Quick tip, get the 4 yr service just before 4 years given that the vehicle warranty is 4 years. If they have to fix anything it would be under warranty where after 4 years you would be out of pocket
Why you guys saying do it just before the four years is up? No matter when you do it, you still have to pay for it. The fluid replacement is not a warranty item. Or am I missing something?
The reason they recommend you replace the brake fluid after two years is for safety reasons. Brake fluid is very hydroscopic (ie. it absorbs water out of the air). So if you have old brake fluid and find yourself suddenly needing to use the brakes continuously, like down a long hill while regen limited, or engage the ABS system repeatedly on a slippery surface like snow / ice, that absorbed water will change the viscosity and lower the boiling point, potentially creating steam bubbles in the brake lines when it gets hot which can cause the brakes to fail to work properly. How frequently you need to change the brake fluid depends on how quickly it absorbs water, which depends on the humidity. Manufacturer's figures are always conservative, but as brake fluid can lose 50% of it's boiling point in as little as 18 months in humid conditions it's not an unrealistic time frame.
I would also add that any absorbed water could make the internals of the braking system rust which is obviously not good for long term trouble free motoring.
I own a all wheel drive long range Model 3 with 10,000 miles. It is by far the best quality, most fun to drive, most efficient, least cost of operating least amount of pollution produced car I have ever owned. It is several levels of magnitude better than anything I have driven. Not perfect but pretty damn close and it does just keep getting better with software updates. Amazing!
@FiRm duDe I only have 10,000 miles so far so no maintenance. I don't really think about it anymore because the car will tell me when and if I need something. I think it is recommended to change the. This is what Tesla recommends: Cabin Air Filter Your Tesla is equipped with an air filter that prevents pollen, industrial fallout, road dust and other particles from entering through the vents. Tesla recommends replacing your cabin air filter every 2 years. High Efficiency Particulate Air (HEPA) Filter If your Tesla is equipped with a HEPA filter, Tesla recommends replacing it every 3 years. Tire Rotation, Balance and Wheel Alignment Tesla recommends checking your tires every 10,000-12,000 miles for rotating, balancing and aligning needs. Aggressive driving can lead to premature tire wear and may require more frequent tire service. Unbalanced and misaligned wheels affect handling, tire life and steering components. Refer to tire manufacturer's owner manuals and warranty documentation for additional details. Brake Fluid Test Tesla recommends testing brake fluid for contamination every 2 years and replacing as needed. Air Conditioning Service An air conditioning service replaces the desiccant to help the longevity and efficiency of the air conditioning system. Tesla recommends an air conditioning service every 2 years for Model S, every 4 years for Model X and every 6 years for Model 3. Winter Care Tesla recommends cleaning and lubricating all brake calipers every 12 months or 12,500 mi for cars in cold weather regions.
@@pasoundman No. Glycol-ether (DOT 3, 4, and 5.1) Brake fluid is hydrophilic. When driving down hills or mountains on old fluid it can boil (because it's now just water) and your system can fail. If your vehicle takes Silicone based DOT 5.0 hydrophobic Non-ABS Brake Fluid, you can go for decades or even never changing the fluid.
@@llambimico6833 brake fluid is VERY MUCH NEEDED my last car was totaled because the brake fluid leaked out and I didnt know it, I came up on a stop sign and my car wouldnt engage to stop. It slowed down slightly but not like it should and my brakes were fine, you need it, but since you think you dont go drain yours and go do 60 and try and stop. Lets see what you feel then, if anything, you may be dead.
just want to let you know how much I appreciate these videos! you've been the most helpful of all those making videos about teslas, so as a new owner, I am grateful.
Frankly it seems they don't fear any blame for engine wear or failures while comfortably recommending oil service of ICE cars every 30,000 kilometers (or even less often)...
$850 every 4 years is way cheaper than my costs for mandatory maintenance for my old Kia Spectra I bought in 2006. In fact, the 60,000 mile service also came with a replacement of the serpentine belt that upped its total cost to over $1000. Counting regular oil changes, the every 15k maintenance schedule to keep the warranty valid, and the new clutch I just put in, I roughly estimate that I have spent about $4500 on maintenance since I bought it. Add in the gas that I will not buy, take away two Tesla maintenance trips, and add the maintenance I put in to the old car and then the tax savings, I may save as much as 16,000 over an 8 year period with this car. And that is not taking into account that I plan to go solar in the next two years, at which point my electrical energy costs will go down dramatically. Total cost on my Model 3 May end up being in the low 20k’s.
Going solar is icing on the cake. I went solar 2 years ago. Currently produce more than I use, so all that potentially goes into Model 3!! Minimal maintenance and no gas bill. YES!
Yes, but it's not a matter of obvious maintenance cost savings over ICE vehicles, it's the fact that it's $850 for, at most, an hour's worth of easy fluid change work. They might, and I repeat might, have to remove a panel to get at fluid changing plugs, but other than that there's not nearly enough work to warrant $850. However, with that said, it's probably a conundrum for EV manufacturers on how to recoup on the loss of maintenance charges ICE manufacturers get to capitalize on. So it's really no surprise they'd charge more for simple maintenance.
The brake fluid can be checked with a electronic tester, $10 or less. It measures the water content which should be less than 2%. That is when I flush my Brembos.
@@glenf4115 I don't know how much humidity they have in Fremont but here in Phoenix humidity and it's condensation is very low compared to the rest of the US. When the 12 volt battery in my Leaf died (@ four years) I had the Nissan dealer change out the brake fluid. Nissan power brakes run on a 12 volt vacuum pump and that was where the problem surfaced first.
Met this guy at Spokane Tesla one day. Showed me some tips for my model y. Didn’t know who he was at the time, but saw him on his channel later the next week. Nice guy just as you see here.👍😊
Mike, love the channel. Thanks for all the info. My wife and I just purchased our first Tesla today, an AWDLR Model 3, and we used your referral code! Enjoy and keep the videos coming. Thanks, David
In the Volt, the brake fluid change interval is 10 years or 150k miles. Every 2 years, 25k on the Model 3 seems very excessive. The battery and high voltage change interval on the Volt is every 5 years/150K miles.
Two things you should do every two years. 1. Change the two internal airfilters. Otherwise they start to smell. 2. Service the barakes. Any garage can do these things.
With all due respect sir I think you're full of shit the brakes are a closed system in unless there is a leak you never need to replace the fluid I have a 26 year-old Silverado I am the original owner I go 4 wheeling do river crossings and the fluid looks brand new there's barely anything moving in a brake system nothing happens to the fluid. Additionally I have the original engine and transmission and the truck now has 460,000 miles on it and it's doing fine....
@@FSEVENMAN That is why they say "Education should be a MUST for everyone". www.douglasautomotive.com/blog/moisture-from-your-brake-fluid-can-cause-failure
@@SD-wy1bw That was a good link I checked it out thanks I'm simply stating my opinion because the brake fluid in my Chevy truck is 26 years old and has never been changed and it looks like brand new so I really don't think it has any moisture in it as there is no rust in the system and it works perfectly and if you didn't like hearing that you're not gonna like this next one either my truck as 460000 miles all original I'm the original owner it's the original untouched engine I do change the engine oil often and I use mobil 1 but I've only changed the transmission fluid and filter once in the life of the vehicle still shifting and the fluid is still pink.
Lift frunk, remove blue cap, refill windshield washer reservoir, screw blue cap back on. Close frunk, maintenance rotate tires evey 6,000 miles, maintenance for the next 6,000 miles completed. Cheers!
The 4 year plan makes the most sense. The brake fluid replacement in most other countries is around 50K miles(required). USA has no requirement for replacement.
2 years brake fluid change interval is pretty standard among manufacturer recommendatioslons. Also common is having the dealerships do them so they can activate the ABS pumps to purge the whole system as the ABS motor is typically the most complex and expensive part of your brake system.
I live in a mobile service area. Anything that needs done they literally drive to my house and do it. It's awesome too since the nearest service center is about 90 mins away. Also just so people know Tesla stopped doing these maintenance plans because they found they weren't necessary.
Also there is reduction gear oil. I would recommend to change that too after 4 years. I've changed mine. Over the years oil gets dirty due to to air humidity and run-in period of gears.
Agree with you that the battery coolant is important. We don't want to mess with that. In my book brakes are even more important. If the battery dies we don't, if the brakes die, we might.
You state that with no background knowledge...the issue with brake fluid is that it takes on water and so the boiling-point drops over time. That is however only an issue if you have to brake for a prolonged time usually driving down a pass, which is less of an issue because of regenerative braking in an EV. Even old and water saturated brake-fluid will transfer force for an emergency-braking just fine (just not several in a row)... It would make much more sense to measure conductivity (water content) of the brake-fluid and replace it when really necessary, but that would mean less income for mechanics. So they rather waist perfectly fine brake-fluid...
@@ptolomaeer The issue isn't technical. The issue is ignoring manufacturer guidelines based on amateur reasoning vs the advice of engineers of the vehicle you are driving. The only knowledge I need is the Tesla service intervals and to follow them, I'll leave the reasoning to Tesla. For the sake of a few bucks just take care of the brakes already!!
If you had the simplistic knowledge behind the stated requirement you could then make the correct choice for you. You may decide to take it to Tesla. You may decide something else like you probably do for tire rotation. All you should have is the same level of knowledge you have for tire rotation.
