Transmission fluid and brake fluid?

Question

I just went to the dealership the other day and was told my transmission fluid level/condition needed immediate attention. Same with the brake fluid level/condition.

What does it mean? does it mean the level of fluid or the condition it is in. My car is a Mazda 3 2005 with 35000 miles on it (3 years old). How much would it cost at Jiffy Lube or Brake check to get this all worked on?

Answer 1

transmission fluid breaks down over time like engine oil,you wouldn't leave that in for 35,000 miles would you?.35-40,000 miles is recommended for a transmission flush we do them  for around 100.00 bucks which includes BG brand flush chemicals (2 part process).Brake fluid absorbs moisture from the air,also copper transfer from the inside of the metal lines under the car contaminates the fluid.Most cars utilize 4 wheel anti-lock brakes and the hydraulic components can start seizing up(VERY COSTLY TO REPLACE) a flush every 2 years or 24,000 miles is more than enough,cost 89.00 bucks with BG brand DOT.4 synthetic fluid with this fluid you can safely go 50,000 miles between flushes.STAY AWAY FROM ALL QUICKIE LUBES call around and ask people where they get their cars fixed.Look for independent repair shops and ask if they use machines for these services,and BG products,they are top of the line chemicals.

Answer 2

In your glove compartment there must be a factory recommended schedule for the automatic transmission fluid change. Usually 60,000 miles is a safe range. They are flat scamming you concerning the "immediate attention" of the brake fluid. I've never heard of it in any handbook I've ever seen. On top of all this your car is still covered by the bumper to bumper warranty for 3 yrs or 36,000 miles.

I would agree that it's a good idea to have the brake fluid completely flushed after six years of use or 80,000 -100,000 miles. Brake fluid loves to soak up moisture. When that happens the boiling point of the fluid drops from the usual 515 degrees Fahrenheit considerably.

If you have any reservations on either of these two subjects, make the dealer show you the facts in your handbook. Don't for gosh sakes trust Jiffy Lube to change a wiper blade or make service decisions for you when they're not needed. Never on this green earth ever trust Jiffy Lube to change your oil either. Too many horrid mistakes.

Answer 3

could just to be flushed out and new add  the tranny will cost around 100 i don't know how munch to flash brake fluid

Answer 4

dealers advise is right and need to be remember daily before you going to start and drive your car. Not only brake and transmission fluid to keep on check daily but also water level on radiator and engine oil level. This is not so hard to do because all of them has its own metering device to follow the safe level. I may also advise to check your tire bolts and inflation before leaving your garage. Good luck and enjoy motoring.

Answer 5

these dealers ar not selling all that many cars anymore, so they are starting to concentrate on doing repairs.

Now for a dealer to tell you a story that is clouded with doom and not give you an intelligent explanation of just what it actually is,,,,is ludicrous.

Your car only has 35000 miles on it,,,it is still a baby. You probably dont need anything very serious atall.

Brake fluid normally goes down in the resivoir as the brakes wear--- it fills the void.

Transmission fluid sometimes gets changed around 50 or 60 thousand miles. If the trans fluid is red then everything is okay.

Not once in your post did you mention a problem with the car.

Get a neighbor you know to check the fluid levels for you.

And one thing more; Never get a transmission flush,,never,,,i dont care what they tell you,,,never get it done.

And one more thing---stay the h**l away from any jiffy lube. Find a local  privately owned garage for oil changes etc.

Answer 6

it can be both!, they might be refering that the tranny oil was low and the brake fluid was low, also they might be saying they both need changing.pull the transmission stick out and look at the fluid, if it looks brown, then it needs changing, along with a new filter.

Answer 7

Tell them that if they are going to tell you something needs "immediate attention", then they can be more specific, and that you are not just going to hand over your vehicle to them on the pretenses of what they wrote. It sounds like they are trying to scare you into some work that may not be totally necessary, and as much as I hate to say that, it may be true. Dealerships are supposed to be more trustworthy then the average shop, but sometimes, that's not the case.

Now, on the other hand, it may be something you need to look into. If I were you, I would call them or go in and show them your ticket and ask them what specifically they meant and what they checked that made them write what they did, and what the possible causes for the observed problem are.

Answer 8

Don't let these people touch the transmission fluid or the brake fluid.  I would however change the transmission fluid at the recommended level if its an automatic.(Using Mazda recommended fluid)

Answer 9

The dealer is telling you that the level is low, so add more.

He is also saying it's condition is bad, meaning it's old, so replace it.

Both, the brake and trans fluid.

I wouldn't listen to him, and wouldn't have him do it. I also would not go to Jiffy Lube ever (---I'd go to the dealer first).

Although it is not necessary to change them it is good preventative maintenance.

Please, please. please find yourself a local independent mechanic to do this kind of stuff and help you maintain your car. Do not ever go to any chain or franchise auto repair shops. Not Jiffy Lube or Econo Lube or Midas or Auto Lab or Aamco.

Check out independents in your neighborhood. Ask someone else who they use. If you really can't find one, look here: http://www.cartalk.com/content/mechx/ind... They have a database of mechanics all over the US, with customer comments and info on how they do.

Good luck.