Services reccomended by Dealership - Opinions and help?

[Holidazed]

Hey guys,

I took it in to my local Nissan dealership this morning for an oil change and basic inspection and the dealership came back with a big list of things that need to be done.
**2001 Pathfinder SE. 192,000 kms (119,000 miles)**

Can you guys help me figure out which things I can do easily myself (or elsewhere) and which are high priority for the truck?
(prices are in Canadian $)

- Battery failed load test ($200 to replace battery)
- Drive belts are cracked (AC belt) ($185 to replace belts)
- Transmission fluid is brown ($190 to change fluid)
- Brake fluid is very dirty ($102 to change fluid)
- Power steering fluid is very dirty ($119 to change fluid)
- AC system service is due ($105)
- Front left and right outer CV boot is cracked and torn ($238 each side = $476)
- Front right lower ball joint has play - needs alignment. ($335)
- Fuel filter is due for replacement ($110)

Now of course I cant afford all of that all at once (over $1500 plus tax), nor do I feel it is all necessary. The truck drives great with no noticeable problems at all.

Please let me know what you guys think about the recommended items above. Thank you!

[Towncivilian]

Have the battery tested by an auto parts store to ensure it's failing. If it is, replace it yourself - I'm sure you can get a quality battery cheaper than $200. Be sure to recycle the old one.

Drive belts can be replaced by yourself - the belts should be around $20 each if you get OEM parts. See page MA-14 of the factory service manual for steps.

You can perform a transmission fluid exchange using the cooler return line very easily. See the steps in the general information thread under the Transmission and driveline Q&A section.

If you've got the help of a friend, you can perform a brake fluid flush yourselves for the cost of a quart of fluid. Googling "bleed brake fluid" should yield a decent guide.

Power steering fluid can be exchanged with a turkey baster - steps are also in the general information thread.

A/C system service is "due"? There's no specified service interval. If it's working fine, change out the cabin air filter if it's old and leave everything else alone.

See this guide for changing the fuel filter yourself. Should be around $20 for an OEM or Wix/NAPA Gold fuel filter (Wix 33023/NAPA Gold 3023).

The CV boots I'm not sure about, nor the ball joint, sorry.

Were your spark plugs replaced around 169k km?

[Holidazed]

Towncivilian: thanks for the fast and detailed reply!

I don't have too much time or space to do most of the services myself - especially ones like the brake fluid.

Power steering change I can definitely do myself and maybe the transmission fluid.
I couldn't find instructions on changing the Drive Belts in the manual though, it only said how to check them.

What I'm mainly wondering though is...are all of those things necessary to be done soon? will things get worse if I put them off?
I know the dealership likes to recommend alot of things to make $$ (like the battery) and my wife doesn't want to put more money into the truck right now.
The dealership said that the CV boots were the most important to get fixed to prevent axle damage.

[Towncivilian]

As far as I know you just loosen the bolts specified and that relieves tension on the drive belts; snake in the new ones, tighten, and you're done.

I would stay up to date with the fluids and filters, especially if you don't know when they were last serviced (if at all). None of them seem critical (except possibly the battery and CV boots), but $100 or so to cover parts to do the belts, trans fluid, PSF, brake fluid, and fuel filter is a far cry from what the dealership quoted.

After you replace the CV boots, get some Warn manual locking hubs to prevent further wear on the front end components of the 4x4 system. The front CVs and differential are still spinning even in 2WD without manual locking hubs.

[Pathfinder3.5]

Hey guys,

I took it in to my local Nissan dealership this morning for an oil change and basic inspection and the dealership came back with a big list of things that need to be done.
**2001 Pathfinder SE. 192,000 kms (119,000 miles)**

Can you guys help me figure out which things I can do easily myself (or elsewhere) and which are high priority for the truck?
(prices are in Canadian $)

- Battery failed load test ($200 to replace battery)
- Drive belts are cracked (AC belt) ($185 to replace belts)
- Transmission fluid is brown ($190 to change fluid)
- Brake fluid is very dirty ($102 to change fluid)
- Power steering fluid is very dirty ($119 to change fluid)
- AC system service is due ($105)
- Front left and right outer CV boot is cracked and torn ($238 each side = $476)
- Front right lower ball joint has play - needs alignment. ($335)
- Fuel filter is due for replacement ($110)

Now of course I cant afford all of that all at once (over $1500 plus tax), nor do I feel it is all necessary. The truck drives great with no noticeable problems at all.

Please let me know what you guys think about the recommended items above. Thank you!

Nissan recommended a bunch of bogus services when I got my recall taken care of.

