Anyone heard of "power steering flush?"

[Yarflana]

My local auto service guy (I have used for years and they are good about not pushing many extra services before it's time) offers a BG service which replaces the power steering fluid completely, services the entire power steering assembly, etc....

I have never had this done and my 2008 3dr hatch has 100K on it....

For $100, do you think it is worth it?

[Yarflana]

nevermind...saw a thread that addressed this.

[CTScott]

As an FYI for others reading this, this would be a flush of only your wallet, as the 2006+ Yaris has electric power steering, which is free of fluid.

[why?]

BG is supposedly good stuff, your mechanic? not so much. There is only two ways to look at this, he has no idea the Yaris has electric power steering, which means he is a dunce, or he knew it, and was trying to rip you off. Either one is not good.

[fnkngrv]

Here is the question....is this a certified Toyota service location? If so then personally I wouldn't give two shits if it was a mistake or not. I would report it to both Toyota and then to the Better Business Bureau as a possible fraud case. If it was a mistake then this type of action is more likely, if even only a little, to have the service guy get his act together.

[Yarflana]

Actually, to be fair, although this service showed up on a recommended service listing, that is rather boiler plate and not particular to my car. I have a sense when they looked at it, they would find it didn't need such a service. Now, any mechanism is worthy of some inspection and replacement as needed, which I would appreciate their feedback on, but wouldn't pay extra for "kicking the tires" on it.

[Sir A.Y. Atoyot]

I wouldn't let anyone that ignorant touch my Yaris, or any other model of Toyota. These aren't generic cars like '70's GM models - they have lots of unique features that could be screwed up by clueless poking around.

[wufai]

Yeah I heard of it on my last visit to the Toyota dealer where I got my car from. I had my Yaris over for a schedule maintaince. the 'service advisor' called me about my car needing additional 'recommanded' services. I told him to list the services he feels my car needs on the invoice. Imagine my surprise to the list of stuff in need of recommanded repair :P That was the last time I took my car to the dealer.

I attached the Toyota invoice on the post. My recommandation is to trust YarisWorld for good advice.

[ilikerice]

Id say sure. And when they give me the bill id ask the tech and service writer to show me where the reservoir is. And go from there

[jcboy]

Originally Posted by wufai

Yeah I heard of it on my last visit to the Toyota dealer where I got my car from. I had my Yaris over for a schedule maintaince. the 'service advisor' called me about my car needing additional 'recommanded' services. I told him to list the services he feels my car needs on the invoice. Imagine my surprise to the list of stuff in need of recommanded repair :P That was the last time I took my car to the dealer.

I attached the Toyota invoice on the post. My recommandation is to trust YarisWorld for good advice.

well that is a standard Cause list for a Toyota job order. "If" your car had it done, that's $100--as you already know some older cars dont have EPS, that's why it is included in their standard possible cause list. it doesnt mean that you'll necessarily be charged for that though. if you do, then yes, ask them where's the reservoir and start from there (as what ilikerice has mentioned)

[wufai]

I don't find it comfortable when the dealer doesn't even know their own cars have what specifications. It also shows they don't bother with even looking at your car first before making suggestions. Would you like a dealer telling you for car is in need of fix without even troubling themselves with checking it first?

Everytime I recall this incident I remember the Toyota commericals here in Canada saying that they know their cars best. Makes me feel even more disgusted .

[jcboy]

Originally Posted by wufai

I don't find it comfortable when the dealer doesn't even know their own cars have what specifications. It also shows they don't bother with even looking at your car first before making suggestions. Would you like a dealer telling you for car is in need of fix without even troubling themselves with checking it first?

Everytime I recall this incident I remember the Toyota commericals here in Canada saying that they know their cars best. Makes me feel even more disgusted .

oh yeah i get it now, sorry about the post earlier. i guess the dealer told you the list is what your car needs. yeah that's so plain BS. if that's the case, you did it right, not bringing it back to the dealer. let alone leave it there for some "maintenance" BS.

my civic before used to be stealership maintained (sorry, meant dealership). until 2005, when i decided the overpriced service which my car didnt really need, aint worth it. up until 16 years after (2012), i sold it in perfect shape.

now i dont know if i'll have my 10k PMS service for my yaris with the stealership, because we have had horror stories here in the philippines with stealing and swapping of parts--including the ECU. the stories got worse since 2009, after having great storms and floods almost everywhere bring damage to a lot of cars--again, let alone overpriced service which the car doesnt really need.

[Yarflana]

You know when I told my local repair show general manager that I didn't want the "power steering flush" he didn't try to talk me into it or anything, even when my car has 100K on it. They are really careful not to try and upsell me because I have caught them in the past not clipping the air box clips back on and I would find out from the rattle in the engine compartment about a week later. They have worked with me ever since to ensure they do things right and I get a lot of discounts. I don't have them do anything but change the oil, frankly, and run BG flushes on the radiator, brakes and trans.

[CoryM]

What typically happens is the advisor or mechanic write down a flush because it is due by mileage even w/o looking at the car. So a car comes in at Xmiles, and you make a list recommending Y, and Z service because Toyota calls for it on their cars at that mileage. Thing is, not every car has all the same options, and people make mistakes. Chances are that is what happened here as MOST cars do have P/S fluid. When I was at Nissan I recommended an A/C service on a car with 50,000km on it because it due by mileage. Turns out it didn't have A/C....... A tad bit embarrassing, and looks bad because people always jump to "OMG! THOSE TERRIBLE MECHANICS ARE TRYING TO RIP ME OFF!". As people on this thread have done ;)

Cheers.

[why?]

dealerships are different than "local auto service guys." And service writers at dealerships aren't necessarily, and don't need to have any background as mechanics or auto repair.

I had my Yaris dealer maintained for a few years when i lived down in florida, because it was either dealer or walmart. They did a good job.