Scheduled Maintenance Skepticism

[RPC]

I bought my truck new and have had dealer oil changes at 5K miles regularly but no other type of maintenance other than that (that I can recall). Put in an aFe engine air filter and have changed the cabin air filter once or twice, but that's it.

I'm about to roll 50K miles and an wondering what I should have the dealer do/check out. The scheduled maintenance "packages" are pretty vanilla, leaving me feeling like they look at potentially unnecessary stuff and might miss something important. To my knowledge coolant, brake fluid, tranny or diff fluids have only ever been topped off if anything, no specific check of lines, hoses, boots or seals, and no linkages or drive/propeller shaft inspection or lubing.

The thing runs flawlessly and I have no specific concerns, just want to check in on anything that could need attention at the 50K mile mark.

Thanks all.

 

[morphious]

Just turned 85k and have done NOTHING but brakes, tires, oil changes, windshield wiper blades, and air and cabin filters all done myself. (I don't count suspension because I wanted to raise it.) Come to think about it I can't remember the last time my truck was at the dealer except when it had 5 miles on it, the day I bought it.

 

[BlackWorksInc]

If you bought the vehicle brand new then you should have received a small booklet called something like "Scheduled Maintenance Guide" its the same thing we have on TIS (Toyota Information Service) when we want to look up specifications for what services should be performed when.

You'll find stuff in there like "Coolant should be changed 10yr/100k then followed by a 5yr/50k interval" which is what Toyota expects to be done (not entirely sure why they cut the interval by half after the first coolant flush, but honestly even 100k creeps to the edge of my comfort zone knowing what I know about coolant.) When to have your Valve Inspection/Adjustments done (around 5yr/60k, though in my experience Toyotas tend to do really well with their shims so you can easily double that if you're being lazy and it will probably be okay.)

Now take some of that stuff with a grain of salt, for example under ATF it will say the fluid just needs to be inspected under "normal" driving because the fluid is supposedly "lifetime." But if you do some reading here and else where you'll find that's a crock of **** and its really a "long life" fluid. Typically in my experience and many others the fluid holds up pretty well into the 100k range under "normal" driving and does well if you flush it around 100k.

 

[cloudrunner]

Just turned 85k and have done NOTHING but brakes, tires, oil changes, windshield wiper blades, and air and cabin filters all done myself. (I don't count suspension because I wanted to raise it.) Come to think about it I can't remember the last time my truck was at the dealer except when it had 5 miles on it, the day I bought it.

Same here. I also had to replace the battery once a few years ago. I have a 2007 that is about to turn 100k. I plan to get all the fluids changed and new spark plugs. Hoping it will last another 100k.

 

[NuclearN8]

First off 50K in 6 years is :bravo:

While you could continue to do nothing except engine oil changes and likely be fine... I'd be tempted to change some items just simply based on time in service
1) Lube the driveshaft
2) replace your sway bar bushings and rear endlinks with polyurethane ones
3) drain and refill your differentials and torque converter
4) replace your spark plugs
5) clean your MAF sensor, intake air track and throttle body
6) replace your serpentine belt
7) Run some quality fuel system cleaner with your next tank of gas, Chevron techron is one I like
8) check your front cv boot bands (I recently noticed one was missing on my wife's 4runner)
9) cycle your vehicle thru 4hi/Lo and center differential just to make sure it all works if you haven't in a while...

 

[morphious]

Same here. I also had to replace the battery once a few years ago. I have a 2007 that is about to turn 100k. I plan to get all the fluids changed and new spark plugs. Hoping it will last another 100k.

I did add a second battery, but my original Panasonic is still testing fine. At 100k I plan on doing a lot.

 

[RPC]

Thanks N8-

Looks like a a solid list. I've done #9 every couple of months and knocking the others out a few at a time shouldn't take long.

Any other things to add?

First off 50K in 6 years is :bravo:

While you could continue to do nothing except engine oil changes and likely be fine... I'd be tempted to change some items just simply based on time in service
1) Lube the driveshaft
2) replace your sway bar bushings and rear endlinks with polyurethane ones
3) drain and refill your differentials and torque converter
4) replace your spark plugs
5) clean your MAF sensor, intake air track and throttle body
6) replace your serpentine belt
7) Run some quality fuel system cleaner with your next tank of gas, Chevron techron is one I like
8) check your front cv boot bands (I recently noticed one was missing on my wife's 4runner)
9) cycle your vehicle thru 4hi/Lo and center differential just to make sure it all works if you haven't in a while...

 

[NuclearN8]

You could always flush your brake fluid and power steering fluid and I agree with [MENTION=66389]BlackWorksInc[/MENTION] coolant can't hurt either