I'm going to add that I heard Trevor Page on one of his podcasts talk about the expensive lesson he learned on his wife's car. He didn't replace brake fluid per the manufacturers recommendation, he let it slide a few years and corrosion got to the ABS system, which he had to pay for out of warranty. It was super expensive. The manufacturers of modern braking systems know what it takes to maintain braking systems in tip top shape.
@@JeanPierreWhite Brake fluid maintenance is simple with the correct thought. You need a couple feet of clear tubing to go over the bleeder bolt end to allow you to direct the used fluid into a plastic soda bottle you can cap for recycling or disposal. A 6 point socket or brake tool closed wrench is mandatory. The bleeder is tapered. If you break it you'll need a new caliper. An old or rusty one can be loosened with penetrating oil down the center hole and around the threads. Bleed the caliper farthest from the reservoir first.
Brake fluid every 2 years is what most manufacturer recommends including BMW. I own a BMW M3 (the other M3) which I take to the track. Brake fluid gets flushed almost after every track day because it is a safety maintenance. Daily driver can get away with getting the flush every 3-4 years, more frequent if you live in a humid climate where moisture contamination is greater. Brake fluid naturally absorb moisture, even in a closed system. The problem is the moisture contamination in the fluid will boil causing brake "failure" commonly known as brake fade during a long downhill descent braking. A computer used during the flush can get all the fluid out including the ABS system. I don't see a problem with doing a flush without the Tesla diagnostic computer. Afterall, Tesla brake component is a simple brake system without any regeneration built in. Also with the battery coolant, unless the coolant constantly see temperature in the 200 degree range, every 4 years is also overkill.
Great video, very informative. So true about getting the car by 12/31, we ordered our Model 3 on 11/06 and will be getting it into our garage on 12/20 this week!
Good informative videos! I had bought a brand new cayenne S for my wife. She’d never drive it at all. Most time sat in the garage. A few months ago I drove the Porsche for 45mins, engine Hesitation, check engine light, reduce engine speed came on. A week later, I took the Porsche in for service. Billed me $3,500 plus need new battery $550 plus tax. 17,000 miles 8 yrs old suv sold to my neighbor. Now I got a model X for her, It drives better than the cayenne S. I talked to Tesla service advisor, just do the 4yrs maintanence should be fine. Electric car practically low maintenance like our refrigerator motor. If it breaks, just replace it. Best to buy extended warranty. 🦅🦅🇺🇸
FTG I agree the brake fluid flush seems like one of those “KEEP OUR TECHNICIAN GUYS BUSY” program. My plan will be get the car in before the warranty expires for battery coolant change. Having a son in the auto industry I’ve heard too many story of pre-mature fluid changes only to drain the owner’s wallet. Four years seems a long was off but I’m already six months into it.
Can confirm. The Tesla Toolbox software is required for some basic maintenance. Hopefully they release a consumer version so people can service their own cars without Tesla.
It's it's not then you can sue Tesla. Massachusetts has a "Right to Repair" Law that Tesla and every Manufacturer is required to comply with. This law means every part, every tool and maintenance software needed to maintain and repair your Tesla has to be available to customers.
Brake fluid absorbs water from the air, eventually this will rot the seals and mean that you are using water as the working fluid. The brake pedal going to the floor on a fast mountain descent as the water boils will get your attention. With my ICE cars I change it every 5 years and have never had a problem. I suspect that because you rarely to never use the brakes on a Tesla because of regenerative breaking you will never boil the water out of the fluid and the seals may fail due to never being wiped by the pistons. Unused disc pads will eventually disintegrate as well and pistons corrode This advice may change in time as they get field experience but brakes being important things I would comply. I would like to justify getting a model 3 but with a daily driver that's cheap to run has everything we need and was paid for 20 years ago the sums dont work . I know life is short but we have 2 MG convertibles for that. Thanks for a great channel
Brake fluid is hydroscopic which means it absorbs water moisture hence having to change your brake fluid at recommended intervals since moisture in the fluid degrades breaking capacity. You'll notice the difference especially when going down wind the hills and having to use your breaks a lot fresh fluid will give u less brake fade making for a much safer driving experience. Change your brake fluid it's really not that expensive.
good that you open up this discussion. It is clear that ICE has much higher maintenance requirements. An EV will almost work like your iPhone, just use it until the next version comes up. They are like electronics, they don't really need maintenance. When car makers start to produce more affordable EV, it could well be the final coffin nail to ICE. Out of economic reasons alone will be enough to motivate a lot of buyers. Including me.
It's worth noting that what's on Tesla's web site is less aggressive. Clean and lubricate brake calipers annually; TEST brake fluid every two years and replace as needed; air conditioning service every six years; battery coolant only if the car throws an error.
One of the main issues I have with Tesla... You have to get it worked on by them, since they refuse to release the information needed. I can get parts, or Information, or tools to work on any other brand.. I can buy the software needed to do all sorts of stuff for a Toyota, and many things can be done with a simple $50 scan tool.. If Tesla ever wants to be a truly mass market car they need to fix this. I can buy a Chevy Bolt EV and then go to Chevy and buy any part I may need for that car and fix it myself.. Same for Kia and Hyundai..
I think the service you need also depends on where you live. I live in the desert southwest and have never changed the brake fluid on any of my cars, don't have the humidity to contaminate the fluid. If they got a brake job, then the brakes were bleed at that time and that was it. I've never had a car with brake problems outside of new pads.
Brakes, wheel bearings, ball joints, 12v battery, struts. Those are all items on any car that will need maintenance at some point. I did not hear a mention of any of the above items. I am interested in the cost of these items, frequency of needed repairs and common issues. Please keep people informed as these costs come! Every car ever made has weaker areas.
Very Informative! Most UA-cam influencers only talk about "how much money you save on maintenance", "no oil change" stuff, now i know Tesla's maintenance cost is actually higher than ICE cars, 4 years for 800 dollars, say if your oil change is 50 dollars, doing that 2 times a year, that only cost 400 dollars for 4 years, half the maintenance cost......
In my GAs car I changed it every 60 thousand miles, my dad did it so I did it. Now that's an Avalon. I personally would change the brake fluid, it does break down.
2 year 24000 miles is the standard interval for brake fluid, dot 3 and 4 absorb water. Harley recently had issues where people neglecting having the fluid serviced the abs module would fail. Just draining and filling would not bleed the abs module without the computer software to open the abs valves
You give a very good recommendation. In 4 years almost any shop will be able to do a brake flush. I would only go to Tesla for the Coolant replacement. You may as well get them at the same time.
The only reason brake fluid would degrade is if water or other contaminant gets into the system. It's a closed system, so it takes a very long time to get "worn out"
Fact that you are quite a correct Mike. Brakes fluid is 2 year item and I am planning to do it with 4 year item together with battery coolant. FOB battery (1year item) is pretty easy item for any owner if they use FOB. Tire rotation is pretty streight forward procedure for majority DIY people.
It is best to follow manufacturer recommendation as a general rule. As for the brake fluid, yes it is very recommended to follow instruction; anti-lock brakes' fluid becomes very dark and it thickens. From the liability point of view if you get in an accident, where loss of life is encountered, one can be sued even if the maintenance issue is unrelated to the loss of life, as a supporting evidence of negligence.
Thanks FTG for another helpful video, good food for thought. Brake fluid was always buried in the ICE "60,000 mile" service or "30,000" mile service somewhere. There's a lot less to think about maintaining with M3, so it pays to pay more attention to the few things that do need it.
I've only had my Model 3 Performance for about 10 days; but I can already see that the brake pads will last much longer than the car does. Regenerative braking does almost all the work of slowing down. Since the brakes are not worked hard, they should never get hot (unless you do a lot of track driving)...heat is what breaks down brake fluid. Brake fluid may need to be topped off as the pads wear down; but, as I said, the pads should suffer minimal wear.
You only need to do the brake fluid replacement if you live in cold or wet climates where freezing or heave braking is a issue. Brake fluids are hygroscopy meaning water binds to it so if you live in cold or wet climate requirement to change at millage moisture in the brakes can freeze or reduce the boiling point of the fluid.
About the brake fluid: it depends. Brake fluid is hygroscopic and after 2 years there’s quite a bit of water in it, making fade more likely. Depending on your driving style or if you live on a mountain, you may notice this. A Tesla with the regenerative braking will more likely have less of a problem with this.
Dear Mike, I follow You regularly with your video very informative. I'm waiting my Model 3 which is planned for Feb. 2019 (I'm french) and I feel that I will know my Car better than TESLA vendors ... All The Best and Thanks
the reason for the brake fluid is because it absorbs moisture. so the breaks will work fine but will start to rust internally. Since tesla use breaks very little the water boiling and getting hot is not a risk
Brake fluid is hygroscopic meaning it absorbs water. 1. Water rusts out the cast iron components in the master and slave cylinders. 2. Water boils at a lower temperature than brake fluid leading to brake fade.
hector smith Thanks for all this theory. Facts: before Tesla I had Honda Accord v6, used it barely, made less than 11K for 12 years. In 12 years I did not do anything except changing the battery once and changing the oil 1 or two in a year. After 12 years brakes were as good as new, in perfect condition.
@@tesladude2822 not super critical on newer vehicles (particularly with regen braking) driven moderately in a dry climate, but ends up in tears for ICE cars that are auto, towing and on long downhill stretches where the brake pedal then hits the floor.
Hector is dead right. Brake fluid absorbs water from humidity in the air. Less so in a dry climate, but, ANY water in your brake system will boil and turn to water vapor. With the smallest amount of water vapor in your brakes, your pedal will go to the floor.
