warminwisc

Tranny is WS fluid. I had a valvoline quick lube say they add a D3 additive to make the fluid WS equal and completely flush the whole system. Good thing? I heard it is a lifetime fluid?

Gear oil? Synthetic?

Power steering fluid change needed at 100 k or so. Needed and special type?

Brake fluid change at 100k or so. Needed type?

Coolant? Needed type?

Thanks in advance!

I want to avoid the higher cost from dealers but if I need to go there I will. Some of this seems pretty routine, but horror stories abound about all garages.

beneteau

I don't trust "quick lube" types of businesses. Owned a Honda several years ago and took it to a "quick lube" place. The tech couldn't decide on the correct oil filter. Finally installed a filter, started filling with oil--------I was watching as I saw oil flowing under the car onto the floor. I went and complained to the manager and he had to correct the problem. Never gone to a cheap quick lube place since and never will. Learned my lesson. You get what you pay for.

Jabberwock

I second the recommendation not to use or trust quicky lube places. Most chain/franchise quicky oil change places and other chains like them (including schlock places like NTB) employ only minimum wage, virtually untrained bottom of the barrel employees to perform your oil change and fluids service.

These types of unskilled inexperienced "technicians" can go from making burgers at McDonalds on Monday to working on your Lexus on Tuesday. While doing something simple like changing your oil they can easily strip or cross thread oil pan filler bolts and/or filters - these are mistakes that will end up costing you several hundred dollars to repair after the fact.

These same folks have also been known to use the completely wrong fluid (like transmission fluid, radiator coolant, or engine oil) to top off a brake master cylinder - completely ruining your brake system. Or using windshield washer fluid to top off your radiator coolant tank.

These kinds of mistakes can literally cost you hundreds and sometimes thousands of dollars to repair after the fact. If you value your car, take your car to a shop like Lexus or Toyota, or a good independent. Use a shop that employs trained certified auto mechanics that can do your oil change. Yes it will cost a few bucks more but potentially can save you thousands.

Every young greese monkey has to start somewhere but let them start and learn on someone else's car.

warminwisc

All good points thank you. I will check the manual for fluid types and change times. A point to note I have had some of the biggest mistakes in my 34 year history of owning cars at dealers, but I hear what you are saying.

AlexusAnja

I hear you too. Dealers are not perfect, they make mistakes too. They strip plugs, they over torque lug nuts and strip the studs, they install pads backwards. I've seen them too, but only in 20 years of owning cars...

With dealers, you run a risk of maybe 5% chance of getting a newbie, but at QuikyLube places, you probably run a 75% chance or higher of getting a newbie and I doubt any of them are ASE certified.

All the fluids you mentioned, besides POSSIBLY the WS Trans. fluid, can and should be proactively changed at 100K to keep the fluids fresh. Some, like engine coolant, depends on if they were ever done. I do mine sort of random, depending on fluid color, time, etc.

ebolger

The "Quicky" place I go to has had the same "bottom feeder" grease monkeys for the past 8 years.

Frankly they will run circles around most of the techs at the stealers.

If I run into a more techical problem I have a repair shop run by Cambodians that will fix the problem for 60% of what the stealer will charge..... and a lot better. Plus they are straight shooters and let you know what the extent and cost of a problem will really be.

Jabberwock

I just reread my previous post and I want to make something clear, I in no way meant to disrespect the hardworking folks that work in quicklube places. I was just saying that these places hire very inexperienced, untrained folks and may not be the best place to take a complex and expensive car like an LS430 for service. As far as I am concerned every aspiring but inexperienced mechanic has to start some where and they deserve respect for being willing to start at the bottom and work their way up. And I want to be clear that I respect and consider all honest work of any kind (even if its completed unskilled) to be worthy of my respect and to be a noble endeavor.

TJW98LS

iTrader: (1)

This conversation is great and all, but no one has answered his questions lol.

Personally I don't know of the fluids until I change them. I know the Tranny Fluid is Type-IV fluid from Toyota, and I run Valvoline full synthetic engine oil. I've wanted to try Amsoil because it is supposed to be the most synthetic, but I am unsure.

My advice is to do your research and find a place around town to change them. I've found that if I spend another $30-50, I get Lexus Service on my fluids, so I normally just run it by them real quick (Peace of Mind for sure.)

And One more thing...