If your battery is cranking the truck fine and there is no dimming of any lights when put under load, Its fine.

My drive belts are cracked too. Shouldn't be that hard to replace them on your own time. Belts aren't that expensive, its the Hourly rate stealerships charge.

I flushed my brake fluid myself. All it requires is two people, an old water bottle, a rubber hose and some Brake Fluid. Just go to each wheel, attach the rubber hose to the fitting on each brake(can't think of what they are called), loosen each one about half to a full turn, have the second person pump the brakes twice...once they pump them twice and hold the pedal to the floor tighten the nut up. Once you tighten the nut they can release the brake pedal. Do this about 3 times for each wheel and remember to keep the master cylinder reservoir FULL of fluid! You DON'T want to suck air in.

Haven't done my power steering yet but do what Towncivilian did. Remove as much fluid from the reservoir as you can with a Turkey Baster, add fresh fluid, start truck and turn the wheel all the way left to right several times, turn truck off, remove fluid again, add new and continue this until the fluid you are removing becomes clear.

A/C Service?

My dealership told me my Boots were torn aswell. They are not. Just take a look under the vehicle for yourself. You don't have to remove the front wheels for this but it would make your life easier.

To check your balljoints for play just jack one side of the truck up and wiggle the wheel from the 6 and 12 O'Clock possition.

The fuel filter for $110 has to be the biggest slap in the face of them all. I got a Fuel Filter from NAPA for $15. My bracket bolt was rusted badly so it broke off but a heavy duty Zip-Tie fixed that.


Almost all of this can be done yourself for under $150 if even that. Fluids are cheap...just make sure you use the proper stuff. Belts aren't too much. Checking ball joints and CV Boots is free.

Not all of this needs to be done ASAP. If your balljoints and CV boots are bad then those would be first. The rest is just stuff you should do on a sunday when you're free.

[Chris.m]

I am also in BC, (Vancouver), and these prices are wacky

Battery failed load test ($200 to replace battery)

I just bought a battery from the dealer for $150, so are they charging 50 for labor?

- Drive belts are cracked (AC belt) ($185 to replace belts)

I bought both belts at the dealer ship for $70, so I guess thats 115 in labor...


- Front left and right outer CV boot is cracked and torn ($238 each side = $476)

Replacing the boots is quite a terrible job (I did mine a year ago) , I think the thing to do is leave them and wait until they start clicking, then just replace the half shafts because they are very cheap. Thats what I've heard.

- Fuel filter is due for replacement ($110)

Dealership quoted me 35 for the part, Instead, I went to Canadian tire and bought one for 15. It a easy job.

[Holidazed]

Hey Chris, thats cool you are in Vancouver as well!

Since you have done most of these repairs before, would you be interested in giving me a hand with mine one weekend for a case of beer or lunch?

I'd like to change the fluids and belts. I'm not too concerned about the battery, i've never had any issues starting and yeah they are cheap at canadian tire - so i'll leave that until it dies. The fuel filter looks easy to replace in the manual but I'm cautious to mess with the fuel lines on my own.

It seems like the parts I need, including fluids, would be less than $200. And yeah, the dealership charges $115 per hour - per job. Alot of those things could be done at the same time with 2 people working on it.

[Pathfinder3.5]

Hey Chris, thats cool you are in Vancouver as well!

Since you have done most of these repairs before, would you be interested in giving me a hand with mine one weekend for a case of beer or lunch?

I'd like to change the fluids and belts. I'm not too concerned about the battery, i've never had any issues starting and yeah they are cheap at canadian tire - so i'll leave that until it dies. The fuel filter looks easy to replace in the manual but I'm cautious to mess with the fuel lines on my own.

It seems like the parts I need, including fluids, would be less than $200. And yeah, the dealership charges $115 per hour - per job. Alot of those things could be done at the same time with 2 people working on it.

The Fuel Filter is fairly easy if you have those metal vehicle stands that you can just drive onto. When I did mine all you gotta do it pull the Fuel Pump fuse(Located in the engine compartment fuse mox on the passenger side), start the engine and let it die on its own.

[Towncivilian]

The fuel filter is also very easy if you remove the spare tire. One of the benefits of being fairly short is I can sit upright underneath my Pathfinder under the trunk with the spare removed.

[Chris.m]

Hey Chris, thats cool you are in Vancouver as well!

Since you have done most of these repairs before, would you be interested in giving me a hand with mine one weekend for a case of beer or lunch?

I'd like to change the fluids and belts. I'm not too concerned about the battery, i've never had any issues starting and yeah they are cheap at canadian tire - so i'll leave that until it dies. The fuel filter looks easy to replace in the manual but I'm cautious to mess with the fuel lines on my own.