My Rav4 EV hasn't had the brake fluid done since new.. 70k miles. Brake pads still look new. Other than making sure its not leaking, I'm not really sure what the benefit is to flushing it.
@@mikec421 Given that it is supposed to work in most weather conditions, I would imagine it is performance based. If it isn't braking hard enough, it brakes harder.
Yh, good point. If you have time, please check out our first video on UA-cam ever, of the Tesla Model S. The video is on our channel, appreciate your feedback :)
Re the brake fluid flush. It doesn’t matter at all how little or how often you use your brakes. Moisture will get into your brake fluid even with the car sitting outside your house. Here in Ireland with our weather so continually moisture laden, we would normally flush our brake fluid every 2 to 3 years to avoid internal damage to the ABS pump and other brake components - that goes for all ICE cars, and most especially motorbikes. Failure to do so can result in trapped moisture rusting internal brake components, or worse still, turning to steam under heavy braking like what happened to me. I was taking my motorbike over 4 Swiss mountain passes, and the brakes failed completely due to this on the dry long downhill section of the last pass. The trouble is, you’ll never know you have moisture in your brake fluid until it’s too late. Now I just do it every two years and have never had an issue since. If you live in dry areas, I would think this is much less of an issue. Tesla Dublin changed my 2016 used model S brake fluid for €112 plus tax about 2 weeks ago and de-glazed the brake pads. This was at 4 years and my brake fluid was not great at that stage, so very glad I did it. I only just got the car about a month ago, so utterly impressed.
Depending on the cost of replacing the brake fluid and battery coolant, it may just be too expensive in the end for my situation. I drive about 65-70 miles round trip Monday-Friday for work. That’s 325-350 miles a week, not including driving on the weekends or trips. I easily put 15,000+ on my car in a year. I do maybe 3-4 oil changes a year at $80 so $240-$320 a year roughly. Gas is roughly $105 a month. Insurance is $80 a month, $960 a year. Trans flush ($100) is 60,000 then every 30,000, coolant ($120) is every 60,000, brake fluid ($90) is every 60,000. Plus I live like 5 hours away from the nearest Tesla Service Center. I’d end up needing to take a whole day off work to drive up there for maintenance. Maybe when I get a job closer to home and put less miles on my car will I explore getting a Tesla.
The brake system on any Tesla is the same as the brake system on a car. In fact, many of the brake upgrades for the Model 3 are derived from existing cars. There are tons of videos of people installing performance brake parts and fluid on the Model 3 and they are 100% identical to working on any other normal car.
The problem is with most modern cars you need to actuate the ABS pump to properly flush the fluid. Most shops will have a tool which can do this over the OBDII port but Tesla has this locked down so only their service centers can access the service software required to perform the procedure.
@@jacobpeterson7048 Actually, I just checked with someone who's upgraded the brake fluid. The Model 3 doesn't need any special procedure to bleed the brake fluid. The hydraulic system on the Model 3 is just like most cars, unlike some European cars. You just bleed the brake fluid on the Model 3 like you would a Toyota or a Honda. It doesn't need software like some European cars.
Thank you for the quick overview of maintenance. I have had my Model 3 for 4 months now I plan to stick with the recommendations. I think I will do a video about my excellent service experience with Tesla.
Modern cars, especially high-performance ones, tend to use DOT4 brake fluid. DOT4 brake fluid absorbs moisture more quickly than older types. If you live in a humid area especially you should definitely do the brake service. Not doing so can lead to corrosion of brake components, and if your brakes get hot from hard driving the water in the fluid can boil and create a soft pedal. Don’t scrimp on the brake service.
Bought a 2013 Impala Dec. 2013 with 11,000 miles on it for 18,000; that is about half price sticker!! Perfect condition. Now 75,000. Only maintenance gas & oil, tires.
So wait wait u mean to tell me my days of car break downs, spark plugs, oil changes, engine misfires and such that comes with owning a gas ⛽️ car would be over?!?!
Eventually an EV will have things that break... But there are less things to wear and break. The problem right now is that when the parts do break, they're more expensive.
My 7.5 year old Leaf I've spent a total of $500 in maintenance (incl. the one flat tire replacement along with tire rotations and the accessory battery replacement). BTW: My battery still fully charges because I was careful to never allow the car sit for more than a few hours fully charged! My Harley Davidson costed about 3x in maintenance over the same duration.
I find that most breaking is done by the motor recapturing energy , I think my breaks will last even longer than other car because I hardly use the brakes.
5:00. If you are going to keep your car 5 years or less. Don’t worry about changing fluids. Most wise people when they buy a used car that has no records change all the fluids. If they are smart. If you want to keep your car for 15 years 300,000+ miles. Change the brake fluid every 2 to 3 years. Especially if you live in a 4 season climate. Brake fluid brakes down, adsorbs water and becomes corrosive. Change the battery coolant every 50,000 miles. We simply do not know what will happen at this point if you don’t. I you swap cars every 4 to 5 years drive and enjoy.
Moisture damage could lead to some expensive repairs plus the possibility of the brakes not working as well as needed in an emergency. You can have the brake fluid tested for water content. If it is low enough then no replacement is required.
Awesome video. Thank you. I’m doing my homework to see what owning a Tesla Model 3 entails. One of my biggest questions was about maintenance cost. You answered a lot of my questions. This was very helpful.
What a great video thanks for this I really appreciate it. I’m thinking of getting a 3 shortly here in Australia and you have given me much to NOT WORRY about thanks
A remarkable amount of guessing on brake fluid. Changing brake fluid is a normal task on all cars. A modestly skilled home mechanic can do the change with a second person to work the pedals while the mechanic works the wrenches. The brake fluid going in is almost transparent and the old brake fluid is almost black. The fluid absorbs water and the old fluid will boil if over stressed, such as driving down a mountain. Then the brakes fade. Not a risk worth taking for a few bucks.
There is no specific interval for rotation as you can see the change on the thread, each car is different. Don't be fool by the recommended interval or something people claimed.
Rotate them every 5,000-6,000 miles. It doesn't matter if it's AWD, FWD, RWD. The wear on the tires is happening because of where it is on the vehicle and the loads/forces it's subject to. You rotate them to get the same wear on each tire and maximize the tread life.
FYI. It’s not the actual tire rotation that’s most important, it’s the truing (balancing) of the wheels in a rotation job. It causes road noise and excessive wear on tires.
It might be different for a general mechanic vs a body shop, but my local body shop said it'd be a nearly $60,000 investment in equipment for them to become Tesla certified.
Great analysis, Mike! You said Federal Tax Rebate, instead of Federal Tax Credit. Most of us already know what the difference is, but not everybody. Tesla's service costs are outrageous, for cars that need very little attention. I'd hate to think how much they're going to charge me to change the cabin filter. I'm going to do my best to find an independent mechanic to do the basic servicing of my Model 3. I find it hard to believe that changing the brake fluid would require accessing the car's computer system. It's illegal, at least in California, to force you to go to the dealer/service center, to keep your warranty valid.
Watch Rich Rebuilds does his own restore on Teslas watch how they wont sell him a new part because they have the car registered as water car or reg as wreck
Excellent video - but if you live out in the country, like I do, have mouse traps at the ready to catch the little critters who like to setup house in your warmer interior or find rubber components a tasty treat.
Just change the brake fluid and don't worry about cycling the ABS system. ICE cars are the same way, you need a computer to fully flush the brake fluid. Most people just flush all the fluid and don't worry about the ABS module. You can cycle the ABS module by safely engaging the ABS system, but probably not even worth worrying about it. I plan to do the brakes myself, but I will have tesla flush the coolant as recommended, however it's probably overkill.
The four year maintenance plan looks just about right to me. Will likely only rotate my tires every two years unless I see some wear on any of the tires. I'm very easy on the brakes and rarely use them with the Regen braking in most of my driving. Brakes will probably last 50K miles (about 7 years of driving for me - and at 85 might not be around in 7 years).
Brake fluid breaks down over time and with high temperatures caused by using the breaks. If there is an excessive heat problem with the breaks it will show up in the fluid. All autos have a schedule to change the fluid but most people wait until it leaks or the system fails.
In a regular ICE car you need to use the brakes a lot. Normally it might required some brake service every 2-3 years. I don't think you will need to service the brakes on a Tesla that often because the brake is not frequently used. So brake service on a Tesla could be every 3-5 years.
Brake fluid is hydroscopic and will gradually absorb moisture from the atmosphere. Water is more dense than brake fluid so goes to the bottom of the hydraulic system. Now brakes get hot and then the water near the calipers will turn to vapour and will adversely affect your braking performance. In addition the water in your calipers will attack the metal and rust will result. In extreme cases this rusting will wreck the brake calipers and brake master cylinder and you will have a costly replacement.
Donald Moe really good point. Had to check the manual.... “Cabin Air Filter Model 3 has an air filter that prevents pollen, industrial fallout, road dust and other particles from entering through the vents. The air filter should be replaced when necessary. Contact Tesla.” I think the car will tell me when it’s necessary....wonder on average how frequent that will be.
MrSpuzzz -- Thanks for mentioning that. I had not yet seen that part of the manual. An automatic notification would likely require a sensor to measure the airflow thru the filter or the drop in air pressure across it.
@@donaldmoe3286 I believe Elon tweeted recently that service is notified when it needs replacing as the car detects the pressure when it gets dusty and gross.
Screw the tester! Just suck some out of the master cylinder with a turkey baster and compare it to new fluid! If it's darker, change it. That's worked for me for 35 years, and I've done a LOT of brake work.
