100K miles car maintenance?

[Farmer17]

My 2012 Toyta Rav4 just turned 100K miles and I took it to the dealer for an oil change and inspection. They said everything looked on the car but it needed a few things:
Transmission fluid changed
Fuel system cleaned
Oil system flushed
Coolant sytem flushed
Brake system flushed

To flush or clean these five things they wanted a thousand bucks. I'm all about good maintenance but are any of these things fairly easy to do myself. Can I change the tranny fluid myself and put some Lucas in the gas tank to clean the injectors? How about the coolant, can I drain the radiator and add new water and anti-freeze?

 

[Jack Flash]

I think you can do most / all of that stuff yourself but you may need to buy some equipment and spend some time crawling around under the car.

Or you can take it to a trusted third party garage and see what they will do the work for (probably a lot less).

Personally, I've had a lot of cars I've put 100,000+ miles on and I never did any of that stuff. They still ran great when I sold them.

Dealers are always pushing stuff like that, it doesn't mean that it's necessary.

 

[Arik]

No no no!!!

Do not flush. Flushing often causes problems. You can empty and replace with new but not flushing.

That being said it's mostly a waste of time. I would be more concerned with the water pump and the timing belt IF you have a belt. If it's a chain then no worries. If it ain't broke don't fix it. And especially don't pay a dealer. Their hourly rate is $100 plus parts and whatever else they come up with.

If your car is running fine leave it be. I've had plenty of Toyotas and none had anything flushed or changed. Typical oil change and since mine were older models with spark plugs and timing belts, those too. Done! Last one went 300k with 99% original factory installed parts. The only things that were changed were...
Spark plugs
Timing belt
Water pump
Thermostat
Radiator @ 200k
Shocks.

 

[dave holl]

If you are the original owner, then you know how the car was driven. Three years ago I purchased a 2005 Corvette with 55K miles, and, unsure of how it was driven, had a dealer do all of those items on your list.

I think most owners' manuals recommend transmission fluid , antifreeze, and brake fluids changed in that interval of 100K miles. A radiator flush would also include checking water pump, hoses, thermostat........good idea. There is an ongoing debate whether flushing or draining transmission fluid is better. Flushing will purge and replace 99% of the fluid, but the slight risk is dislodging internal tranny debris. Draining will replace 60% of the fluid, with 40% still in the torque converter. ( those percentages are approximate and subject to change by an expert mechanic) Both procedures will include a new tranny filter, hose inspection, and gaskets.

Brake fluids will accumulate moisture over time, and should be replaced.
Just a thought................if you have had brake, tranny, or radiator service over the years for repair issues, maybe some of those fluids have already been partially replaced.

My vote is to do it, and since I'm not as limber as I used to be, I'd take it to a trusted mechanic.

Plenty of additives on the market to clean injectors. You'll probably change a fuel filter too.
I am NOT a mechanic, just a retired math teacher who has owned and maintained many vehicles over the years, and worried about those things you've mentioned.
Dave

 

[Bkreutz]

My 2012 Toyta Rav4 just turned 100K miles and I took it to the dealer for an oil change and inspection. They said everything looked on the car but it needed a few things:
Transmission fluid changed
Fuel system cleaned
Oil system flushed
Coolant sytem flushed
Brake system flushed

To flush or clean these five things they wanted a thousand bucks. I'm all about good maintenance but are any of these things fairly easy to do myself. Can I change the tranny fluid myself and put some Lucas in the gas tank to clean the injectors? How about the coolant, can I drain the radiator and add new water and anti-freeze?

Check the maintenance schedule in your manual. I've worked for many different dealerships in my career (including Lexus which is kind of like Toyota) Dealerships often (always) recommend more maintenance than the manufacturer with the excuse of "our experience shows that doing these things will make your car last longer". What they are saying is that "our experience shows that doing these things will increase our profit margin". Going by your list, here are some suggestions.

Brake fluid: Should be changed every 2 years, mileage doesn't matter.
Coolant: Depends on the type of coolant, your manual will help here.
Fuel system: If you use good fuel, nothing needed. You can add a bottle of Techron every few months, it will help reduce varnish buildup
Oil flush? Do this only if you like wasting your money on snake oil medications.
Transmission: Again, depends on transmission fluid and type. One thing to be aware of, modern transmissions aren't serviced the same way as older ones. Yours may require special equipment to fill the trans.

Hope this helps, I was never one to sell these kind of things but when you're just the guy in the back, you do whatever the work order says.

 

[oldman10mm]

^^^agree.
Brake fluid should be changed 'periodically'. Brake fluid is hygroscopic and pulls moisture out of the atmosphere.
Fuel system-Techron periodically.
Oil flush-that's what an oil and filter change do.
Trannsmission-No,unless the tranny is having problems and even then a flush can make it worse.

 

[Gamecock]

Transmission fluid changed - maybe at 10 years

Fuel system cleaned - never

Oil system flushed - never

Coolant sytem flushed - not before 5 years, 10 probably okay. You can get it checked.

Brake system flushed - Maybe at 10 years

I have had many vehicles for a long time that I never did any of the above.

