20,000-Mile Service Performed - 2015 Nissan Murano Long-Term Road Test

Edmunds.com

20,000-Mile Service Performed - 2015 Nissan Murano Long-Term Road Test

We took our 2015 Nissan Murano in for its 20,000-mile service. This included an oil change, tire rotation and brake fluid change.

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schen72

I'm guessing that Nissan doesn't use an oil life monitoring system like nearly every other manufacturer.

thecardoc3

Why was the brake fluid changed?

stever

Wallet flush?

thecardoc3

What does it say in the owners manual about that service interval?

sodaguy

Nissan is now requiring brake fluid flushes every 2 years or 20,000 miles under normal conditions.

s197gt

while i think there is a strong argument that brake fluid is one of the more neglected fluids i think a 2 yr/20k mile interval is quite aggressive for what i would assume is a dot 3 fluid.

thecardoc3

stever said:

Wallet flush?

It would be if it wasn't a Nissan because as stated they do require it every other year for normal use and once a year for severe duty. Yet its the same DOT 3 Plus which is often labeled DOT 3/4 as an interchangeable fluid compatible with both systems. This just highlights another one of those annoying little contradictions that vehicle owners and techs often face, especially when there is a third party opinion coming into play. Some, given the recommendation to have the fluid flushed could easily have a third party try to play the hero and claim that is a rip-off wallet flush. Someone else could have a regular service done and have that be ignored and now the tech is incompetent. Meanwhile that all hinges on the manufacturer of the vehicle as to who is right in each individual situation.

If this was the only variant then it would be easy to deal with, but there are more variations to service recommendations than I care to try and count. The best way to deal with this is to NOT have a fixed price for basic services, and look up each and every car by what it requires, and BTW that includes the other fluids and filters too.

BTW, while DOT4 can be used in some of DOT 3 systems as an "up-grade", it is inappropriate for a lot of them if the vehicle is subjected to cold temperatures. (-10f and lower).

sodaguy

^Cardoc is correct. DOT4 can have some negative consequences in certain cold weather conditions. This is why OEMs now specify DOT4LV in certain applications - the lower viscosity aids in proper abs functionality under certain cold weather conditions. I have also substituted DOT4LV in place of DOT3 in a number of applications with no ill effects to date.

stever

Hm, so now we're back to figuring out the definition of "severe service." Found the Nissan maintenance guide:



Stop and go or low speed driving for long distances. Isn't that LA much of the time?

Looks like the Edmunds Car Maintenance Guide is wrong on the service interval.

>>The best way to deal with this is to NOT have a fixed price for basic services, and look up each and every car by what it requires,

Probably the best way is for the owner to read the manual and then tell the shop exactly what should be inspected or replaced. But the allure (and the price) of the quick lane service will trump that.

thecardoc3

stever said:

>>The best way to deal with this is to NOT have a fixed price for basic services, and look up each and every car by what it requires,

Probably the best way is for the owner to read the manual and then tell the shop exactly what should be inspected or replaced. But the allure (and the price) of the quick lane service will trump that.

Just remember, they will get what they choose to pay for.

thecardoc3

stever said:

Looks like the Edmunds Car Maintenance Guide is wrong on the service interval.

"Just a bit outside".........

stever

The new normal these days is 3 year brake fluid changes and 7,500 mile oil change intervals. Makes you wonder why Nissan is requiring 2 year fluid changes and 5,000 mile oil change intervals. Seems like we're going backward and the last thing I want to do is cool my heels at a dealer twice a year instead of once.

It also makes you wonder what the intervals are for the "same" D platform vehicle in other markets using the VQ35DE.

kyfdx

BMW has recommended brake fluid changes every two years for a long, long time, regardless of mileage.

gslippy

Having done brake fluid changes on many vehicles over the years, I think this is a good price.

If it prevents caliper seize-up, internal brake line rot, spongy pedal, or master cylinder failure, then you've saved a pile of money while documenting this preventative service at the dealer.

Besides generating some service revenue, routine brake fluid changes also may cover Nissan legally if one of their vehicles suffers a brake failure (super rare these days) but didn't have this PM work documented.

diigii

schen72 said:

I'm guessing that Nissan doesn't use an oil life monitoring system like nearly every other manufacturer.

Thank gawd Nissan does not follow other car manufacturers for adding another useless sensor that will break and require expensive replacement and labor.