Quote:
Originally Posted by JSH
We also make vehicles to be as easy to service as reasonably possible.
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Sometimes it feels like that's not the case. (e.g.
Right to repair).
Speaking of brakes, I thought that my 8 year old Avalon could use a brake fluid change. Maybe it doesn't, and Toyota doesn't recommend a brake fluid change for the whole life of the vehicle. But seeing how several Prius owners have had their brake actuator go out, which ends up costing well over $1,000 to replace, I thought it might be a good idea to do some preventative maintenance.
But to do it on a hybrid (or maybe on any modern car with ABS) you need the special scan tool from the OEM. In my case, an expensive subscription to Toyota TIS (like $2,000 per year). So I thought I'd just have the dealer do it.
I took it in for an airbag recall and told them to go ahead and change the radiator fluid, the engine oil and the brake fluid. They kept telling me that the transmission also needed it, but I had changed that myself not that long ago. But once all said and done, they had changed everything except the brake fluid. It was nearly 5PM and the dealership is 4 hours from my house. So I gave up and went home.
I still don't have my brake fluid changed and have no hope to ever get it done. Maybe I don't need it. Or maybe in a few months I'll need a $2,000 brake actuator.
That and I can't fix my radio... I've rebuild whole engines before and replaced transmissions and brake systems and entire suspension systems and even have done alignments! But now I can't even change the freaking brake fluid or get my radio to work right!
It's small things like those that are frustrating.