Is anybody really replacing the brake fluid every 20k like the manual suggests?

 

Not here and I'm at 24,000mi. I probably won't consider doing this until around 100k, if I haven't grown tired of the Max, and at this point she still seems new and exciting to me. I usually go by time and not miles. The only car I have ever owned that I changed brake fluid in is my '95 Corvette, and she has 65,000miles. Fluid still looked new and she braked just fine. Go figure.

 

I broke down and had it done by a local brake shop at the 20,000 mile mark. He used a vacuum pump setup to suck out the old fluid and the new fluid in. My bad for not taking pictures of the old fluid as it was a lot darker than I thought it would be. I think it was around sixty bucks or so. With all the plumbing for the automatic braking I thought I would be on the safe side. I didn't flush the fluid in my 2009 Max until around 80,000 miles.

 

Thank you for your replies.

 

I'm so f'ing cheap. You probably did the right thing and will be better off for it.

 

I'd do it sooner than later because the brake fluid attracts moisture and therefore will cause the system to degrade later in the cars life. You can have the existing fluid "PH" tested. Since you are under warranty for the 1st 36 months/36 K I'd do this so the dealer can't deny any possible repair costs down the road.

 

I just did, a couple of days ago.