It seems like the parts I need, including fluids, would be less than $200. And yeah, the dealership charges $115 per hour - per job. Alot of those things could be done at the same time with 2 people working on it.

Sure, that sounds good. I've never changed power-steering or brake fluid, so I might aswell change mine at the same time.
I'm going to be pretty busy for the next month, but PM me and we'll figure out a time that works after that.

[Buzzman]

Have to agree with most of what is being said here.
I don't see anything on that list as being "gotta do it now or else..." stuff.
Your trucks not gonna blow up on you.
Personally, I've never changed out my brake fluid or transmission fluid (2002 Pathy with 252,000 kms.).
I had to replace a (leaking) power-steering line earlier this year, so that required new fluid.
I also replaced my battery two years ago: Kirkland from Costco, $85.00. Works great.
Serpentine belts were done two years ago (badly cracked but not broken).
I have replaced fuel filters on a regular basis, along with new plugs back at 160,000 kms.
Cabin filters get replaced every year, and my air-filter (K&N), I clean regularly.
Struts and shocks about 2.5 years ago.
I also had to install new ball joints and wheel bearings at at around 220,000.
That's about it in 10 years.
Still runs like new, and no codes for years.

[Towncivilian]

How regularly is "regularly" in terms of your air filter cleaning interval? Filters get more efficient as they load up with contaminants, so cleaning too often will allow more contamination through.

I really think you should replace your brake fluid since it's hygroscopic and absorbs moisture over time, reducing its boiling point. Brake fade isn't fun.

[Pathfinder3.5]

How regularly is "regularly" in terms of your air filter cleaning interval? Filters get more efficient as they load up with contaminants, so cleaning too often will allow more contamination through.

I really think you should replace your brake fluid since it's hygroscopic and absorbs moisture over time, reducing its boiling point. Brake fade isn't fun.

I've got about 176,xxxKms on mine and my brake fluid was absolutely disgusting. Glad I did it when I did. Now all I gotta do is the plugs and everything else on the 1 1/2 page list I have saved on my Blackberry.

P.S holy crap...how short are you? Im 6ft at 16 so I guess driving an SUV will suit me just fine but man...I couldn't even imagine trying to fit under there sitting up.

[Chris.m]

Holidazed,

When I try to PM you I get this message ;

"Some users couldn’t be added as they have disabled private message receipt."

I suppose this is some box that needs to be checked.

[Holidazed]

Chris.m: sorry about that, its fixed now.

[Innovazn]

oohhhhhh this looks so exciting! Area Code 604 meet?! XD

[saveth]

There is a reason they're called stealerships. Everything on that list can be done with basic hand tools but the alignment which is 80-100 depending where you go.

It's good to see this site has a healthy population of bc'ers.

[Chris.m]

oohhhhhh this looks so exciting! Area Code 604 meet?! XD

I'd be up for it.

[GRNMACHINE]

A/C systerm service is Due, WoW, that has to be saddest one on the list.... IF it works why service?

Do the fuel fitler first, do it yourself. It really is easy. I purchased one thru McKinney Nissan online. Drive belts price doesnt sound cheap but sounds within Nissan labor rate etc. I would get those done also if they are cracked or do them yourself. Check the battery yourself. That is an easy one to replace. Trans fluid brown, I would consider having that done or doing it yourself. Dealer I have been using for things I cant do myself, recommended a drain and fill. This only changes about 1/2 of the fluid or less though. They didnt recommend a full trans filter/flush etc. Cant say what is correct or best for that. Get a second opinion on balljoints etc. moog makes some replacement balljoints around $60 each online and you dont have to beat them out.

[JPK Omaha]

I took my Qx4 with 102k miles in to dealer, here is what they recommended to further the health and well-being of my vehicle: (US$)

Transmission fluid exchange $164
Brake system fluid exchange $99
Cooling system service $124
Power steering system fluid exchange $130
Replace all drive belts $185
Front differential service $95
Rear differential service $95
Replace transfer case fluid $95
Replace oil cooler O ring $177
Replace power seat motor $526
Seat belt retractor d-ring tape kit $64

[Towncivilian]

You can perform all of those except a complete cooling system flush yourself (which is a wise idea if it's never been done before). Details are posted above and in the general information thread.

If your oil cooler O-ring is leaking, I'd replace both yourself - see this thread.

You can replace your power seat motor yourself if you find one from a junkyard, or take it apart to clean & lubricate it to see if it'll help.

If any of your seatbelts retract slowly or not at all, you can get them replaced for free under warranty up until 2013 - so get that done! See this thread.