Cars And Fluids: Why You Don’t Need To Flush

Fluids and flushes (in your vehicle)… this is an area of the automotive industry that continues to give dealership service centers and auto repair garages a bad name. And they’re earning it. In the old days, cars were built a lot simpler. There weren’t as many electronic parts and components, and your father could probably fix most of the problems under the hood. Back then, flushing the radiator or transmission was a great idea.

However, things have changed. Today, your vehicle is likely loaded with technology that precludes that kind of flushing. But, that hasn’t dissuaded mechanics and auto technicians from recommending it. In this article, I’ll explain why they’re so aggressive in suggesting that you flush your vehicle’s parts. I’ll also describe why it’s no longer necessary.

The Repair Garage’s Perspective

Think about some of the work that mechanics perform. Brake jobs, timing belt replacements, fuel line and water pump repairs, fixing cooling systems, and more. Those things take a lot of time and carry a lot of potential liability. Now, consider fluid flushes. They’re extremely profitable and take very little time, by comparison. What’s more, they’re easy to perform, so there isn’t much opportunity for making a mistake. If you were a mechanic and you had to choose between performing conventional repairs and flushing all day, you’d probably choose the latter.

And that’s exactly why repair garages push flushing services. It’s easy, it’s profitable, and drivers buy into the pitch all the time. Now, let’s take an objective look at the parts that your technician wants to flush.

Transmissions, Radiators, And More

Your car’s transmission, radiator, power steering, and differential are all targets. The problem is, it’s nearly impossible for a person to tell, just by looking at the transmission fluid, when it was changed. So, the mechanic who looks at the fluid and stares at you with that “you’re car is about to die” look is probably just trying to sell a service you don’t need. Auto technicians are also fond of recommending annual radiator flushes. They’re not necessary. As long as you keep the coolant level high, you’ll be fine.

How about flushing the brake fluid? Again, it’s usually unnecessary, unless your owner’s manual specifically recommends the service. Same with your differential. The guy at the repair garage might say your entire family is 1 step away from meeting with disaster if you don’t have your differential serviced. But, don’t believe him.

In the end, always follow your owner’s manual. Trust me, if the car manufacturer thought that flushing certain fluids was important, they’d list the service in the manual. If you don’t see it there, take a pass on it.

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