The Nissan Path

Hey everyone,

I've got a 2005 Pathfinder LE with 140,000 KM on it. I had it in for some servicing and the techs recommended a bunch of stuff. I'd like to hear your take on the degree of necessity on these:

- Brake Fluid Flush & Change
- Power Steering Flush & Change
- Fuel Injection Cleaning

The fuel injection makes sense to me, but for the brakes and the power steering, aren't those closed hydraulic systems? And if so, what benefit is there to flushing the fluid? My Dad is a retired airline pilot, so he tells me that there's no benefit to flushing a closed hydraulic system, so I'm curious to hear what the recommendations are here.

I've followed the normal maintenance checks without thinking too hard about them, and when I lived in northern Canada (i.e. -30 C temps) it was an easy sell considering the conditions I lived in. Now, I'm living on the west coast in a pretty temperate area, so I'm a little less sure about these ones.

Advice is appreciated! Thank you!

For the most part, it's a big rip-off. Having worked for a Nissan dealer that was heavy into the "flushes," I can tell you the majority of vehicles that are recommended these services don't need them. It's just a way for the shop to squeeze a little more $$$ out of your wallet. Modern, name brand fuels come with detergents in them to keep your system clean, not to mention that there's a filter on the pump to help keep out water and debris. If your engine is running well, there's no need for a professional fuel injection service. If you want to throw a can of BG or 3M fuel injection cleaner in your tank every 6 months to make you feel better, go ahead. But for most, even that's a waste of money. If you are replacing a component in the P/S hydraulic system, then is a good time to flush the P/S fluid. Unless the fluid is dirty, there is no real benefit to flushing it for the average driver. Brake fluid is a little different because condensation could develop in the brake lines. While there are tens of thousands of vehicles that never get the brake fluid flushed unless something is replaced, it's not such a bad idea to flush the brake fluid once every year or two.

Thanks for the advice! You saved me a good bit of coin. Appreciated!