Brake Fluid and Battery replacement

I took my 6 cyl '07 Accord with just over 30k miles into the local
dealer yesterday for a required A1 maintenance visit (oil, filter and
rotate tires).

After half hour, the service weasel comes and sits next to me in the
waiting room with a sheath of papers in hand. He spoke in a tone of
voice that reminded me of a doctor telling a patient he had a dread
disease and only 3 months to live.

He said my brake fluid was showing a slight greenish tinge-- it should
be clear. He said the owner's manual called for replacement after 3
years and as I was a year past that, I'd better change it. He also told
me my battery (51 months old) was reading "bad" and needed to be
replaced as well.

I've generally been treated well and fairly by that dealer service
department and might have had the service done but I was tight on time
and told the guy I'd bring the car back later in the week.

Well, I've looked in the owner's manual and it specifically says the
brake fluid should be changed when called for by the Mileage Minder--
nothing about a timed interval. I also checked the battery sight-eye (it
was green) and used one of those specific gravity testers and all 6
cells showed 4 balls floating (100% charge).

So---- was I getting hustled or what? I always do all needed
maintenance-- but I'm thinking those two services were for their
benefit, not mine.

Opinions?

 

You were getting the old scare tactic sales routine. Come in for a special
and free safety inspection and then watch out. Also, needed services don't
always happen at the same time--cooling system, brake fluid, timing belt,
air cleaner etc may all get done at varies times but when you look at the
recommended mileage intervals between each of these services you may find
that nothing need be done at the 30K or 60K trigger points. Remember
Reagan--Trust but verify.
MLD

 

Well, he smells like he just came from managing a Jiffy Lube and is used
to doing this smarmy kind of thing--

--but it's true, Honda's story for years has been that brake fluid is
time-dependent and the interval is three years.

I do it every three years, like clockwork.

You have a tool at your disposal that is unavailable to us men: you can
play dumb and sweet, and get out of there very quickly.

Did he show you any stats on that battery?

Time to take it somewhere else to check out the charging system if
you're worried, but frankly I wouldn't be worried. Let the battery die,
or wait until winter, or whatever. But a battery is a simple thing.

Batteries Plus will check your system for you, AND will put a new
battery in if need be.

But if you're worried get a second opinion, regardless.

You were getting hustled on the battery, that's for sure--and since the
owner's manual is specific about "wait until the MM say so," you should
pursue this issue with disinterested third parties to try to find out
what's really going on. Honda in years past was very firm on the three
year rule for brake fluid. Suddenly it's MM driven? And you've gone
over four years???

There's a story here somewhere.

My concern is that Honda is abusing the MM as a marketing tool, to make
maintenance costs seem lower. Suddenly the physical properties of brake
fluid changed significantly enough that Honda can tell by your DRIVING
STYLE (as reported by the computer) whether the fluid should be OK or
not????

I am not convinced.

 

i haven't checked, but i'd be surprised if the brake fluid is anything
other than time dependent [because of its hygroscopy] - the maintenance
minder doesn't log that afaik.

as for the battery, what worries me about this story is them saying
they've done a hydrometer test. this is a sealed battery - to get a
hydrometer in there requires breaking the seals [and thus the honda 120
month pro-rated warranty]. in addition, a lot of modern electrolytes
are gels, not liquids, so no hydrometer testing there!

bottom line, i think this is a troll - someone who knows how to use a
hydrometer on a gel electrolyte, and how to open a sealed battery
without damage doesn't need to ask on usenet about whether their test
results are ok or not. this "chick afraid she's being taken for a ride"
simply doesn't add up.

 

Many "sealed" or "maintenance-free" auto batteries actually have caps that
can be removed to access individual cells. the caps usually plug 3 cells
each. They are not advertised as removable.
As far as breaking the seals and voiding the warranty,if it's a Honda tech
doing it,it is not voiding the warranty.
I also didn't see where the OP said the service person did an electrolyte
test. They could have done a battery load test,that doesn't involve
breaking any seals. Besides,a hydrometer test only shows the state of
charge of a cell,not whether it is losing capacity from sulfation or other
types of battery degradation.

I don't believe gelled electrolyte cells are used for automotive
applications.

also,automotive battery life depends on conditions that very in different
areas of the country. Hot climates mean shorter battery life,and high
vibration environments also shorten battery life. Like driving a lot on
rough roads.It shakes the paste from the lead grids,and it falls to the
bottom of the cell,and eventually rises high enough to short out the cell.