There will normal wear and tear on the bushes and wheel bearing I asked the Tesla guys and the car uses normal bushes nothing fancy for the model 3 and other normal suspension wear like any car so it’s a great vehicle. Cool video 👍
The brakes have electrical master cylinder so it’s not a simple pump the break pedal it’s also got an electrical park brake with the same calipers on the car not a different park brake like on most cars. So I would go to Tesla to get the brakes looked at
Just as a thing that nobody ever talks about. If you live in the rust belt, or places that use salt on the road, It is highly recommended to get brakes taken apart and lubed, as if you don't do it, it can cause uneven brake pad wear, and next time u take it apart, you will be swearing you butt off on why u cant remove the pads.
Great analysis. I agree with you 100%. However for a comparison, my current vehicle is a 3 year lease, ending next June. I negotiated free oil changes and tire rotations as part of the deal. My total maintenance cost will be $0 for 3 years, so ICE cars can be low maintenance. My model 3 will have to wait until June. Thanks for your insight.
Many thanks to Manuel, Elon and Dori for your responses. I don’t want to take away from the Frugal Tesla Guy’s excellent video, but to address your issues: 1. Yes, the maintenance needs to be done, but I have already spent more time driving to the nearest sales point from my home to test drive the Model 3 than I will spend in 3 years of maintaining my leased car. I live in CT which will not allow sales of Teslas. I have to go to NY, over 1.5 hours away. I’ve gone twice and will have to go again to pick up the car - if I order it. That is a chore and I will have a similar chore if I have to go to the nearest service center to correct any new car flaws - and unfortunately in the many videos that I have seen, many have made multiple trips back to correct flaws. I agree, time is money. My guess is that buying a Tesla “can” require more time for me due to my distance from a service center. 2. As far as the leasing vs. buying issue, from my personal experience I have proved “for me” that leasing is the preferred option. For years I bought cars. The last one was a Prius. When I decided to get another vehicle the trade in or sale value of the Prius was low. I had it for 6 years and calculated that had I leased the car I could have had 2 new cars in that time with the “total” cost in $ and time being less than my “owned” cost. Total cost must include replacing things like tires, wiper blades, tire rotations (a waste that I paid for on that car), oil changes (negotiated for free), etc. Since then it has been nice to have a new car every 3 years and paid $0 beyond the monthly lease cost. Going to the dealership about 2x per year for less than an hour each is not a hardship. Regarding my potential purchase of the Model 3, I actually ordered one a month ago (so that I could get the $7,500 tax credit) but cancelled the next day when I thought better of it. I would have purchased the Model 3, drove it home and put it in my garage for over 6 months until my lease ended. In the meantime, I would still be paying the lease, would lose 6+ months of warranty and, as it ended up, lost the 6 months of free supercharging. The supercharging deal was announced a few days after I placed my order. Now will I buy a Model 3 next year? Not sure. Obviously with an online persona of “Gadgetperson”, the Model 3 is my type of car. I have enjoyed test driving it and watching videos in anticipation, as many others have. However, Tesla keeps changing what they are offering and I have no idea what will be available when it is time to order, so I am not sure. I have a few alternates that I am considering. It will be either the Model 3, a Hybrid or a PHEV. I would even consider the much less stylish EV Chevy Bolt if it included Adaptive Cruise Control - which in my opinion should be standard on all cars. Thanks again for your comments and, more importantly, thanks to the Frugal Tesla Guy for his insight. The bottom line is we all have to make our own decisions based on our own circumstances and/or opinions. I agree with his opinion.
It now says tires don't need rotation for 10,000-12,000 miles, only sooner with aggressive driving. Also, with the new "hold" regen braking feature, I could see brake fluid replacement being extended. But, this could simply be a liability thing since ya know, you need your car to be able to stop when necessary.
4 year/50k mile change in the coolant is excessive. That coolant doesn't see the extremes of gas engine coolant and those change intervals are 100,000+ miles. FWIW, Nissan recommends the coolant in the Leaf be replaced at 115,000 miles or 15 years.
Brakes are brakes, pretty much; so is an ICE cooling system. I keep cars a long time. Here is my philosophy. Subject car: 1991 Mitsubishi Eclipse, 2.0 Turbo, purchased new Antifreeze: After 1 year, THOROUGHLY flush engine block and radiator. Replace antifreeze with red "forever" antifreeze. That's it! No need to flush again. The "crud" from engine manufacture was cleaned out with that one flush. Do NOT "back-flush" that crud back through the radiator. The water pump is replaced each time I replace the timing belt, and I always reuse the antifreeze that I drained. I still have a couple of quarts left over from the original flush to replace the little bit I spill when replacing the water pump. Brakes: At first required pad replacement, manually bleed brakes (a neighbor in the car "pumping" the brakes) at each wheel until the fluid runs clear. No more "flushing" necessary. For me, I've never had to rebuild or replace the calipers or the brake master cylinder. The clutch master and slave cylinder are original, and have never been flushed. One caution, be sure not to mix DOT 3 with DOT 5 brake fluid. As for Tesla's battery cooling system, I haven't researched the system, and so have no idea if flushing it makes sense or not. It's an interesting question. If the system was designed intelligently, it should be an easy task, so I wouldn't be paying a Tesla service center $400+ to do it.
I went to my local Tesla Service Center a few weeks ago, and they had a sheet of paper on the wall with the Model 3 maintenance schedule. It showed $250 for the 2/6 year maintenance and $350 for the 4/8 year maintenance recommended by Tesla. Total recommended maintenance cost over 8 years/100k miles was 1200. Much lower than the Model S or X (which has more maintenance tasks more often and more expensive). I'm planning to take it in on the recommended schedule.
@@ethancanin That's a good idea. I haven't needed to go in since, but I'm getting close to 5k miles and tire rotation. Not sure if that's something they'll do reasonably or if I should go somewhere else, though.
It would be interesting to see the test results of the fluids after 4 years. See if you can find a brake fluid tester, and test the coolant with a fish tank PH tester. Coolant normally breaks down from the high engine heat, but I doubt that it gets very hot in a tesla.
@@salesrpg I am a biochemist and suspect with aging the coolant pH to drop due to air infusion of rich ambient Co2 content in the solution as co2 is acidic when it dissolves in any solution same problem we face in our medical labs as the reagents used in the chemistry analyzers suffers from that too
I agree. I plan to take mine in every 4 years. So in 8 years (2027), I may take it to a Tesla center or maybe someone else. More than likely back to Tesla based on the warranty. However, in 12 years, or 2031 I bet it's a brave new world.
Boeing 787 the same.Change battery cooling fluid .We also have PH check to make sure its still cooling. .I think after 4 years they need to pull the electric motors apart just to see is there any worn mechanical parts.
Break fluids should be changed acording to the use of the Breaks. If you use the Breaks as normal they last longer. If you see that your break fluid has a different colour than usual, or if you use them excessively you need to change it on smaller intervals.
Quick tip, get the 4 yr service just before 4 years given that the vehicle warranty is 4 years. If they have to fix anything it would be under warranty where after 4 years you would be out of pocket
What do you mean by get the 4 year service? Please explain! Thanks.
@@jaspal2370 in the video, he recommends getting a service every 4 years. Teslas don't need to be serviced as frequently as fossil fuel cars
@@jaspal2370 Change the battery fluid before the 4 years it recommends since it will be under warranty.
SMART ESPECIALLY IF YOU DRIVE LOW OR BELOW AVERAGE MILES.
Why you guys saying do it just before the four years is up? No matter when you do it, you still have to pay for it. The fluid replacement is not a warranty item. Or am I missing something?
The reason they recommend you replace the brake fluid after two years is for safety reasons. Brake fluid is very hydroscopic (ie. it absorbs water out of the air). So if you have old brake fluid and find yourself suddenly needing to use the brakes continuously, like down a long hill while regen limited, or engage the ABS system repeatedly on a slippery surface like snow / ice, that absorbed water will change the viscosity and lower the boiling point, potentially creating steam bubbles in the brake lines when it gets hot which can cause the brakes to fail to work properly. How frequently you need to change the brake fluid depends on how quickly it absorbs water, which depends on the humidity. Manufacturer's figures are always conservative, but as brake fluid can lose 50% of it's boiling point in as little as 18 months in humid conditions it's not an unrealistic time frame.
well said... here is someone that knows something about cars. 👍
I would also add that any absorbed water could make the internals of the braking system rust which is obviously not good for long term trouble free motoring.
I own a all wheel drive long range Model 3 with 10,000 miles. It is by far the best quality, most fun to drive, most efficient, least cost of operating least amount of pollution produced car I have ever owned. It is several levels of magnitude better than anything I have driven. Not perfect but pretty damn close and it does just keep getting better with software updates. Amazing!
@FiRm duDe I only have 10,000 miles so far so no maintenance. I don't really think about it anymore because the car will tell me when and if I need something. I think it is recommended to change the. This is what Tesla recommends:
Cabin Air Filter
Your Tesla is equipped with an air filter that prevents pollen, industrial fallout, road dust and other particles from entering through the vents. Tesla recommends replacing your cabin air filter every 2 years.
High Efficiency Particulate Air (HEPA) Filter
If your Tesla is equipped with a HEPA filter, Tesla recommends replacing it every 3 years.
Tire Rotation, Balance and Wheel Alignment
Tesla recommends checking your tires every 10,000-12,000 miles for rotating, balancing and aligning needs. Aggressive driving can lead to premature tire wear and may require more frequent tire service. Unbalanced and misaligned wheels affect handling, tire life and steering components. Refer to tire manufacturer's owner manuals and warranty documentation for additional details.
