peteroo8

I only have my 2000 TL for two months now and when I purchased I inherited some due maintenance, and one of them is flushing the brakes' fluid.

The owner manual strongly suggest using Honda brake fluid only. The problem with this is that the Acura/Honda dealers charges $140 to flush the fluid while Sears charges only $35. The problem is that sears only uses conventional fluid.

Has anyone used brakes fluid other than Honda's and have you experienced any problem overtime?

My concern is that since I purchased an Extended warranty from a commercial company and I don't want to give them a reason not to cover certain brakes components just because I used the wrong fluid.

Thank you in advance for any comment.

Peter

FirePR2002

do it yourself if you have the know-how, or buy the honda fluid and have another shop use it instead of the conventional. fwiw, i've used conventional fluid without any problems.

peteroo8

Unfurtunately when you buy a conventional warranty their requirement is that you need to follow the maintenance schedule and you need to be able to prove it, so it has to be done by a licenced mechanic who can provide an invoice for the work done.
I don't mind spending $35 at Sears if the fluid difference is not an issue. I asked Sears if I could bring the Honda fluid but they won't accept it.

Thank you,

Peter

01tl4tl

The fluid brand is not of issue to the car, and even sears will have the correct DOT3 spec fluid
DOT4 is allowable and better stuff, but not all shops will normally use it

Check the paperwork on the warranty: most of the time as long as you have a receipt for parts- and make a log of work performed- that takes care of you for any warranty maitenance requirements-
not a law that a shop, or even the dealer, perform the maitenance work to maintain factory warranty- not likely a warranty company can require that either

See if they even cover the brake calipers- the most common brake wearout part on the TL. Beyond that- keeping the fluid changed every year is the best prevention, and what the book calls for

Go ask sears what the bleed order is on a TL- if they cant say its LF driver front then clockwise LF RF RR LR--run away as fast as you can!!
Ask if they do a manual flush with 2 techs-pump and bleed method,
or do they have a power bleeder machine? thats the good way to do it
BTW it takes about 1 quart of fluid to do it the old manual way- they may try to charge for a lot more fluid than that- ask before at sears to know exactly what they are offering
Ask how many acura TL, not other acuras- they have done a brake flush on?
this tech? they guy working today knows what he is doing?
OK
otherwise we can teach you to DIY and do it right!- for 5 bucks of fluid and a 10mm wrench

peteroo8

Thank you for your note. Yes, the warranty cover calipers and many brakes related components and that's why I need to keep receips of what I do. As I mentioned earlier, the warranty requires maintenance invoices from licenced shops. They DO NOT accept just purchase receipt of parts and that I perform the job myself. I read the entire contract including the small prints.

I don't have the service manual but I assume that in every car you would start flushing starting from the furthest wheel ( RR ), but I can be wrong. As you know it isn't always practical asking to service manager, or the mechanic if you can actually approach him, that he explain how exactly they do it. I recall asking a mechanic once if he could explain the procedures of a repair on my car and he took it as if I was questioning his ability. He replied saying that he knows what he's doing. I know they have a bunch rookies working for $7 per hours at Sears and that can be a worrysome. Sears uses the motorized pump to flush the fluid but I don't know the dot grade they carry.

totaledTL

Find a local independent shop that works mostly on imports rather than a chain type of place like Sears. Maybe ask your neighbors, coworkers, etc. for recommendations.

FirePR2002

this is incorrect - it goes in this order - LF RF RR LR - basically start at driver front and work around clockwise going to the passenger front (2nd) and so forth.

that is what i would do - find a good import shop/mechanic and stay with them for other repairs/service. build a relationship and a go-to guy.

swalch@stanford.edu

I've used ordinary DOT 4 fluid in many Honda products with no problems.

The only case I know of where the brake fluid type is critical is in certain old British cars that used a special fluid, though I substituted a silicone type fluid that is better.

01tl4tl

the TL order is UNIQUE of all the brands of cars I have worked on over the decades!!!
THATS why I made a point of telling you - OP- and then you turn around and blow off not only the correct procedure--- but inuate your non-belief into it as well

the best place would be a private honda-acura specialty shop rather than sears
they will have the right fluid and be aware of the correct order
Look in the phone book- automobile repairing and service

YES doing it wrong is very bad for the ABS

01tl4tl

I use DOT4 synthetic with SS brakes lines
On a regular brake line TL, DOT3 or the newer spec is DOT4 is approved
DOT = Dept of Transportation, which sets standards for each grade of fluid
3 and 4 are indicator of heat/boiling point of the fluid

No- you cant use DOT 5 in a TL--thats for very specific applications

01tl4tl

a shop that knows what its doing will have no problem telling you the bleed order on the TL
Its not like you asked how they change the spark plugs!
This is differant, and a good shop DOES know it-- right off the top of the techs head!

Many towns also have brake specilty shops- they will do it right too.
All are licensed as required by law and your warranty contract

01tl4tl

you are going to want to make friends with the local private shop anyways
Has anyone mentioned the thousand dollar, 105k mile service, you are fast approaching?