 

[DWalt]

I avoid dealership service like the plague. I got badly burned once, and swore I would never, ever, go to a dealer for any service unless I felt in the mood for getting screwed, or else maybe to fix something under warranty. Dealers are a lot like Cobras - they love to bite you. A good local shop with some history and a reputation for good service is always a better choice for those things you can't perform yourself. Fortunately, I have a couple of such local shops nearby. No way I would ever "flush" anything on my vehicles, even brake fluid. I once had a Chevy S-10 PU I drove for 180K miles over 15 years, and never did anything to it except to change the oil and oil filter, spark plugs, and several hose and belt replacements. I'd probably still have it had not some DA snotnose kid run into me totaling it.

 

[Gamecock]

Amen, DWalt. I won't even go to the dealer for a free oil change. I'd rather pay $80.

I lost one trusted mechanic to Cash for Clunkers. All his other customers got new cars. Been with other private garage since then. People I'd trust with my wallet.

 

[Hapworth]

My 2012 Toyta Rav4 just turned 100K miles and I took it to the dealer for an oil change and inspection. They said everything looked on the car but it needed a few things:
Transmission fluid changed
Fuel system cleaned
Oil system flushed
Coolant sytem flushed
Brake system flushed

To flush or clean these five things they wanted a thousand bucks. I'm all about good maintenance but are any of these things fairly easy to do myself. Can I change the tranny fluid myself and put some Lucas in the gas tank to clean the injectors? How about the coolant, can I drain the radiator and add new water and anti-freeze?

1) Transmission: Assuming yours is auto, transmissions do well to have the fluid drained and replaced every 30K miles; if you've gotten to 100K not servicing it, leave it alone -- you're more apt to break sludge loose and cause a failure than do any good at this point. Leave it be; unserviced auto trannies generally go sometime after 100k to 120k anyway.

2) Fuel system: unless you've regularly been using off-brand crud fuel available only in rural Paraguay, you don't need to clean the fuel system -- modern, quality gasoline with proprietary detergents take care of this each time you fuel up. If anything, vary which gas providers you use to get different detergent combinations into your fuel system for potentially better results.

3) Oil system flushing is absurd; a proper oil change "flushes" the oil system, especially if you do it regularly like you're supposed to. Slick oil additives to high mileage cars usually do more harm to the seals than good to the engine.

4) Coolant system should be drained and filled with fresh coolant specified to your vehicle every two to four years.

5) Brake fluid ditto but every one to two years.

These are proactive suggestions, but will serve you well for long term ownership. You can do it yourself if you do the research to make certain you know what you're doing, have the right tools and equipment, and quality fluids. A good Rav4 forum will have do-it-yourself tutorials.

As for flushes -- don't do 'em. They're high-pressure, machine impelled swap-outs that make the dealer's life easier (and richer) but are arguably not good for the engine for a variety of reasons.

A good mechanic will understand if you prefer drains and refills and take care of it for you if you decide not to go the do-it-yourself route. If so, find a qualified independent mechanic well-trained in your kind of vehicle.

Good luck.

 

[gregintenn]

I'm with Arik. If your car has a timing belt, change it. Other than that, brakes, tires, and regular oil changes are about all the maintenance that should really be required.

 

[Old Seabee]

100K

Well worth doing the 100 K mait , Not doing is like declining a colonoscopy and a year later they say sorry if we only could have caught it sooner .Old Seabee IMO

 

[ChattanoogaPhil]

Over 200k miles on my Tundra. Runs like new. To replace my truck would probably cost me $700-800/mo for 5 years.
Major service costs every few years the equivalent of one or two new truck payments seem like a bargain to me.

 

[e3mrk]

About the only thing I would do is change the fuel filter if not in the tank and change the tranny filter on a automatic.

 

[bushmaster1313]

Some cars must have the timing belt changed every 100k miles

In cars that need it it must be done

Busted timing belt can ruin engine and lead to loss of control

If they need to remove the water pump to get to the timing belt you should change the water pump as well

 

[ChattanoogaPhil]

Some cars must have the timing belt changed every 100k miles

In cars that need it it must be done

Busted timing belt can ruin engine and lead to loss of control

If they need to remove the water pump to get to the timing belt you should change the water pump as well

Good advice.

My truck has what is referred to as an "interference" engine. Meaning that the valves extend far enough down into the cylinder that the pistons would collide with a valve if the timing belt busted. Saving on service costs by not replacing the timing belt at manufacturer recommend intervals can be quite expensive. So can most neglected service items.

 

[gmiller0737]

I am a Master Auto Technician for what it's worth Here is My advise get Your Owners Manual Out & see what services are recommended in the Manual,A oil flush should never be needed on a vehicle that has been properly maintained,It likely would be a Good idea to change the Transmission Fluid,Coolant,Brake Fluid & Spark Plugs are likely due as well use either Denso or NGK For Spark Plugs.

 

[Marshwheeling]

Best Chinese fortune cookie ever: "Your car will have 40,000 trouble-free miles".

Next best: have a brother with a car-repair shop.

Failing that, there are honest repair shops around, but none of them are dealers. Ask around. Somebody will know who the rip-off artists are and who can be relied upon. If you are in a city, go out to a smaller town. The guys in smaller communities can't afford to get a bad rep.

 

[mr.jbk79]

If you tow/haul more frequently with your truck, you're going to want to service the trans and rear diff fluids sooner than 100k. Also don't overlook the engine air filter, and the cabin air filter if equipped. Many vehicles within the last 10yrs+ have cabin air filters.

 

[FlyFish]

FWIW, my 2005 Ford Explorer just turned 200K miles, runs like the day it was made, and I never did any of that stuff, just regular maintenance at the recommended intervals.