Brake Fluid Test
Tesla recommends testing brake fluid for contamination every 2 years and replacing as needed.
Air Conditioning Service
An air conditioning service replaces the desiccant to help the longevity and efficiency of the air conditioning system. Tesla recommends an air conditioning service every 2 years for Model S, every 4 years for Model X and every 6 years for Model 3.
Winter Care
Tesla recommends cleaning and lubricating all brake calipers every 12 months or 12,500 mi for cars in cold weather regions.
The coolant change has now been updated to 6 years from 4. :)
Would make sense to apply that to the brake fluid changes too.
@@pasoundman No. Glycol-ether (DOT 3, 4, and 5.1) Brake fluid is hydrophilic. When driving down hills or mountains on old fluid it can boil (because it's now just water) and your system can fail. If your vehicle takes Silicone based DOT 5.0 hydrophobic Non-ABS Brake Fluid, you can go for decades or even never changing the fluid.
Brake fluid change is a fake service.. Not needed, in my opinion.
@@llambimico6833 brake fluid is VERY MUCH NEEDED my last car was totaled because the brake fluid leaked out and I didnt know it, I came up on a stop sign and my car wouldnt engage to stop. It slowed down slightly but not like it should and my brakes were fine, you need it, but since you think you dont go drain yours and go do 60 and try and stop. Lets see what you feel then, if anything, you may be dead.
Exactly my plan. Every 4 years do both.
just want to let you know how much I appreciate these videos! you've been the most helpful of all those making videos about teslas, so as a new owner, I am grateful.
Thanks for the the kind words Maureen!
The manufacturer recommendations are always very conservative as to avoid blame.
Frankly it seems they don't fear any blame for engine wear or failures while comfortably recommending oil service of ICE cars every 30,000 kilometers (or even less often)...
$850 every 4 years is way cheaper than my costs for mandatory maintenance for my old Kia Spectra I bought in 2006. In fact, the 60,000 mile service also came with a replacement of the serpentine belt that upped its total cost to over $1000. Counting regular oil changes, the every 15k maintenance schedule to keep the warranty valid, and the new clutch I just put in, I roughly estimate that I have spent about $4500 on maintenance since I bought it. Add in the gas that I will not buy, take away two Tesla maintenance trips, and add the maintenance I put in to the old car and then the tax savings, I may save as much as 16,000 over an 8 year period with this car.
And that is not taking into account that I plan to go solar in the next two years, at which point my electrical energy costs will go down dramatically. Total cost on my Model 3 May end up being in the low 20k’s.
Going solar is icing on the cake. I went solar 2 years ago. Currently produce more than I use, so all that potentially goes into Model 3!! Minimal maintenance and no gas bill. YES!
Yes, but it's not a matter of obvious maintenance cost savings over ICE vehicles, it's the fact that it's $850 for, at most, an hour's worth of easy fluid change work. They might, and I repeat might, have to remove a panel to get at fluid changing plugs, but other than that there's not nearly enough work to warrant $850. However, with that said, it's probably a conundrum for EV manufacturers on how to recoup on the loss of maintenance charges ICE manufacturers get to capitalize on. So it's really no surprise they'd charge more for simple maintenance.
Shit Toyota want 800$ for the oil pan in my Avalon
You forgot to mention the blinker fluid.
John Holsopple I always fall for that joke...
And the muffler maintenance
I’d to double look
You mean the muffler bearings?
Squelch Grease?
The brake fluid can be checked with a electronic tester, $10 or less. It measures the water content which should be less than 2%. That is when I flush my Brembos.
Good tip. Where can I get a tester?
@@paulbell56 www.amazon.com/PTE-Tester-Calibrated-Brake-fluids/dp/B005HVG4GQ/ref=sr_1_5?keywords=brake%2Bfluid%2Btester&qid=1567479501&s=gateway&sr=8-5&th=1
@@glenf4115 I don't know how much humidity they have in Fremont but here in Phoenix humidity and it's condensation is very low compared to the rest of the US. When the 12 volt battery in my Leaf died (@ four years) I had the Nissan dealer change out the brake fluid. Nissan power brakes run on a 12 volt vacuum pump and that was where the problem surfaced first.
Met this guy at Spokane Tesla one day. Showed me some tips for my model y. Didn’t know who he was at the time, but saw him on his channel later the next week. Nice guy just as you see here.👍😊
Mike, love the channel. Thanks for all the info. My wife and I just purchased our first Tesla today, an AWDLR Model 3, and we used your referral code! Enjoy and keep the videos coming.
Thanks,
David
Thanks for the kind words and using my referral code MrDavidDude and congratulations on your purchase!
In the Volt, the brake fluid change interval is 10 years or 150k miles. Every 2 years, 25k on the Model 3 seems very excessive.
The battery and high voltage change interval on the Volt is every 5 years/150K miles.
Regular brake fluid should be exchanged every 2 years. But many people neglect basic service.
Got to make money
I think 3.5 years is good to do both and before the warranty expires.
Brakes deserve the best maintenance they are the most important part on your car.
As a mechanic ,believe me,flushing the brake fluid every 2 years is stupid...it’s just business for the service center
Yeah but for a 50k car its better safe than sorry
Also weird a regular place couldn't do it. Can't imagine they have some super secret special brake setup going on.
Of course. However it is somewhat dependent on the environment and whether the car uses DOT3 or DOT4.
I’ve driven cars for over 300,000 miles before. Never flushed the break fluid once.
Two things you should do every two years. 1. Change the two internal airfilters. Otherwise they start to smell. 2. Service the barakes. Any garage can do these things.
Brake Fluid tend to capture moisture which causes Spongy Brake Pedal. That's the sign you might need to do a brake fluid flush.
With all due respect sir I think you're full of shit the brakes are a closed system in unless there is a leak you never need to replace the fluid I have a 26 year-old Silverado I am the original owner I go 4 wheeling do river crossings and the fluid looks brand new there's barely anything moving in a brake system nothing happens to the fluid.
Additionally I have the original engine and transmission and the truck now has 460,000 miles on it and it's doing fine....
@@FSEVENMAN That is why they say "Education should be a MUST for everyone".
www.douglasautomotive.com/blog/moisture-from-your-brake-fluid-can-cause-failure
@@SD-wy1bw That was a good link I checked it out thanks I'm simply stating my opinion because the brake fluid in my Chevy truck is 26 years old and has never been changed and it looks like brand new so I really don't think it has any moisture in it as there is no rust in the system and it works perfectly and if you didn't like hearing that you're not gonna like this next one either my truck as 460000 miles all original I'm the original owner it's the original untouched engine I do change the engine oil often and I use mobil 1 but I've only changed the transmission fluid and filter once in the life of the vehicle still shifting and the fluid is still pink.
Lift frunk, remove blue cap, refill windshield washer reservoir, screw blue cap back on. Close frunk, maintenance rotate tires evey 6,000 miles, maintenance for the next 6,000 miles completed.
Cheers!
What's a "frunk"
@@IrisMG Front Trunk!
Thank you for the video. You seem pretty likable, and you have good delivery.
The 4 year plan makes the most sense.
The brake fluid replacement in most other countries is around 50K miles(required). USA has no requirement for replacement.
+Pat McDaniel Good.
2 years brake fluid change interval is pretty standard among manufacturer recommendatioslons. Also common is having the dealerships do them so they can activate the ABS pumps to purge the whole system as the ABS motor is typically the most complex and expensive part of your brake system.
Reason that brake fluid is changed is because over time it becomes more hydroscopic!
I live in a mobile service area. Anything that needs done they literally drive to my house and do it. It's awesome too since the nearest service center is about 90 mins away. Also just so people know Tesla stopped doing these maintenance plans because they found they weren't necessary.
Also there is reduction gear oil. I would recommend to change that too after 4 years. I've changed mine. Over the years oil gets dirty due to to air humidity and run-in period of gears.
At around 9:50, the chart says change that at 12,000 miles/one year, then at five years.
Agree with you that the battery coolant is important. We don't want to mess with that.
In my book brakes are even more important. If the battery dies we don't, if the brakes die, we might.
You state that with no background knowledge...the issue with brake fluid is that it takes on water and so the boiling-point drops over time. That is however only an issue if you have to brake for a prolonged time usually driving down a pass, which is less of an issue because of regenerative braking in an EV. Even old and water saturated brake-fluid will transfer force for an emergency-braking just fine (just not several in a row)... It would make much more sense to measure conductivity (water content) of the brake-fluid and replace it when really necessary, but that would mean less income for mechanics. So they rather waist perfectly fine brake-fluid...
@@ptolomaeer The issue isn't technical. The issue is ignoring manufacturer guidelines based on amateur reasoning vs the advice of engineers of the vehicle you are driving. The only knowledge I need is the Tesla service intervals and to follow them, I'll leave the reasoning to Tesla.
For the sake of a few bucks just take care of the brakes already!!
If you had the simplistic knowledge behind the stated requirement you could then make the correct choice for you. You may decide to take it to Tesla. You may decide something else like you probably do for tire rotation. All you should have is the same level of knowledge you have for tire rotation.
I'm going to add that I heard Trevor Page on one of his podcasts talk about the expensive lesson he learned on his wife's car. He didn't replace brake fluid per the manufacturers recommendation, he let it slide a few years and corrosion got to the ABS system, which he had to pay for out of warranty. It was super expensive. The manufacturers of modern braking systems know what it takes to maintain braking systems in tip top shape.
