Brake fluid and ‘4x4’ oil change

Lytton_2

First post here, so go easy on me please. Had my MOT a week ago on a four year old VW Tiguan. The service is booked in for tomorrow (I know, should have done them at same time but the booking staff gave me completely incorrect info on my service schedule). Anyway, the MOT showed that the brake fluid condition was fine. I don’t know much about 4 wheel drive oil and there is no mention of this checked on the MOT. I ask because as part of my service VW are adamant that brake fluid and 4x4 oil change are highly necessary now that the car is over 3 years old. Naturally they cost extra and aren’t part of the service plan. As you can likely tell at this point I’m not great with vehicle tech, and I have searched other threads to assess the relative merits and drawbacks of brake fluid changes and timing etc. So the short of it is, are VW trying to bolt on unnecessary and costly extras given that the brake fluid condition appears ok only a week ago, or is it worth getting the afore mentioned bits done (perhaps at another garage for less than vw are quoting me; £77 and £92 respectively). Thanks for helping a motoring dimwit in advance. :money:

worried_jim

Brake fluid is not inspected as part of the MOT. You maybe better off taking your car to an independent garage as it is now out of warranty- this will be better value for money in most cases.

Maybe worth joining a VW forum to get recommendations for garages in your area-

http://volkswagenownersclub.com/vw/forumdisplay.php/141-TIGUAN-OWNERS-CLUB

AdrianC

Brake fluid is hygroscopic - it absorbs moisture from the air. That moisture lowers the boiling point, which can lead to brake failure in extreme conditions. It also causes corrosion of the brakes. It should be replaced regularly - the rule-of-thumb is every two years, but it can be extended if testing it shows that the water content is still low.

The transfer box and rear axle on a Tiguan have separate fluid to the main gearbox. They can leak, which will kill them in short order. The transfer box contains an oil-lubricated clutch - so the quality of the oil is crucial to correct function.

The MOT does not check the condition of either of those fluids. From May, the MOT will check that the brake fluid is not "contaminated", but only insofar as it can be checked without removing the cap. In other words, are there any dead sheep visibly floating in it?

Lytton_2

OK, so the MOT ‘brake fluid condition’ box with a green tick is literally lifting off the cap and going meh that’ll do?

Off to some independent garages I trot then, I’m sure I can get those prices down. Thanks guys.

AdrianC

Lytton wrote: »

OK, so the MOT ‘brake fluid condition’ box with a green tick is literally lifting off the cap and going meh that’ll do?

That sounds like it's a generic service checklist from the garage, rather than the MOT itself. The MOT doesn't give you any "tickboxes", just an A4 certificate showing dates/advisories.

Mr MOT isn't allowed to take the cap off. The MOT check now is purely whether the level looks OK. Come May, they'll be allowed to peer through the plastic for floaters, or if it looks like sludge.

loskie

the Haldex unit (4x4 diff) needs an oil and filter change.
Google vw/audi haldex specialist. You would probably get much better service from an independent specialist than a vw franchise. https://www.awesomegti.com/haldex-servicing/

If the car has a vw new or used warranty still however you may want to stay within the franchise.

DoaM

Lytton wrote: »

I ask because as part of my service VW are adamant that brake fluid and 4x4 oil change are highly necessary now that the car is over 3 years old. Naturally they cost extra and aren’t part of the service plan.

It seems the OP has a service plan, either directly with the franchise or through someone like Vertu Motors (under one of their many trading brands - Bristol Street Motors, Macklin Motors, Farnell, etc.). Therefore it seems they're already financially committed to using the franchise for servicing.

daveyjp

In that case have the service plan work done and have the other items done elsewhere.

However for the cost I wouldn't baulk, particularly the Haldex oil change. If it fails outside of warranty if you can show full service history including an oil change you are more likely to get some goodwill contribution from the manufacturer.

IamNotAllowedToUseMyName

I wonder if the service plan has been mis-sold?

When I got the Mercedes service plan as part of an all in package, it covers the Mercedes service plan, which included on my car the auto-box transmission fluid change.

Just saying that I find it odd that you buy a service plan for a specific car and then find that required service items are not included in it. I would expect an x year replacement of brake fluid to be a service item changed to a plan - it is a predictable replacement, much like oil.

That's different from maintenance items such as brake pads (though I successfully argued that Mercedes misled me on that one and they've updated their descriptions now to account for awkward squad members like me).

lytton

The service plan was a 2 year deal along with 2 years of breakdown cover providing we used a pay monthly finance deal with VW. I had the savings and intended to use them to pay off the outstanding balance almost instantly, which I did, as simply paying outright wouldn’t have qualified me for the 2 year deals above. I settled the outstanding balance within 2 months and was assured that the service and breakdown cover would still be honoured. I’ve had the car for about 16 months now but my nearest VW have assured me that neither the brake fluid nor 4 wheel drive oil are covered under either their ‘minor’ or ‘major’ services, of which I had one of each remaining supposedly. I half expected the list of service exceptions to be huge but then I’m naturally quite cynical. Does brake fluid sound entirely reasonable for a standard service? I don’t seem to have a list of service exceptions in my original paperwork so they’ve certainly not made it clear at the point of sale what I could have expected, but I guess they rely on customers like me with poor motor knowledge who won’t understand much of it anyway. Is mis-selling of plans a thing in this industry? I clawed back thousands from CPP and packaged account mis-selling so I don’t mind having a scrap, but maybe that’s for a separate thread.

System

+1 with what everyone else has said. I have a Ford Mondeo and a Mazda MX5. Ford don't cover brake fluid changes as part of a service and Mazda don't cover the brake fluid or limited slip diff oil as part of one either.

Whilst I agree with you that it should be included in a 2/3 yearly service, along with things like cambelts which again aren't included in a regular service, pretty much every manufacturer dealership have decided that they aren't.

You haven't however been missold. You've been sold a service plan and you get what is covered in a service in that plan. However given what you were quoted for the brake fluid change I'd go elsewhere as I've never paid over £30, even at my local Ford main dealer.