# Fluid changes? **URL:** \ **Category:** Maintenance/Repairs\ **Tags:** avalon, toyota\ **Created:** [June 22, 2016, 7:25pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/fluid-changes/93620 "2016-06-22T19:25:47Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![melott](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/melott/32/10827_2.png) [@melott](https://community.cartalk.com/u/melott)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2016, 7:25pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/fluid-changes/93620/1 "2016-06-22T19:25:47Z")
2014 Toyota Avalon Hybrid. After driving two years and 30k miles, on previous cars I would be getting ready for a drain and fill of the coolant (this car has 2 cooling systems) and the automatic transmission fluid. Of course this car has nearly-infinite recommended intervals for doing anything like this. In the past, many such deals have been a scam (e.g. the 1990’s Chevy cooling systems). Anyway, what are the thoughts on whether I should have this done? (The thing doesn’t even have a dipstick for the tranny.) ---
**Author:** ![the\_same\_mountainbike](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c89c15/32.png) [@the\_same\_mountainbike](https://community.cartalk.com/u/the_same_mountainbike)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2016, 7:30pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/fluid-changes/93620/2 "2016-06-22T19:30:42Z")
IMHO two years and 30K is premature, but it’s better to freshen fluids too often than not often enough. I subscribe to every 5 years on my cars. Oops, I’m overdue!! 😃 I do not agree with the almost infinite timeframes recommended for fluid maintenance bt many manufacturers. I cannot specify the requirement, but I suspect this is more focused on “low environmental impact” as reported to the feds than on indefinite vehicle life. It may even be to make some European requirement happy. ---
**Author:** ![texases](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/texases/32/862_2.png) [@texases](https://community.cartalk.com/u/texases)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2016, 7:31pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/fluid-changes/93620/3 "2016-06-22T19:31:45Z")
What’s listed under ‘extreme service’ for each? ---
**Author:** ![common-sense-answer](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/common-sense-answer/32/716_2.png) [@common-sense-answer](https://community.cartalk.com/u/common-sense-answer)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2016, 7:34pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/fluid-changes/93620/4 "2016-06-22T19:34:39Z")
_ **@melott** _ Does the Owner’s Manual have recommend maintenance schedules? I’d follow the one that pertained to your type of driving. _ **CSA** _ ---
**Author:** ![jtsanders](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/c2a13f/32.png) [@jtsanders](https://community.cartalk.com/u/jtsanders)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2016, 12:05am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/fluid-changes/93620/5 "2016-06-23T00:05:16Z")
I’ve read that lifetime fluids should be replaced at 100,000 miles in normal service. ---
**Author:** ![melott](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/melott/32/10827_2.png) [@melott](https://community.cartalk.com/u/melott)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2016, 1:06am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/fluid-changes/93620/6 "2016-06-23T01:06:09Z")
OK, for all you “do what the book says” folks: It says to change the tranny fluid at 60k if you do towing etc. It never says anything beyond “inspect” for the coolant. That should satisfy all of you, who need no longer comment. However, I believe that these intervals are constructed for the benefit of Toyota, to make them look good, to make people want to buy their “low maintainence” cars, and to make them have lower “emissions”. Based on past experience, I don’t believe this stuff. Remember the lifetime DeathCool in your 90’s Chevy 350? So I guess I’ll wing it. ---
**Author:** ![common-sense-answer](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/common-sense-answer/32/716_2.png) [@common-sense-answer](https://community.cartalk.com/u/common-sense-answer)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2016, 1:20am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/fluid-changes/93620/7 "2016-06-23T01:20:32Z")
_**“OK, for all you ‘do what the book says’ folks: It says to change the tranny fluid at 60k if you do towing etc. It never says anything beyond “inspect” for the coolant. That should satisfy all of you, who need no longer comment.”**_ I am one of those that you’re referring to above who no longer need to reply. The information that you provided **now** would have been very helpful in your original question. You have the manual. I don’t have one. You still have not said whether you tow or do any type of “severe” driving. So, I’d say change the transmission fluid at 60,000 miles and the coolant every four or five years. I’d also replace some or all of the brake fluid every 2 or 3 years. _ **CSA** _ ---
**Author:** ![texases](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/texases/32/862_2.png) [@texases](https://community.cartalk.com/u/texases)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2016, 1:21am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/fluid-changes/93620/8 "2016-06-23T01:21:54Z")
? Without the manual in front of us, how would we know what it said? I’d go with 60 k for all fluids. ---
**Author:** ![Nevada\_545](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/nevada_545/32/41232_2.png) [@Nevada\_545](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Nevada_545)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2016, 1:40am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/fluid-changes/93620/9 "2016-06-23T01:40:51Z")
Toyota Super long life coolant is good for 10 years/100,000 miles and is listed in the maintenance schedule with a foot note; _3 Initial replacement for engine coolant is at 100,000 miles/120 months and for inverter coolant initial replacement is at 150,000 miles/180 months. Replace every 50,000 miles/60 months thereafter. Refer to “Engine/Inverter Coolant” in the “Explantion of Maintenance Items” section in the back of this guide for more information._ ---