@@JeanPierreWhite Brake fluid maintenance is simple with the correct thought. You need a couple feet of clear tubing to go over the bleeder bolt end to allow you to direct the used fluid into a plastic soda bottle you can cap for recycling or disposal. A 6 point socket or brake tool closed wrench is mandatory. The bleeder is tapered. If you break it you'll need a new caliper. An old or rusty one can be loosened with penetrating oil down the center hole and around the threads. Bleed the caliper farthest from the reservoir first.
Brake fluid every 2 years is what most manufacturer recommends including BMW. I own a BMW M3 (the other M3) which I take to the track. Brake fluid gets flushed almost after every track day because it is a safety maintenance. Daily driver can get away with getting the flush every 3-4 years, more frequent if you live in a humid climate where moisture contamination is greater. Brake fluid naturally absorb moisture, even in a closed system. The problem is the moisture contamination in the fluid will boil causing brake "failure" commonly known as brake fade during a long downhill descent braking. A computer used during the flush can get all the fluid out including the ABS system. I don't see a problem with doing a flush without the Tesla diagnostic computer. Afterall, Tesla brake component is a simple brake system without any regeneration built in. Also with the battery coolant, unless the coolant constantly see temperature in the 200 degree range, every 4 years is also overkill.
Great video, very informative. So true about getting the car by 12/31, we ordered our Model 3 on 11/06 and will be getting it into our garage on 12/20 this week!
Enjoy, man!.. Great software-car...
Good informative videos! I had bought a brand new cayenne S for my wife. She’d never drive it at all. Most time sat in the garage. A few months ago I drove the Porsche for 45mins, engine Hesitation, check engine light, reduce engine speed came on. A week later, I took the Porsche in for service. Billed me $3,500 plus need new battery $550 plus tax. 17,000 miles 8 yrs old suv sold to my neighbor. Now I got a model X for her, It drives better than the cayenne S. I talked to Tesla service advisor, just do the 4yrs maintanence should be fine. Electric car practically low maintenance like our refrigerator motor. If it breaks, just replace it. Best to buy extended warranty. 🦅🦅🇺🇸
FTG I agree the brake fluid flush seems like one of those “KEEP OUR TECHNICIAN GUYS BUSY” program. My plan will be get the car in before the warranty expires for battery coolant change.
Having a son in the auto industry I’ve heard too many story of pre-mature fluid changes only to drain the owner’s wallet. Four years seems a long was off but I’m already six months into it.
Can confirm. The Tesla Toolbox software is required for some basic maintenance. Hopefully they release a consumer version so people can service their own cars without Tesla.
It's it's not then you can sue Tesla.
Massachusetts has a "Right to Repair" Law that Tesla and every Manufacturer is required to comply with.
This law means every part, every tool and maintenance software needed to maintain and repair your Tesla has to be available to customers.
electrek.co/2017/01/30/tesla-opening-up-service-replacement-parts/
Brake fluid absorbs water from the air, eventually this will rot the seals and mean that you are using water as the working fluid. The brake pedal going to the floor on a fast mountain descent as the water boils will get your attention.
With my ICE cars I change it every 5 years and have never had a problem. I suspect that because you rarely to never use the brakes on a Tesla because of regenerative breaking you will never boil the water out of the fluid and the seals may fail due to never being wiped by the pistons. Unused disc pads will eventually disintegrate as well and pistons corrode This advice may change in time as they get field experience but brakes being important things I would comply.
I would like to justify getting a model 3 but with a daily driver that's cheap to run has everything we need and was paid for 20 years ago the sums dont work . I know life is short but we have 2 MG convertibles for that.
Thanks for a great channel
Brake fluid is hydroscopic which means it absorbs water moisture hence having to change your brake fluid at recommended intervals since moisture in the fluid degrades breaking capacity. You'll notice the difference especially when going down wind the hills and having to use your breaks a lot fresh fluid will give u less brake fade making for a much safer driving experience. Change your brake fluid it's really not that expensive.
good that you open up this discussion. It is clear that ICE has much higher maintenance requirements. An EV will almost work like your iPhone, just use it until the next version comes up. They are like electronics, they don't really need maintenance.
When car makers start to produce more affordable EV, it could well be the final coffin nail to ICE. Out of economic reasons alone will be enough to motivate a lot of buyers. Including me.
It's worth noting that what's on Tesla's web site is less aggressive. Clean and lubricate brake calipers annually; TEST brake fluid every two years and replace as needed; air conditioning service every six years; battery coolant only if the car throws an error.
One of the main issues I have with Tesla... You have to get it worked on by them, since they refuse to release the information needed.
I can get parts, or Information, or tools to work on any other brand..
I can buy the software needed to do all sorts of stuff for a Toyota, and many things can be done with a simple $50 scan tool..
If Tesla ever wants to be a truly mass market car they need to fix this.
I can buy a Chevy Bolt EV and then go to Chevy and buy any part I may need for that car and fix it myself..
Same for Kia and Hyundai..
I think the service you need also depends on where you live. I live in the desert southwest and have never changed the brake fluid on any of my cars, don't have the humidity to contaminate the fluid. If they got a brake job, then the brakes were bleed at that time and that was it. I've never had a car with brake problems outside of new pads.
water is already in brake fluid, nothing to do with where you live
Brakes, wheel bearings, ball joints, 12v battery, struts. Those are all items on any car that will need maintenance at some point. I did not hear a mention of any of the above items. I am interested in the cost of these items, frequency of needed repairs and common issues. Please keep people informed as these costs come! Every car ever made has weaker areas.
Very Informative! Most UA-cam influencers only talk about "how much money you save on maintenance", "no oil change" stuff, now i know Tesla's maintenance cost is actually higher than ICE cars, 4 years for 800 dollars, say if your oil change is 50 dollars, doing that 2 times a year, that only cost 400 dollars for 4 years, half the maintenance cost......
In my GAs car I changed it every 60 thousand miles, my dad did it so I did it. Now that's an Avalon. I personally would change the brake fluid, it does break down.
Excellent video and recommendations! I will schedule the four year service just before the warranty expires:)
2 year 24000 miles is the standard interval for brake fluid, dot 3 and 4 absorb water. Harley recently had issues where people neglecting having the fluid serviced the abs module would fail. Just draining and filling would not bleed the abs module without the computer software to open the abs valves
You give a very good recommendation. In 4 years almost any shop will be able to do a brake flush. I would only go to Tesla for the Coolant replacement.
You may as well get them at the same time.
The only reason brake fluid would degrade is if water or other contaminant gets into the system. It's a closed system, so it takes a very long time to get "worn out"
Fact that you are quite a correct Mike. Brakes fluid is 2 year item and I am planning to do it with 4 year item together with battery coolant. FOB battery (1year item) is pretty easy item for any owner if they use FOB. Tire rotation is pretty streight forward procedure for majority DIY people.
It is best to follow manufacturer recommendation as a general rule. As for the brake fluid, yes it is very recommended to follow instruction; anti-lock brakes' fluid becomes very dark and it thickens. From the liability point of view if you get in an accident, where loss of life is encountered, one can be sued even if the maintenance issue is unrelated to the loss of life, as a supporting evidence of negligence.
they also want to make sure your brakes are fine, since they are not used that often
Thanks FTG for another helpful video, good food for thought. Brake fluid was always buried in the ICE "60,000 mile" service or "30,000" mile service somewhere. There's a lot less to think about maintaining with M3, so it pays to pay more attention to the few things that do need it.
I've only had my Model 3 Performance for about 10 days; but I can already see that the brake pads will last much longer than the car does. Regenerative braking does almost all the work of slowing down. Since the brakes are not worked hard, they should never get hot (unless you do a lot of track driving)...heat is what breaks down brake fluid. Brake fluid may need to be topped off as the pads wear down; but, as I said, the pads should suffer minimal wear.
You know this after 10 days ???? OK sure
You only need to do the brake fluid replacement if you live in cold or wet climates where freezing or heave braking is a issue. Brake fluids are hygroscopy meaning water binds to it so if you live in cold or wet climate requirement to change at millage moisture in the brakes can freeze or reduce the boiling point of the fluid.
About the brake fluid: it depends. Brake fluid is hygroscopic and after 2 years there’s quite a bit of water in it, making fade more likely. Depending on your driving style or if you live on a mountain, you may notice this. A Tesla with the regenerative braking will more likely have less of a problem with this.
Dear Mike, I follow You regularly with your video very informative. I'm waiting my Model 3 which is planned for Feb. 2019 (I'm french) and I feel that I will know my Car better than TESLA vendors ... All The Best and Thanks
JMC has the bad boy arrived yet?
the reason for the brake fluid is because it absorbs moisture. so the breaks will work fine but will start to rust internally. Since tesla use breaks very little the water boiling and getting hot is not a risk
That’s a great plan you have there. I don’t own a Tesla yet.
Brake fluid is hygroscopic meaning it absorbs water.
1. Water rusts out the cast iron components in the master and slave cylinders.
2. Water boils at a lower temperature than brake fluid leading to brake fade.
hector smith
Thanks for all this theory. Facts: before Tesla I had Honda Accord v6, used it barely, made less than 11K for 12 years. In 12 years I did not do anything except changing the battery once and changing the oil 1 or two in a year. After 12 years brakes were as good as new, in perfect condition.
@@tesladude2822 not super critical on newer vehicles (particularly with regen braking) driven moderately in a dry climate, but ends up in tears for ICE cars that are auto, towing and on long downhill stretches where the brake pedal then hits the floor.