--
Jim Yanik
jyanik
at
localnet
dot com

 

No, not a troll, not a sealed battery, and I didn't say the dealer did a
hydrometer test-- I did it. Please reread the OP.

Just looking for a little info and opinion on a NG that seems to have
mostly pretty knowledgeable posters-- a little paranoia and gynophobia
aside ;-)

 

re-read /my/ post "sue" - my pronouns are correct.

if you've done what you say you have. you know more about the battery
than the dealer does, thus the only reason to come here looking for
"sympathy" is because you're a troll. as confirmed by your unwarranted
"gynophobia" accusation.

buh-bye!

 

Sorry, your smiley comes across as false. You'd better grow a thicker skin
if you want to post on Usenet. Plus, I see nothing in the previous replies
that even remotely qualifies as "gynophobia".
<http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/gynophobia>

As for your brake fluid:
If the Owner's Manual says to change it according to the Maintenance Minder
readout, then that's the final word.
It's never a bad idea to change the fluid MORE often, but it's not
absolutely essential provided you follow the Owner's Manual exactly.
But if I were following the Maintenance Minder instead of doing it every
year as I do, I'd be using genuine Honda brake fluid. It tends to be of
much higher-quality than aftermarket formulations.

As for the battery:
At 51 months, the battery may be near the end of its life or it may be
still springtime-fresh. Depends very much on how it's been cared for, and
how hot the weather gets in your area.
The definitive tests are these: 1) check the battery with a multimeter
according to proper procedures, and 2) listen to the engine's starting-
behavior.

Post here if you want to know how to properly check the battery's
charge-level.

 

"gynophobia"?

 

Regardless, the MM is programmed to assume the Honda brake fluid that
was put in at the factory. So Tegger is right--mess with that at your
own risk.

 

I have an 07 Accord V6 and I have the owner's manual that came with it.
I would direct the OP to page 199, about midway down the first column:

NOTE Independent of the maintenance minder display, replace the brake
fluid every three years.


On that page it also states as part of "B" service:

Inspect ... All fluid levels and /condition/ of fluids.


If the OP wants to properly maintain the vehicle she will get the brake
fluid changed for two reasons, the tech's evaluation of it's condition,
and the passage of more than 3 years.

The battery is up to you, the tech tested it and recommends replacing
it. You don't have to, you can wait until it fails to start, maybe a
week, maybe a year. Mine tested 'replace', and I did. 80 bucks for a
100 month Honda battery gives me reasonable assurance that I'll get
another 4 years without being stranded someplace with a dead battery.

 

picky, picky, i know, but how is a dot 4 not better than honda's dot 3?
[and how does something like castrol's lma not improve on dot 4?
[castrol specifically cite honda as an example of specs exceeded.]

 

good post.

if you look at something authoritative like the bosch automotive
handbook, you'll see it's got a chart of moisture absorption vs. time
for brake fluid. the vast majority of the action takes place in the
first two years - thus a two year change regime would be more effective
than a three.

indeed. it's also worth saying that honda batteries are very good
quality - they last much longer than their cheaper brethren.

 

insert: for compatibility and

 

Need to read your manual!!! You mean yours did not come with a manual???
Oh, wait a mo...None of those come with instructions do they?!!!!! Just
jokin'....

DaveD

 

Need to read your manual!!! You mean yours did not come with a manual???
Oh, wait a mo...None of those come with instructions do they?!!!!![/QUOTE]

Nope!

 

80 USD for a Honda battery is not that much more expensive than other
batteries,maybe $10.
L-A auto batteries have risen in price in the last couple of years.

--
Jim Yanik
jyanik
at
localnet
dot com

 

For $80, my local Honda dealer would have gotten the nod to replace the
6 year old OEM battery in our 2005 Odyssey Touring. We had it in for
oil change and service and the Service Advisor told us the battery was
at "end of life" and very weak. They could put in a new battery for,
IIRC, around $135.

Over the years I have replaced enough batteries that I wasn't about to
pay them $55-$60 over what it would cost me to pick up a top of the line
battery with a 72 month, non-prorated warranty.

I took a pass and the battery crapped out about ten days later. Grabbed
a set of wrenches and headed over to the battery store and replaced it
for $70 in about ten minutes.

As my time bills out for $120-$130 an hour in my profession, I figure
that the $330 - $360 I was paying myself to do the dirty work was worth it.

 

Honda Canada sells re-badged Interstates. I'll bet American Honda does the
same.

 

never seen one of the honda status indicators on an interstate, so it's
got to be more than a simple sticker job.