Brake Fluid service @ 10k miles????

[Supraboi7]

If I were you, I’d avoid the dealership at all costs. I’m in the same boat as you with a tuned 2020 and there are very few reasons I’d ever consider going to a dealership for pretty much anything at all. Any vehicle’s brake fluid can be flushed and changed without hooking the car to a computer. I’d take it to your local tuner shop if they’re reputable and not worry about getting your ecu locked

+1 on this. Chances are the tech will lock it up somehow. Might be easiest to get a motive power bleeder and bleed them yourself, then reset the warning light in diagnostic mode.

Sponsored

 

[SupraJay]

My local dealership says that they can’t flush the fluid without connecting the car to the computer and ultimately resetting the ecu (no go for me on my unlocked and tuned 2020). Doesn’t sound right to me.

Can anyone confirm whether this is the case or is this just another data point on how incompetent Toyota dealers are with these cars?
I only went there for a free only change I had as part of toyotacare or whatever. I’m about to just take it to my local performance shop and swap to 5W-X0 and some Motul brake fluid and be done with the Toyota dealer experience forever.

I was told the same thing at my Toyota dealership so it’s a no for me dawg. Even if they did say they could do it without connecting a computer I still wouldn’t trust them since it’s so easy for them to “connect by mistake” or “we forgot”

 

[AngryCar]

Hey guys, I also got the notification in my 2020 Supra about Brake Fluid Service Maintenance Due. I talk to the service manager at the dealer, and he says that must be the recall. I explain this is not the recall and here is what is says on Toyota Owners website...
Replace Brake Fluid: Initial replacement at 36 months. Replace every 24 months thereafter.

My car was built 09/2019, so it is now 36 months. I bought it on 07/2020 and only have 16k miles on it. Dealer says there is nothing in the service bulletins from Toyota about this and he'll contact his rep to clarify. I also told him DO NOT do the recall because my ecu is unlocked and I don't want it locked. It's insane that the Toyota dealerships have no idea what they are doing in regard to the Supra.

So I guess the question I have is.... does the brake fluid need to be changed at 36 months from the day it rolled off the assembly line or 36 months from the day I purchased it and started driving it?

Thanks for any info you have.

 

[baagel]

Hey guys, I also got the notification in my 2020 Supra about Brake Fluid Service Maintenance Due. I talk to the service manager at the dealer, and he says that must be the recall. I explain this is not the recall and here is what is says on Toyota Owners website...
Replace Brake Fluid: Initial replacement at 36 months. Replace every 24 months thereafter.

My car was built 09/2019, so it is now 36 months. I bought it on 07/2020 and only have 16k miles on it. Dealer says there is nothing in the service bulletins from Toyota about this and he'll contact his rep to clarify. I also told him DO NOT do the recall because my ecu is unlocked and I don't want it locked. It's insane that the Toyota dealerships have no idea what they are doing in regard to the Supra.

So I guess the question I have is.... does the brake fluid need to be changed at 36 months from the day it rolled off the assembly line or 36 months from the day I purchased it and started driving it?

Thanks for any info you have.

IMO if the car is informing you to change brake fluid, just do it. There's not much to be gained trying to squeeze extra life out of it, even if you don't drive it there's potential for brake fluid to absorb water. It's not that expensive unless you're using something like Castrol SRF.

Also, unless you're tuned already, the recall/update won't really lock you permanently, you'll just need a bench unlock.. different and much easier than what the post 06/2020 ECUs need. So just get that done as well.

 

[AngryCar]

I planned on getting the brake fluid done I was just wondering if the dealer was supposed to reset that notification on day of delivery to 36 months or if it really is from the day it leaves the assembly line. But reading thru this thread and your response it's probably from day of assembly because of the water absorption.

I am not tuned yet, only have a Jb4 right now, but I plan on getting tuned once I go aftermarket down pipe. Maybe in summer of 2023 (winter is coming here soon and AngryCar gets put away in storage). My ecu is currently unlocked, I was one of the lucky early ones, so I rather not get it locked and have to pay $400 or more to unlock it again when I'm ready. I don't have an iphone so don't care about full screen apple car play, and I'm positive I'll never double tap the start button, so I'll never have the issue the recall addresses. idk, I'll have to think on that one.

Thanks for the info., much appreciated.

 

[nibble]

I planned on getting the brake fluid done I was just wondering if the dealer was supposed to reset that notification on day of delivery to 36 months or if it really is from the day it leaves the assembly line. But reading thru this thread and your response it's probably from day of assembly because of the water absorption.

I am not tuned yet, only have a Jb4 right now, but I plan on getting tuned once I go aftermarket down pipe. Maybe in summer of 2023 (winter is coming here soon and AngryCar gets put away in storage). My ecu is currently unlocked, I was one of the lucky early ones, so I rather not get it locked and have to pay $400 or more to unlock it again when I'm ready. I don't have an iphone so don't care about full screen apple car play, and I'm positive I'll never double tap the start button, so I'll never have the issue the recall addresses. idk, I'll have to think on that one.

Thanks for the info., much appreciated.

you can reset it yourself. search for thread on getting in to menu

https://www.supramkv.com/threads/resetting-service-lights-brake-pad-oil-etc-cbs.8685/

 

[AngryCar]

you can reset it yourself. search for thread on getting in to menu

https://www.supramkv.com/threads/resetting-service-lights-brake-pad-oil-etc-cbs.8685/

I have been in that menu before. Had to correctly set my maintenance interval since the dealer didn't know how to. I also used it to check out things like oil temps and such. Pretty cool.