Hector is dead right. Brake fluid absorbs water from humidity in the air. Less so in a dry climate, but, ANY water in your brake system will boil and turn to water vapor. With the smallest amount of water vapor in your brakes, your pedal will go to the floor.
@@markmcgowan2957 but a bean counter knows better than an Automotive engineer, right?
;)
If it worked for the LEAF as far as the brakes go, it should be fine for the Tesla. I plan to wait 4 years too
My Rav4 EV hasn't had the brake fluid done since new.. 70k miles. Brake pads still look new. Other than making sure its not leaking, I'm not really sure what the benefit is to flushing it.
I wonder how much autopilot and or the traction control relies on the brakes being at 100%
@@mikec421 Given that it is supposed to work in most weather conditions, I would imagine it is performance based. If it isn't braking hard enough, it brakes harder.
Yh, good point.
If you have time, please check out our first video on UA-cam ever, of the Tesla Model S. The video is on our channel, appreciate your feedback :)
@DrgnFlys
Brake fluid compresses differently than water as well.
Re the brake fluid flush.
It doesn’t matter at all how little or how often you use your brakes. Moisture will get into your brake fluid even with the car sitting outside your house. Here in Ireland with our weather so continually moisture laden, we would normally flush our brake fluid every 2 to 3 years to avoid internal damage to the ABS pump and other brake components - that goes for all ICE cars, and most especially motorbikes. Failure to do so can result in trapped moisture rusting internal brake components, or worse still, turning to steam under heavy braking like what happened to me.
I was taking my motorbike over 4 Swiss mountain passes, and the brakes failed completely due to this on the dry long downhill section of the last pass. The trouble is, you’ll never know you have moisture in your brake fluid until it’s too late. Now I just do it every two years and have never had an issue since.
If you live in dry areas, I would think this is much less of an issue.
Tesla Dublin changed my 2016 used model S brake fluid for €112 plus tax about 2 weeks ago and de-glazed the brake pads. This was at 4 years and my brake fluid was not great at that stage, so very glad I did it. I only just got the car about a month ago, so utterly impressed.
Depending on the cost of replacing the brake fluid and battery coolant, it may just be too expensive in the end for my situation. I drive about 65-70 miles round trip Monday-Friday for work. That’s 325-350 miles a week, not including driving on the weekends or trips. I easily put 15,000+ on my car in a year. I do maybe 3-4 oil changes a year at $80 so $240-$320 a year roughly. Gas is roughly $105 a month. Insurance is $80 a month, $960 a year. Trans flush ($100) is 60,000 then every 30,000, coolant ($120) is every 60,000, brake fluid ($90) is every 60,000. Plus I live like 5 hours away from the nearest Tesla Service Center. I’d end up needing to take a whole day off work to drive up there for maintenance. Maybe when I get a job closer to home and put less miles on my car will I explore getting a Tesla.
The brake system on any Tesla is the same as the brake system on a car. In fact, many of the brake upgrades for the Model 3 are derived from existing cars. There are tons of videos of people installing performance brake parts and fluid on the Model 3 and they are 100% identical to working on any other normal car.
The problem is with most modern cars you need to actuate the ABS pump to properly flush the fluid. Most shops will have a tool which can do this over the OBDII port but Tesla has this locked down so only their service centers can access the service software required to perform the procedure.
@@jacobpeterson7048 Actually, I just checked with someone who's upgraded the brake fluid. The Model 3 doesn't need any special procedure to bleed the brake fluid. The hydraulic system on the Model 3 is just like most cars, unlike some European cars. You just bleed the brake fluid on the Model 3 like you would a Toyota or a Honda. It doesn't need software like some European cars.
Thank you for the quick overview of maintenance. I have had my Model 3 for 4 months now I plan to stick with the recommendations. I think I will do a video about my excellent service experience with Tesla.
Modern cars, especially high-performance ones, tend to use DOT4 brake fluid. DOT4 brake fluid absorbs moisture more quickly than older types. If you live in a humid area especially you should definitely do the brake service. Not doing so can lead to corrosion of brake components, and if your brakes get hot from hard driving the water in the fluid can boil and create a soft pedal.
Don’t scrimp on the brake service.
Bought a 2013 Impala Dec. 2013 with 11,000 miles on it for 18,000; that is about half price sticker!! Perfect condition. Now 75,000. Only maintenance gas & oil, tires.
I have a 2010 Jeep. The Brake fluid is changed every 60,000 miles along with the brake pads.
So wait wait u mean to tell me my days of car break downs, spark plugs, oil changes, engine misfires and such that comes with owning a gas ⛽️ car would be over?!?!
Eventually an EV will have things that break... But there are less things to wear and break. The problem right now is that when the parts do break, they're more expensive.
Renata Eileena if you can afford a tesla yes
My 7.5 year old Leaf I've spent a total of $500 in maintenance (incl. the one flat tire replacement along with tire rotations and the accessory battery replacement). BTW: My battery still fully charges because I was careful to never allow the car sit for more than a few hours fully charged! My Harley Davidson costed about 3x in maintenance over the same duration.
True that. If you want $500 or less in 7 years on a bike (excepting tires), buy a Honda.
I find that most breaking is done by the motor recapturing energy , I think my breaks will last even longer than other car because I hardly use the brakes.
5:00. If you are going to keep your car 5 years or less. Don’t worry about changing fluids. Most wise people when they buy a used car that has no records change all the fluids. If they are smart. If you want to keep your car for 15 years 300,000+ miles. Change the brake fluid every 2 to 3 years. Especially if you live in a 4 season climate. Brake fluid brakes down, adsorbs water and becomes corrosive. Change the battery coolant every 50,000 miles. We simply do not know what will happen at this point if you don’t. I you swap cars every 4 to 5 years drive and enjoy.
Moisture damage could lead to some expensive repairs plus the possibility of the brakes not working as well as needed in an emergency. You can have the brake fluid tested for water content. If it is low enough then no replacement is required.
Awesome video. Thank you. I’m doing my homework to see what owning a Tesla Model 3 entails. One of my biggest questions was about maintenance cost. You answered a lot of my questions. This was very helpful.
What a great video thanks for this I really appreciate it. I’m thinking of getting a 3 shortly here in Australia and you have given me much to NOT WORRY about thanks
A remarkable amount of guessing on brake fluid. Changing brake fluid is a normal task on all cars. A modestly skilled home mechanic can do the change with a second person to work the pedals while the mechanic works the wrenches. The brake fluid going in is almost transparent and the old brake fluid is almost black. The fluid absorbs water and the old fluid will boil if over stressed, such as driving down a mountain. Then the brakes fade. Not a risk worth taking for a few bucks.
In real winter areas, cleaning the brakes eavery year is a good practice. When going from winter tire to summer tires....
I like how you think. Wondering how often tires need to be rotated for AWD vs rwd
honestly, rotate them at the same interval but how you rotate them changes a little
There is no specific interval for rotation as you can see the change on the thread, each car is different. Don't be fool by the recommended interval or something people claimed.
Rotate them every 5,000-6,000 miles. It doesn't matter if it's AWD, FWD, RWD. The wear on the tires is happening because of where it is on the vehicle and the loads/forces it's subject to. You rotate them to get the same wear on each tire and maximize the tread life.
FYI. It’s not the actual tire rotation that’s most important, it’s the truing (balancing) of the wheels in a rotation job. It causes road noise and excessive wear on tires.
@@mcjoetaco Balancing tires won't change the tire wear. They need to be rotated.
It might be different for a general mechanic vs a body shop, but my local body shop said it'd be a nearly $60,000 investment in equipment for them to become Tesla certified.
Great analysis, Mike! You said Federal Tax Rebate, instead of Federal Tax Credit. Most of us already know what the difference is, but not everybody. Tesla's service costs are outrageous, for cars that need very little attention. I'd hate to think how much they're going to charge me to change the cabin filter. I'm going to do my best to find an independent mechanic to do the basic servicing of my Model 3. I find it hard to believe that changing the brake fluid would require accessing the car's computer system. It's illegal, at least in California, to force you to go to the dealer/service center, to keep your warranty valid.
Mitchell Barnow So true. In fact, when I said it I second guessed myself. Should have gone with the instincts. :-)
Watch Rich Rebuilds does his own restore on Teslas watch how they wont sell him a new part because they have the car registered as water car or reg as wreck
Excellent video - but if you live out in the country, like I do, have mouse traps at the ready to catch the little critters who like to setup house in your warmer interior or find rubber components a tasty treat.
Just change the brake fluid and don't worry about cycling the ABS system. ICE cars are the same way, you need a computer to fully flush the brake fluid. Most people just flush all the fluid and don't worry about the ABS module. You can cycle the ABS module by safely engaging the ABS system, but probably not even worth worrying about it. I plan to do the brakes myself, but I will have tesla flush the coolant as recommended, however it's probably overkill.
in 4 years youll probably trade it in for a new tesla.
The four year maintenance plan looks just about right to me. Will likely only rotate my tires every two years unless I see some wear on any of the tires. I'm very easy on the brakes and rarely use them with the Regen braking in most of my driving. Brakes will probably last 50K miles (about 7 years of driving for me - and at 85 might not be around in 7 years).
This sounds like a very reasonable compromise between keeping SCs flush with cash (no pun intended) & doing right by your car.
maintenance isn’t for the first owner. it’s for 3rd, 4th, and 5th owners when car hits super high mileage.
Brake fluid breaks down over time and with high temperatures caused by using the breaks. If there is an excessive heat problem with the breaks it will show up in the fluid. All autos have a schedule to change the fluid but most people wait until it leaks or the system fails.