Never flush the fluids at a quicky lube place!!! Especially your transmission Fluid

JimsGX

If your Timing Belt / Water Pump was done at 90k, then your coolant would have been changed out then. If you check the TB / WP invoice, you should see 2 gallons of Toyota Super Long Life on the invoice.

I spoke to my Lexus dealers mechanic about the tranny fluid. He tells me that the transmission fluid should really be changed out at 100k miles... He explained the process to me and likened it to changing out differential fluid. There are two plugs, one low and one higher up that they use to drain and fill. Then the transmission fluid is brought up to a temperature of 114 degrees and the upper plug is topped off until the fluid starts to overflow. He said they charge around $200 for the service. I'd never use anything but the Toyota WS fluid for this change.

The brake fluid should be replaced every 30k miles, even though many of us never do it. Use DOT3 or DOT3/4 compatible fluid. I'd recommend synthetic brake fluid (Valvoline or similar)... Do not use DOT 5! This is a silicone based fluid and is incompatible with our brake system. There is also a DOT 5.1 standard, but I wouldn't use it.

I'd say its good practice to change out the PS fluid on a somewhat regular basis. The fluid to use is a Dexron III compatible ATF fluid. I prefer to use Mobile 1 Synthetic ATF for this, which is Dexron III compatible. I've had very good luck with this fluid in Lexus PS systems. Every oil change, I siphon out what's in the PS reservoir and add new ATF. Beats the hassle of a full flush at longer intervals and the possibility of introducing air into the system. Run the vehicle for a bit right before siphoning off the fluid, this will help to suspend any contaminants so you get them out with the fluid during the siphon. I'm not sure what the total capacity is of the LS430's PS system. Older LS's held 2.5 quarts.

I don't remember seeing a recommended interval for replacing the differential fluid, but I plan to change mine out at 100k along with the WS tranny fluid.

Jim

warminwisc

Thanks buddy,
that is also what i was looking for. I am taking it to the Yota dealer to change my t-belt and pump on Wednesday at 100k so I am armed with info to use synthetic fluids versus stock fluids. They will do the belt etc for 600 and the tranny for 90 versus 300 at Lexus. The tech at Yota said the fluid never needed to be changed but crap for 90 bucks I would just rather air on the side of care. I will have them give me a price on the other fluids. Rental car is 27 bucks

How much tranny fluid do they get out? Is power flushing on the tranny not recommended?

JimsGX

He told me the WS change on the tranny was an exchange, not a flush. He also said it would take 8~10 quarts to properly do the job.

There's a lot of debate about fluid exchange v.s. a power flush. I had a power flush done once on another LS without any problems (76k miles at the time). Others are very against it and say it can loosen dirt particles in the system and plug up the shift solenoids, causing more problems than it cures. I think if the transmission hasn't been well maintained over the years, then I wouldn't flush it. If it has been, then a flush shouldn't harm it. Just my opinion...

Slvr surfr

iTrader: (1)

Totally agree! I had a 92 Camry that i purchased with 106k miles on it already and it was four years old back in 96. After a year of ownership i exchanged the trans fluid myself. A week later i exchanged it again because i forgot to clean the screen. A week after that my trans went!! Only if i just left it alone the at the first change i think it would've been fine but after basically loosening all the gunk by changing it twice, it caused my tranny to go. Only after that i was told i should've just left it alone from the beginning. My advice with the tran is just do a basic exchange of fluid and be done with it. Just my two cents!

LS430inDE.

I have 58k miles on my 2005. I am driving cross country in a couple weeks and for piece of mind, took her to the DEALER. This was my first visit to the dealer for anything. I've always done the routine maintenance myself.

In addition to having the dealer looking her over from top to bottom, I requested the tranny, brake, rear diff, and coolant be changed. Yes---I only have 58k miles, but I wanted it done before a cross country (and back) trip!

If I had those items done a la carte, meaning, without anything else, I would have paid full fare labor rate ($125/hr). The service writer advised that if he wrote up my requests as "add ons" to a 30k or 60k service, then they would only charge $75/hr because of the reduced labor rate for a "scheduled" 30/60/90k service.

I got the 30k service, minus tire rotation, minus oil-filter, minus air filter, minus cabin filter (I did all those myself).

Total cost for the tranny, rear diff, brake fluid, antifreeze + inspection of a lot of things (brakes, tires, belts, etc), road test, and GREAT conversation with the technician was $525. I look forward to doing it again at ~100k as well.