ezzrider

Thanks for everyones input. Sorry for the caps. Just venting. I was simply trying to figure out why these are needed. I still do not see the reason to flush or change my power steering or brake fluids every 30,000 miles. That is just me. I was also told my Engine and Cabin air filters had to be changed as they were really bad. I ordered Lexus filters and changed them myself. When I took the filters out they were not that dirty at all but I did change them.

NO but during the twelve years of ownership of my RX I noticed the fluid changes color just as the fords do.(I have a F150) And when it does I flush the lines when doing brakes.....

I see no issue with flushing the brake lines at the time you are doing a brake job. Good idea but I still do not agree with doing it every 30,000 miles and paying the Lexus dealer $139.95 and I am still at a loss that is recommended by Lexus. When doing a brake job flusing the brake fluid is different.

However the seals do wear, and contaminate the fluid...Flushing gets rid of the contaminants....

I am sounding like a broken record and maybe I am just s-l-o-w. If the seals are worn enough to allow leaking or something contaminating the brake or power steering fluids then the seals should be replaced. Again this is a REPAIR issue and covered under most warranties. For the last time MY 2008 FORD F250 CREW CAB 4X4 PICKUP TRUCK THAT WEIGHS 8000 LBS. DOES NOT REQUIRE OR RECOMMEND FLUSHING OR REPLACING THE BRAKE OR POWER STEERING FLUIDS. I WILL GUARANTEE YOU A 8,000 LB. PICKUP PUTS MORE STRESS ON THE BRAKE AND POWER STEERING SYSTEMS THAN ANY LEXUS MADE. IS THE LEXUS BRAKE AND POWER STEERING SYSTEMS THAT INFERIOR TO FORD????????? Ok I am through venting.

I've never heard of a "sealed" brake fluid and power steering system before, this is new to me.

I guess a better word would be enclosed brake fluid and power steering system instead of sealed I guess. I was just trying to point out unless there was a leak then the fluids should not get dirty. Now if you say it needs to be freshened then again why does Ford have no such requirements on their Trucks? I still can't figure that out.

The primary reason for dealerships to offer brake fluid exchange is called "big profit margin". I think you already realize that....

That was/is my intitial thoughts on changing out or flushing the fluids. That is why I posted this question to get input from other Lexus Owners. I still do not see a valid reason. Again it is not recommended on my 2008 F250 which weights 8,000 lbs and would put far more stress on the braking and power steering systems.

The driving force behind changing brake fluid is moisture working its way into the system. If your seals are good and moisture cannot seep in, your brake fluid will last a long, long time. But if moisture gets in, your master cylinder's seals will eventually leak. Pay attention to the condition of your fluid. Look at it as part of your weekly oil level and tire pressure checks. As it darkens in color, you may eventually decide to change it....

Well I can see if moisture was in your brake or power steering system that you would need to fix the problem and change the fluids out. If my seals were bad then I should see a leak. If my seals were bad and I flushed and put in new fluids without repairing the seals then I would have not corrected the problem. Again what is the point of a routine changing of brake and powersteering fluids unless a problem is discovered? It is not required on my 08 F250 pickup or my 2001 Corvette. Thanks for your input and I still do not see the reason unless there is a leak.

Changing the brake fluid is very necessary -- what does your maintenance manual tell you?

Changing the power steering fluid is not necessary -- what does your maintenance manual say about that?

Good idea - The owners manual does recommend changing the brake fluid as 60,000 miles as a routine maintenance. The power steering fluid is recommended to be changed at 60,000 miles if you do towing.

I also own a 2008 Ford F250 Crew Cab 4x4 pickup truck. I looked at the f250 maintenance schedule out to 150,000 miles. There is no place that a brake fluid or power steering fluid exchange or flush is recommended. My f250 4 wheel drive pickup truck weighs 8,000 lbs. You would think between a Lexus ES350 and an 8,000 lb pickup truck that it would not be the Lexus only that recommended these items? Then the Lexus brake and power steering systems are inferior to the Ford? I would not think so. I thought the Lexus vehicles were superior to most others. I guess not.

My 2007 ES350 was in for service this week and the dealer indicated my brake fluid needed to be flushed and the power steering fluid needed to be exchanged. The dealer indicated both were dirty. I have 67,000 miles on my ES350 which I purchased new. All recommended service has been performed at the Lexus dealer. How exactly does your brake fluid or power steering fluid get "dirty" unless there was some sort of leak in either system. These are sealed systems. I have owned quite a few vehicles in my time and have never heard of the power steering fluid needing to be "exchanged" and the brake fluid needing to be flushed unless those systems were being repaired?