I'm going to get the brake fluid change done and if the dealer doesn't reset it correctly, I'll fix it. They had no idea about the brake fluid service time frame either. I live in a very rural area so the Toyota dealer is a small one, they've only sold 2 Supras, and I'm the only one who has ever brought it in for maintenance. Other Toyota dealers are hours away and the only tuner shop is also hours away and closed now because they are moving to a new location even farther away.

Anyway, I appreciate the info and the link. I bookmarked it for if/when I need to get back into that secret menu. Thanks.

 

[FLtrackdays]

I have been in that menu before. Had to correctly set my maintenance interval since the dealer didn't know how to. I also used it to check out things like oil temps and such. Pretty cool.

I'm going to get the brake fluid change done and if the dealer doesn't reset it correctly, I'll fix it. They had no idea about the brake fluid service time frame either. I live in a very rural area so the Toyota dealer is a small one, they've only sold 2 Supras, and I'm the only one who has ever brought it in for maintenance. Other Toyota dealers are hours away and the only tuner shop is also hours away and closed now because they are moving to a new location even farther away.

Anyway, I appreciate the info and the link. I bookmarked it for if/when I need to get back into that secret menu. Thanks.

Can’t hurt to change it and glad you found the menu to reset it! Besides, it’s always good to top it off if/when it gets low. And as long as it’s not silicone based (DOT 5), you can mix and match fluids. The majority being DOT 3 found everywhere and perfect for street use.

 

[Sigg]

~ Amazingly this was never a required service until 60,000 miles roughly 10 years ago.

I personally think all service recommendations have been moved to much lower mileage to push sales / profits for the dealers and manufactures.

However manufactures push 10,000 miles between oil changes when the dealer covers the cost under manufacture covered maintenance. Hmm

Oil thing is honestly Euro6+ emissions standards, I agree about the service intervals tho. Mercedes is the king of what you're saying. Pads and rotors alone are enough to bankrupt the average citizen

 

[AngryCar]

Can’t hurt to change it and glad you found the menu to reset it! Besides, it’s always good to top it off if/when it gets low. And as long as it’s not silicone based (DOT 5), you can mix and match fluids. The majority being DOT 3 found everywhere and perfect for street use.

Good to know. I'm a car guy, but I am not a mechanic or even anyone who likes working on cars, I just like driving them lol, so I appreciate info like this, very helpful.

 

[razorlab]

The supra comes with dot 4, don’t use dot 3, it has lower boiling point.

 

[FLtrackdays]

The supra comes with dot 4, don’t use dot 3, it has lower boiling point.

Didn’t know that. That’s awesome our cars come with DOT4 fluid! Not that anyone here is going to drive their Supras like a Camry, hence Toyota’s thought to use it? Or the fact that they come with one free track day sounds more like it

 

[AngryCar]

The supra comes with dot 4, don’t use dot 3, it has lower boiling point.

Thanks for the clarification.

 

[nibble]

Thanks for the clarification.

true in some sense. whilst you should not use DOT 3, you also should not use DOT 5 (with higher boiling point) so that's not exact reason you should change your brake fluid. there are other factors making up what is DOT 3, 4, 5, or 5.1. It is somewhat complicated. for a good reference, see wiki below.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brake_fluid

and then, although that article is good in general, it is not entirely true for our car either. sorry to confuse you even more..

simplest way to put it is,

- change brake fluid more often because DOT 4, GR Supra uses, is hydrophilic - attracts water molecules - than other type. In other word, fluid gets stale faster.
- Hence it is better to change fluid often (like annually or bi-annually) regardless of mileage.
- If you want higher boiling point for track/performance use, you should try to find one within DOT 4 specification. And change it more often than Annually.

 

[FLtrackdays]

true in some sense. whilst you should not use DOT 3, you also should not use DOT 5 (with higher boiling point) so that's not exact reason you should change your brake fluid. there are other factors making up what is DOT 3, 4, 5, or 5.1. It is somewhat complicated. for a good reference, see wiki below.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brake_fluid

and then, although that article is good in general, it is not entirely true for our car either. sorry to confuse you even more..

simplest way to put it is,

- change brake fluid more often because DOT 4, GR Supra uses, is hydrophilic - attracts water molecules - than other type. In other word, fluid gets stale faster.
- Hence it is better to change fluid often (like annually or bi-annually) regardless of mileage.
- If you want higher boiling point for track/performance use, you should try to find one within DOT 4 specification. And change it more often than Annually.

If tracking nibble is absolutely right. Preferably bleeding the fluid after each track weekend. There are huge variations between fluid boiling points, dry and wet for even DOT4 fluids:

Then there are industry standards (minimums):

They can vary quite a bit from industry standards. So even at my “wet” boiling point for say Castrol SRF is at 518F, I’m in no hurry to change (or flush) the entire system. But I will bleed out the dirty fluid. You’ll be able to see the difference with clear tubing when you bleed it. Once you see clear fluid while bleeding it, you’re done.
On my wife’s GTI that we don’t track, I won‘t be flushing the entire system at all. I’ll just add more over time when it gets low. Her car will never be under repeated “threshold“ braking with our daily driving. Thus we’ll never come close to our boiling points. Would it hurt to change it, of course not. Do you need to? Depends on your use and driving conditions.

Sponsored