I just called a shop in brooklyn to do my brake fluid. I would do it myself but im abroad for quite some time and the rear bleeder screws seized in one of the calipers. Figured its best to bring to a professional.

so i called the shop that does my oil/pads/disc work. Ive even seen these guys do trans work on one of their lifts.

the man im talking with over the phone told me that newer cars should be done at the dealer to have warranty for the work being done.

and that brake fluid does not need to be changed for the lifetime of the car. That its only put in the service manual for ****s n giggles.

im tired of the incompetence everywhere you go. Im not surprised that im hearing this from a mechanic because its probably why theyre a mechanic. Not talking about guys like Sarek, etc.

even the dealer network here in Brooklyn is full of complete idiots.

so screw it, rant over. Ill do it myself when i get back home.

any advice for preventing a bleeder screw from siezing?

 

There’s a few penetrating sprays out there, just be careful you don’t get it on the brakes. That said, cars used to go a very long time without changing the brake fluid. I had a 25 year old Mercury when I was a kid and I bet it was on its original fluid. Dealers these days seem to want to cycle all the non engine oil fluids every 3 years. I think it’s profit not a real maintenance need. Under certain and i would say unusual conditions or use, it could make sense.

 

I had mine done at the dealership at I believe 40k and the diff’s and transfer fluids done at 50k. We tow a lot about “7100” pounds of trailer and off road even more so I did it as a precaution.

 

l believe there is a specific procedure with the new Defender to get all the old brake fluid out from the ABS unit, and you have to get it right.

lts not just a case of cracking the bleed screws on the brake calipers like with the old cars.

 

You need to activate brake service mode to open up the valves in the ABS brake lines. (One more use for GAP IID tool)
Once the brakes are bled you then deactivate this service mode and cycle to EPB on and off cracking the bleeder valve to drain fluid. It reads more complicated than it is to do. I've done two flushes now.

Not tricky at all. A one beer task.