Took my 2005 LS to local Toyota dealer for oil change today. I have owned for 1 year, 85k miles, all service done at Lexus before I purchased. They recommended:
Coolant change - $169
Brake fluid flush - $129
Transmission service - $209
Induction service - $119
Fuel injection service - $119

All based on the technicians "inspection".

Are any of these recommendations legitimate? How can I determine if they actually need to be done? For those that are legitimate, are these prices reasonable?

Thanks

 

No to the fuel injection service. Run top tier gas and use an additive of your choice. I like the Red Line total fuel system cleaner ever 3k or so.

Brake fluid is good to change and that is a fair price. Make sure they evacuate all of the fluid from the reservoir and then run new fluid through the lines and bleed the system properly.

Skip the induction service.

Coolant would be good but you're about due for a 90k service with timing belt and water pump. I would wait till then for that service.

For the transmission, make sure it is a DRAIN&FILL only, not a flush. Honestly, you really want a 3 drain&fill services pretty close to each other to get the majority of the old fluid out.

Also, don't forget your rear differential.

 

Yes, they are legitimate depending on age and mileage since last time the service was done and if you've been filling up at gas stations that are not Top Tier certified. Those service prices are very normal for dealership service (think of the free donuts, coffee, loaner car/shuttle, clean floors). If your 2005 uses factory filled red coolant (aka Long Life Coolant aka LLC), it was first due to be changed in 2008, then every 2 years after. However, if you were switched to the new pink Super Long Life Coolant (SLLC), changes need only occur once every 80,000 kilometres (or 75,000 kms for Camry and Avalon), with no time interval. Source: https://toyota.pressroom.com.au/pres...023&clientID=2

Brake fluid absorbs water and contaminants build up behind the calipers, so the replacement interval is every 36 months/48,000km. There is a special computerized (Techstream) process to bleed the ABS actuator which is tedious and labor-intensive. This only needs to be done if your brake pedal feel cannot be restored after doing a normal bleed. I paid my local dealership specifically to do the ABS bleed procedure in Techstream, but when I reviewed my dashcam footage, they only did a normal drain and replace. If they had done the computerized flush, my dashcam would have been activated when the key went to ACC or ON in order for Techstream to talk to the car's computers. There is a very low chance that they used the bleeder screw built into the ABS actuator, as using this bleeder isn't part of any of their service manuals, and it's at a very tight spot and awkward angle to bleed.

To truly determine if you need an induction service, open your air intake in front of the throttle body, look at the throttle plate and have a helper step on the accelerator with the engine OFF, key ON. If there is black crud everywhere, you need the throttle plate cleaned. To determine if you would benefit from an upper engine clean, you'd need to take off the intake manifold (lots of work) and look around the intake and at the back of the valves - lots of work. I say it's just easier to just do the service at every major mileage interval, somewhere in the 48-96,000km range.

To truly determine if you need your fuel injectors cleaned, you need to take them out, attach a tube of gasoline, then apply electricity and watch the spray pattern and measure the injector volume - lots of work. Easier to just do the service every 48-96,000km.

You can do most/all of these services yourself:

Coolant: You can DIY, one drain plug under radiator, other 2 under each engine bank. Quick and easy job, takes less than 15 minutes to drain. You'll spend more take jacking up the car or unscrewing the underbody covers. The $169 they charge is the 1-1.5hr they spend waiting for your coolant to cool down. The LS430 takes 9.5-10L of coolant, 2 and a half jugs is ~$30.
Brake fluid: You can DIY by: pressurizing the master reservoir (using a Speedibleed or Motive tool), or applying a vacuum tool to the bleeder plugs. 2-3 bottles of DOT3 brake fluid should do it, ~$30.
Transmission: For a 2004-2006 transmission, you're better off leaving this to the dealership. There is a flow chart of things to do, you'll need to jump a 2 pins on the OBD2 port, 3 pins if you have air suspension, and everything needs to be done with the fluid at the correctly warm temperature - not too hot but not too cold either.

Induction service: Absolutely has merit and benefits. However, dealerships commonly charge $120-240 for this service - it is a huge money-maker for them because like the coolant service, most of the labor time is spent waiting. Toyota/Lexus uses a 3-step process using the Induction Service Kit, part # 00289-INDKT. Step (1): With gas tank at 1/4 full, pour in full bottle of Toyota EFI Cleaner part #00289-EFI00 into gas tank; (2) Use Toyota Throttle Plate Cleaner spray part #00289-1TP00 to clean the throttle plate, using a tool or helper to depress the accelerator to open the throttle plate; (3) use Toyota Top Enginer Cleaner part #00289-1TE00 along with atomizer tool 00289-TECTL, aka Subaru part #SOA868V9430 SKU 10689, attached to a short piece of fuel-resistant hose, attached to any vacuum port (PCV, EVAP, brake booster), suck in 1/3 bottle, about an 8 minute wait, turn off tool, hold engine rpm at 3000 for 10 seconds, then do another 1/3 bottle, raise to 3000rpm, then finish the bottle, then do a few quick revs to 4000-5000 to clear out the induction system. See . While you're at it, replace your MAF with a new Denso 197-6030 from a legit supplier like RockAuto, or a new 22204-22010 from Toyota. Again, while you're at it, replace your engine air filter with a 17801-50030 or a Denso 143-2085 (identical parts).

Fuel injection service: Only needed if Step #1 above (pour-in-tank polyetheramine cleaner) doesn't work. This service absolutely has merit, but most of the labor time they charge is just standing around watching the engine run. You need to take off the fuel supply hose near the oil dipstick, plug it, pull the fuel pump relay/fuse (unless the car doesn't start without it, then make sure your plug is on solid, fuel pump runs 50psi), then on the end feeding the engine, you need to attach the correct pieces of part numbers 00289-1PF00-01, 00289-1PF00-02, and 00289-1PF00-03 (kits of various fuel hoses and adapter packs for all Toyotas). Then you use the Toyota Pressurized EFI Cleaner 14oz Can part #00289-1PF14, screw it into the hose fitting, then start the car. The car will run off this cleaner bottle instead of gasoline, providing a very direct cleaning of your fuel injectors. When the engine dies in 10-15 minutes, the job is done. See
Agree with Romanova on using Top Tier certified fuel. Top Tier is the minimum standard for detergents. Shell V-Power reportedly exceeds Top Tier's minimum by quite a bit. The Toyota pressurized can probably has so much detergent (polyetheramine and others) that it would dissolve the rubber fuel hoses, which is why it needs to be attached directly to the metal fuel rail. The old versions of the Toyota pour-in-tank cleaner said something like to not leave the cleaner in the fuel system for more than a week. The new version says to pour into a full gas tank and to not refuel until empty.

Agree with Romanova on changing rear differential oil, factory replacement interval is every 24 months/32,000km but no big deal to stretch this out. If your car rarely sees temperatures below 0F, use any API GL-5 synthetic gear oil, SAE 90 weight or 75W-90 (easier to find). Always open your fill plug before your drain plug, because if the fill plug is seized, you're not driving anywhere with a drained differential.

Agree with Romanova that if you're close to changing your timing belt, most of the coolant will be dumped and replaced, so time your coolant change accordingly.