Service questions

[doctorz]

as our Mazda5 sits at the dealer with a leaking clutch slave cylinder...the dealer calls with the dreaded recommendations to perform all sorts of services. Yes, I've read the manual. The car has 47K.

They recommended (1) power steering flush, (2) coolant flush, (3) transmission flush, (4) cabin air filter. It was due for #4, so I went ahead and recommended that.

Re: coolant flush, I know the manual says 10 years or 120K. I figure I can hold the dealer off for that one. I have had to add a little coolant from time to time but there are no leaks.

Re: power steering fluid and transmission fluid, the manual doesn't seem to say anything about changing them - just inspect. They claim the fluids look dirty. The car steers and shifts fine, other than the clutch issue.

I have searched this forum and seen many different opinions, so I figured that I'd get the opinions again. What do you all recommend with the coolant, power steering, and tranny fluid? And why?

 

[Heat]

Coolant: Get a flush done (or do it yourself), but have it done at a local mechanic (not the dealer). This should cost around $50 or $60. How much does the dealer want? For what it's worth, on my '99 Accord they recommend a radiator flush every 45,000 miles.

Manual transmission fluid: It's a little early. This past summer I changed the manual transmission fluid on my '99 Accord at about 95,000 miles. It was a little overdue but unless shifting is sluggish I wouldn't worry about it until 80,000 miles. This wouldn't be a hard job to do yourself. If you can change your oil, you can change your manual transmission fluid... if you can find the drain / fill bolts (I assume there are bolts, I haven't looked).

Power steering: I have not heard of power steering fluid replacement as part of routine maintenance, I would skip this one also.

 

[mpvue]

stick to the owners manual recommendations. anything beyond that is just padding/easy money for the dealership.
EXCEPT, personally I would get the coolant flush done. 10 yrs seems an awful long time on the same coolant.

 

[ljmattox]

I'd share that sentiment on the cooling system...10 years does seem like a while for that same coolant. Maybe I'm still old school and new coolants / materials last significantly longer than they used to.

W/r/t the balance, they do sound a bit like service-dollar-padding. My father-in-law gets a regular regimen of service "suggestions" anytime he visits the dealer, usually 3-4x what the owner's manual calls for.

 

[doctorz]

thanks guys.

I think I'm on firmer ground with the coolant, although I don't plan on waiting ten years to change it. The issue is that the owner's manual does not call for any power steering or tranny fluid change. I find this kind of hard to believe...never? There has to be a happy medium. I've seen plenty of posts here about how the tranny shifts better after a change.

My inclination is actually to do all of it at some point - I'm just trying to see how long I can really hold off. Obviously this had nothing to do with the clutch slave cylinder going out, but I admit to being a little uneasy.

 

[thaxman]

I left the coolant alone with my old all-aluminum Subie for 9 years/90,000 miles. I don't recommend it, but the coolant held up until the day I did the water pump/radiator/thermostat. Being all-aluminum helped I think as there was no iron block to rust up. Is the 2.3L all aluminum - that could be the reason for the 10 year service schedule.

 

[WrenchingPilot]

You've got a manual transmission, so the transmission flush service is total BS.

Not sure on the 5, but on my Focus, the manual transmission holds like 2.1 qts of manual transmission fluid, unlike an auto transmission which has much more fluid in it.

I personally would hold off on all the services they recommended. They are just revenue generators for the dealership.

 

[KBrian]

Consider having a look/smell at the various fluids. Even a few drops on a sheet of paper towel could identify dirty fluids.

 

[skyhawk]

Maybe when the car gets really old. I had a corolla '98' whose power steering fluid was 'dirty'. Then the steering hose deteriorated to the point that it developed pinholes that allowed fluid to leak slowly I wondered why that steering hose was always wet.

I figured these fluids passes through rubber hoses that will deteriorate in time and rubber particles can eventually mix with the liquid making it dirty. Replacing the fluid can be a good 'troubleshooting' step. If it gets dirty too-soon again, there could be other issues. Afterall they are a closed system. Something could be 'fouling' up the fluids.

 

[Heat]

You've got a manual transmission, so the transmission flush service is total BS...

I missed the part about a flush. You don't do a flush on a manual transmission, it's just a drain and fill, but it's something that is done around 80,000 or 100,000 miles.

My Accord was also about 2.1 quarts and of course the fluid comes in one quart jugs.

 

[thaxman]

My Accord was also about 2.1 quarts and of course the fluid comes in one quart jugs.

They expect you to spill some...(scratch)