In a regular ICE car you need to use the brakes a lot. Normally it might required some brake service every 2-3 years. I don't think you will need to service the brakes on a Tesla that often because the brake is not frequently used. So brake service on a Tesla could be every 3-5 years.
I have a 1983 Chevy pickup and we had brake lines rust shut around 2015. Had to finally change fluid when I replaced two lines.
Brake fluid is hydroscopic and will gradually absorb moisture from the atmosphere. Water is more dense than brake fluid so goes to the bottom of the hydraulic system. Now brakes get hot and then the water near the calipers will turn to vapour and will adversely affect your braking performance. In addition the water in your calipers will attack the metal and rust will result. In extreme cases this rusting will wreck the brake calipers and brake master cylinder and you will have a costly replacement.
Unless I missed it in the manual, I'm surprised that Tesla doesn't mention replacing the cable air filter at regular intervals.
Donald Moe really good point. Had to check the manual.... “Cabin Air Filter
Model 3 has an air filter that prevents pollen, industrial fallout, road dust and other particles from entering through the vents. The air filter should be replaced when necessary. Contact Tesla.” I think the car will tell me when it’s necessary....wonder on average how frequent that will be.
MrSpuzzz -- Thanks for mentioning that. I had not yet seen that part of the manual. An automatic notification would likely require a sensor to measure the airflow thru the filter or the drop in air pressure across it.
@@donaldmoe3286 I believe Elon tweeted recently that service is notified when it needs replacing as the car detects the pressure when it gets dusty and gross.
You can get an inexpensive brake fluid tester. That would take out the guesswork of whether or not to change the brake fluid.
Screw the tester! Just suck some out of the master cylinder with a turkey baster and compare it to new fluid! If it's darker, change it. That's worked for me for 35 years, and I've done a LOT of brake work.
There will normal wear and tear on the bushes and wheel bearing I asked the Tesla guys and the car uses normal bushes nothing fancy for the model 3 and other normal suspension wear like any car so it’s a great vehicle. Cool video 👍
The brakes have electrical master cylinder so it’s not a simple pump the break pedal it’s also got an electrical park brake with the same calipers on the car not a different park brake like on most cars. So I would go to Tesla to get the brakes looked at
Just as a thing that nobody ever talks about. If you live in the rust belt, or places that use salt on the road, It is highly recommended to get brakes taken apart and lubed, as if you don't do it, it can cause uneven brake pad wear, and next time u take it apart, you will be swearing you butt off on why u cant remove the pads.
Great analysis. I agree with you 100%. However for a comparison, my current vehicle is a 3 year lease, ending next June. I negotiated free oil changes and tire rotations as part of the deal. My total maintenance cost will be $0 for 3 years, so ICE cars can be low maintenance. My model 3 will have to wait until June. Thanks for your insight.
gadgetperson Low maintenance is not related to price. Even though you negotiated it, it still has to be done.
Time is money. Needing to change a bunch of.fluids each year is a chore.
For comparison, you are leasing, paying for a rental, that’s a big expense with no ownership 😳 Hope you get your Tesla soon :)
Many thanks to Manuel, Elon and Dori for your responses. I don’t want to take away from the Frugal Tesla Guy’s excellent video, but to address your issues: 1. Yes, the maintenance needs to be done, but I have already spent more time driving to the nearest sales point from my home to test drive the Model 3 than I will spend in 3 years of maintaining my leased car. I live in CT which will not allow sales of Teslas. I have to go to NY, over 1.5 hours away. I’ve gone twice and will have to go again to pick up the car - if I order it. That is a chore and I will have a similar chore if I have to go to the nearest service center to correct any new car flaws - and unfortunately in the many videos that I have seen, many have made multiple trips back to correct flaws. I agree, time is money. My guess is that buying a Tesla “can” require more time for me due to my distance from a service center. 2. As far as the leasing vs. buying issue, from my personal experience I have proved “for me” that leasing is the preferred option. For years I bought cars. The last one was a Prius. When I decided to get another vehicle the trade in or sale value of the Prius was low. I had it for 6 years and calculated that had I leased the car I could have had 2 new cars in that time with the “total” cost in $ and time being less than my “owned” cost. Total cost must include replacing things like tires, wiper blades, tire rotations (a waste that I paid for on that car), oil changes (negotiated for free), etc. Since then it has been nice to have a new car every 3 years and paid $0 beyond the monthly lease cost. Going to the dealership about 2x per year for less than an hour each is not a hardship.
Regarding my potential purchase of the Model 3, I actually ordered one a month ago (so that I could get the $7,500 tax credit) but cancelled the next day when I thought better of it. I would have purchased the Model 3, drove it home and put it in my garage for over 6 months until my lease ended. In the meantime, I would still be paying the lease, would lose 6+ months of warranty and, as it ended up, lost the 6 months of free supercharging. The supercharging deal was announced a few days after I placed my order.
Now will I buy a Model 3 next year? Not sure. Obviously with an online persona of “Gadgetperson”, the Model 3 is my type of car. I have enjoyed test driving it and watching videos in anticipation, as many others have. However, Tesla keeps changing what they are offering and I have no idea what will be available when it is time to order, so I am not sure. I have a few alternates that I am considering. It will be either the Model 3, a Hybrid or a PHEV. I would even consider the much less stylish EV Chevy Bolt if it included Adaptive Cruise Control - which in my opinion should be standard on all cars.
Thanks again for your comments and, more importantly, thanks to the Frugal Tesla Guy for his insight. The bottom line is we all have to make our own decisions based on our own circumstances and/or opinions. I agree with his opinion.
It now says tires don't need rotation for 10,000-12,000 miles, only sooner with aggressive driving. Also, with the new "hold" regen braking feature, I could see brake fluid replacement being extended. But, this could simply be a liability thing since ya know, you need your car to be able to stop when necessary.
4 year/50k mile change in the coolant is excessive. That coolant doesn't see the extremes of gas engine coolant and those change intervals are 100,000+ miles.
FWIW, Nissan recommends the coolant in the Leaf be replaced at 115,000 miles or 15 years.
Great info you are right. 👍👌
Brakes are brakes, pretty much; so is an ICE cooling system. I keep cars a long time. Here is my philosophy.
Subject car: 1991 Mitsubishi Eclipse, 2.0 Turbo, purchased new
Antifreeze: After 1 year, THOROUGHLY flush engine block and radiator. Replace antifreeze with red "forever" antifreeze. That's it! No need to flush again. The "crud" from engine manufacture was cleaned out with that one flush. Do NOT "back-flush" that crud back through the radiator. The water pump is replaced each time I replace the timing belt, and I always reuse the antifreeze that I drained. I still have a couple of quarts left over from the original flush to replace the little bit I spill when replacing the water pump.
Brakes: At first required pad replacement, manually bleed brakes (a neighbor in the car "pumping" the brakes) at each wheel until the fluid runs clear. No more "flushing" necessary. For me, I've never had to rebuild or replace the calipers or the brake master cylinder. The clutch master and slave cylinder are original, and have never been flushed. One caution, be sure not to mix DOT 3 with DOT 5 brake fluid.
As for Tesla's battery cooling system, I haven't researched the system, and so have no idea if flushing it makes sense or not. It's an interesting question. If the system was designed intelligently, it should be an easy task, so I wouldn't be paying a Tesla service center $400+ to do it.
I went to my local Tesla Service Center a few weeks ago, and they had a sheet of paper on the wall with the Model 3 maintenance schedule. It showed $250 for the 2/6 year maintenance and $350 for the 4/8 year maintenance recommended by Tesla. Total recommended maintenance cost over 8 years/100k miles was 1200. Much lower than the Model S or X (which has more maintenance tasks more often and more expensive). I'm planning to take it in on the recommended schedule.
It was a formal memo with the list of maintenance tasks, not just a sheet of paper with notes or something.
Mark Benford c
Take a picture and share it next time you're in!
@@ethancanin That's a good idea. I haven't needed to go in since, but I'm getting close to 5k miles and tire rotation. Not sure if that's something they'll do reasonably or if I should go somewhere else, though.
It would be interesting to see the test results of the fluids after 4 years. See if you can find a brake fluid tester, and test the coolant with a fish tank PH tester. Coolant normally breaks down from the high engine heat, but I doubt that it gets very hot in a tesla.
What should optimum pH of coolant be?
@@nabilhijazi6131 Run the ph test on the new and used coolant and compare.
@@salesrpg I am a biochemist and suspect with aging the coolant pH to drop due to air infusion of rich ambient Co2 content in the solution as co2 is acidic when it dissolves in any solution same problem we face in our medical labs as the reagents used in the chemistry analyzers suffers from that too
I'll make sure to keep an eye out on leaking transmission fluid.
Nightfall on a Tesla ??
I didn't know about the built in psi test for the tires thanks also I agree with your logic regarding every 4 years for maintenance by tesla
I agree. I plan to take mine in every 4 years. So in 8 years (2027), I may take it to a Tesla center or maybe someone else. More than likely back to Tesla based on the warranty. However, in 12 years, or 2031 I bet it's a brave new world.
Boeing 787 the same.Change battery cooling fluid .We also have PH check to make sure its still cooling. .I think after 4 years they need to pull the electric motors apart just to see is there any worn mechanical parts.
Break fluids should be changed acording to the use of the Breaks. If you use the Breaks as normal they last longer. If you see that your break fluid has a different colour than usual, or if you use them excessively you need to change it on smaller intervals.