**Author:** ![Docnick](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ecae2f/32.png) [@Docnick](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Docnick)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2016, 3:39am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/fluid-changes/93620/10 "2016-06-23T03:39:49Z")
I replaced the coolant in my Toyota at 96 months (8years) as per the instructions. Actual mileage was only just over 50,000 miles. The next coolant change will also be as per the book; why second guess. ---
**Author:** ![galant](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/77aa72/32.png) [@galant](https://community.cartalk.com/u/galant)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2016, 3:50am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/fluid-changes/93620/11 "2016-06-23T03:50:46Z")
I would do a drain and refill of the transmission fluid and also see how it looks. If too dark, then repeat. On my 2005 Camry with the super long life coolant I stayed close to what the manual said and changed it at ~ 100K miles without any issues. The car is now at 154K miles and probably due for another coolant change but the thing looks so clean I might wait a bit. ---
**Author:** ![satisficer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/6de8d8/32.png) [@satisficer](https://community.cartalk.com/u/satisficer)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2016, 4:16am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/fluid-changes/93620/12 "2016-06-23T04:16:54Z")
The intervals are not just useful for the fluids. Hoses also wear out (so do fuel lines) and I’ve had the hoses to my engines replaced before the 100,000 mile mark at the recommendation of the dealer who services the car. If you replace the hoses you may as well replace the fluid. This may be kind of expensive but the environmental impact will be far less than the gas you have been burning GM has been guilty of wishful thinking about their product durability in the past, but modern fluids and running gear are much better, and all it has to be is good enough. You can test coolant pretty well. Brake fluid is another story – I’d replace it every couple of years. ---
**Author:** ![db4690](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/db4690/32/2583_2.png) [@db4690](https://community.cartalk.com/u/db4690)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2016, 4:24am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/fluid-changes/93620/13 "2016-06-23T04:24:12Z")
I’ll go against the grain here . . . I’m not a fan of those 8 or 10 year “initial” coolant service intervals For factory long life coolant, whether it’s Ford, GM, or whatever, I do it every 5 years For universal green, I do every 3 years My approach is “better safe than sorry” After all, if you take the factory approach, with some cars they claim the automatic transmission fluid NEVER needs to be serviced Let’s see where that gets you I’ve seen lots of vehicles where the owner/operator took just that approach, and the transmission bought the farm at around 60K or 70K ---
**Author:** ![Whitey](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/whitey/32/24680_2.png) [@Whitey](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Whitey)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2016, 4:42am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/fluid-changes/93620/14 "2016-06-23T04:42:09Z")
If the vehicle has the normal yellow coolant, I would change it every two years. However, I think Toyotas are using the same orange Dexcool long-life coolant as GM, and if that is the case, I would have it done less often, perhaps more often than the interval in the vehicle’s maintenance schedule, but less often than every two years, perhaps every 50,000 miles or five years. Like Tom and Ray’s recommendation for 5,000 mile oil changes, my recommend is a compromise. ---
**Author:** ![melott](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/melott/32/10827_2.png) [@melott](https://community.cartalk.com/u/melott)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2016, 5:29am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/fluid-changes/93620/15 "2016-06-23T05:29:49Z")
Pink coolant. ---
**Author:** ![db4690](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/db4690/32/2583_2.png) [@db4690](https://community.cartalk.com/u/db4690)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2016, 6:37am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/fluid-changes/93620/16 "2016-06-23T06:37:35Z")
My toyota uses “super long life” coolant Supposedly, the first coolant service is supposed to be after 10 years, then every 5 years after that BTW . . . toyota super long life coolant is pink toyota “long life” coolant is/was red, AFAIK ---
**Author:** ![George\_San\_Jose1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e5b9ba/32.png) [@George\_San\_Jose1](https://community.cartalk.com/u/George_San_Jose1)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2016, 6:51am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/fluid-changes/93620/17 "2016-06-23T06:51:43Z")
I think and drain and refill every 3 years for the coolant is a good compromise for most coolant types on conventional gasoline engines. Not sure tough how that applies to a hybrid with two separate cooling systems. ---
**Author:** ![Nevada\_545](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/nevada_545/32/41232_2.png) [@Nevada\_545](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Nevada_545)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2016, 8:19am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/fluid-changes/93620/18 "2016-06-23T08:19:48Z")
My old cars use 3 year coolant and I change it every 5 years. I am not opposed to changing ten year coolant every 3 years, we could use the work. ---
**Author:** ![missileman](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/missileman/32/1366_2.png) [@missileman](https://community.cartalk.com/u/missileman)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2016, 4:30pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/fluid-changes/93620/19 "2016-06-23T16:30:48Z")
**“I’ve read that lifetime fluids should be replaced at 100,000 miles in normal service.”** Funny. When I went to school…I was taught a whole other meaning for the word “lifetime.” ---
**Author:** ![insightful](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/insightful/32/2732_2.png) [@insightful](https://community.cartalk.com/u/insightful)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2016, 8:28pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/fluid-changes/93620/20 "2016-06-23T20:28:19Z")
When asked, “Have you lived in Ohio your whole life?” I answer, “Not yet.” ;-] [Next page](https://community.cartalk.com/t/fluid-changes/93620.md?page=2)