into the system even without opening the fluid reservoir. Your upcoming long trip won't be affected, but if you want to follow the manufacturer's guidelines then go ahead and do the flush. It isn't critical but it will help keep your brake lines clean.
Moisture will get into the system even without opening the fluid reservoir. Your upcoming long trip won't be affected, but if you want to follow the manufacturer's guidelines then go ahead and do the flush. It isn't critical but it will help keep your brake lines clean.
04-09-11, 09:56 AM
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Brake fluid is hydrophilic...absorbs moisture from the air which degrades the fluid. Many auto and brake fluid manufacturers recommend changing the fluid at two year intervals, regardless of mileage.
04-09-11, 12:15 PM
#5
I don't change mine but don't usually keep a car over 40,000 miles - sadly that's about two sets of tires - to keep the cost down. It certainly can't hurt anything unless even more moisture and contaminants get introduced thru the flushing process.
Dave Mac
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04-10-11, 09:58 AM
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I bought my 2008 IS 350 new in Jan '09 and am now in the 41k mile range. I had read that I was supposed to change the brake fluid at 30k mile and have been meaning to. I had ordered the brake fluid from sewell (part# 004751BF03 @ $4.19 each) back in January. I really wanted to do it myself and have bookmarked a thread or two with instructions - but Hoping to find something real detailed.
04-10-11, 12:48 PM
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Monitor your braking style as well as the weather, heat related, like mentioned above the brake fluid absorbs moisture which lowers your boiling point making it easier to heat the brakes fluid up faster, resulting in spongy brake pedal and longer stopping distance.
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04-15-11, 08:07 PM
#8
I just did mine, I find these sort of routine maintence a bit fun plus I got a good look at each brake assembly after four years of use and >37K miles. I used DOT4 fluid which exceeds the DOT3 requirement.
I used this:
http://www.tirerack.com/brakes/acces...tail.jsp?ID=21
For a tip on interval of changing the fluid, follow the link and read the description of the Dot4 fluid.
It's blue so it made it easy to see when the new fluid was transitioning in, it goes from yellow, to green, to blue.
Having a helper to pump the breaks was a help but not necessary if you have a bleed kit (<$10 at autozone).
After setting the car on jack stands and removing the wheels I started on the rear passenger side working my way round clock wise (if you face the front). Behind each rotar there's a small rubber cover over the bleed valve remove it. I used a 6mm wrench to loosen the bleed valve by one rev. Then attached a tube and ran to a oil drain pan (or a break bleed kit if you have one). Pump the breaks careful to not empty the reservoir completely - add more brake fluid to the reservior as it's depleted. I used a little less then a 1L bottle. In total it took me about an hour but I have an air tool.
I used this:
http://www.tirerack.com/brakes/acces...tail.jsp?ID=21
For a tip on interval of changing the fluid, follow the link and read the description of the Dot4 fluid.
It's blue so it made it easy to see when the new fluid was transitioning in, it goes from yellow, to green, to blue.
Having a helper to pump the breaks was a help but not necessary if you have a bleed kit (<$10 at autozone).
After setting the car on jack stands and removing the wheels I started on the rear passenger side working my way round clock wise (if you face the front). Behind each rotar there's a small rubber cover over the bleed valve remove it. I used a 6mm wrench to loosen the bleed valve by one rev. Then attached a tube and ran to a oil drain pan (or a break bleed kit if you have one). Pump the breaks careful to not empty the reservoir completely - add more brake fluid to the reservior as it's depleted. I used a little less then a 1L bottle. In total it took me about an hour but I have an air tool.
Last edited by safford197; 04-15-11 at 08:12 PM.
04-17-11, 08:13 AM
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I'd like to thank everyone for their imput, I think I will go ahead and have the fluid changed. Oh BTW, I checked with two local independent garages and they wanted 70 to 85 dollars for the job, to my suprise the Toyota dealer will do it for 50 dollars, and of course guess how much the Lexus dealer wanted? Would you believe 150 dollars! I'm finished with Lexus service, it's bad enough paying what they want for new cars these days, but I don't have to pay two to three times what a job is worth for quality service. Note to Lexus; wouldn't some profit be better than no profit? You've just lost another service customer.
04-17-11, 10:51 AM
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I just did mine, I find these sort of routine maintence a bit fun plus I got a good look at each brake assembly after four years of use and >37K miles. I used DOT4 fluid which exceeds the DOT3 requirement.
I used this:
http://www.tirerack.com/brakes/acces...tail.jsp?ID=21
For a tip on interval of changing the fluid, follow the link and read the description of the Dot4 fluid.
It's blue so it made it easy to see when the new fluid was transitioning in, it goes from yellow, to green, to blue.
Having a helper to pump the breaks was a help but not necessary if you have a bleed kit (<$10 at autozone).
After setting the car on jack stands and removing the wheels I started on the rear passenger side working my way round clock wise (if you face the front). Behind each rotar there's a small rubber cover over the bleed valve remove it. I used a 6mm wrench to loosen the bleed valve by one rev. Then attached a tube and ran to a oil drain pan (or a break bleed kit if you have one). Pump the breaks careful to not empty the reservoir completely - add more brake fluid to the reservior as it's depleted. I used a little less then a 1L bottle. In total it took me about an hour but I have an air tool.
I used this:
http://www.tirerack.com/brakes/acces...tail.jsp?ID=21
For a tip on interval of changing the fluid, follow the link and read the description of the Dot4 fluid.
It's blue so it made it easy to see when the new fluid was transitioning in, it goes from yellow, to green, to blue.
Having a helper to pump the breaks was a help but not necessary if you have a bleed kit (<$10 at autozone).
After setting the car on jack stands and removing the wheels I started on the rear passenger side working my way round clock wise (if you face the front). Behind each rotar there's a small rubber cover over the bleed valve remove it. I used a 6mm wrench to loosen the bleed valve by one rev. Then attached a tube and ran to a oil drain pan (or a break bleed kit if you have one). Pump the breaks careful to not empty the reservoir completely - add more brake fluid to the reservior as it's depleted. I used a little less then a 1L bottle. In total it took me about an hour but I have an air tool.
https://www.clublexus.com/forums/rx-...ml#post6298599
https://www.clublexus.com/forums/sus...o-bleeder.html
https://www.clublexus.com/forums/is-...uid-flush.html
Hopefully between all of these threads I can figure out everything I need (so far just have the brake fluid from sewell) to do it on my own.
05-06-11, 05:32 PM
#13
Just a little trick I use is to take a turkey baster and remove the fluid in the master cylinder reservoir . Fill it with he new fluid and start the bleeding process. Don't spill any on the paint.
05-07-11, 09:22 AM
#14
It cost me less then $20 to do it myself and took me no more time then if I had made an appointment and waited around at home for Lexus to come to my house with a loner... IMO $150 is a rip off!
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