The ultimate blinker fluid thread

Happy Friday, folks.

Wanted to kick off discussion on a topic that’s often ignored: blinker fluid.

Would like to get the collective’s thoughts on preferred brand, BFCI (blinker fluid change interval), any deals or rebates out there, maybe even some photos on changing the fluid for newbies.

For BFCI, nothing in the manual, but I’ve read 300,000 turn signal activations. How are you guys keeping track of those?

I haven’t changed mine yet so I bet my fluid is looking pretty nasty. Been difficult to find a good YouTube video on it, but I’ll keep hunting.

 

Everyone knows your 2nd gen didn't have a blinker fluid option. No wonder it's not in your manual.......

Blinker fluid is 3rd gen specific, and only the LED equipped models use it. (2nd gens with LEDs were still air cooled)

BFCI is not in their manual either, because like the transmission fluid it's 'lifetime'.

However, if the blinkers fail, there is a warning light in one of those funky screens they have, but all it says is 'dealer service required'.

Unless you have NY or NJ registration, where blinkers are not required anyway.

 

So you’re saying my notebook where I keep track of turn signal activations is...a waste?

 

Don’t be so grumpy. It’s Friday, after all...

 

Wait, I found this...assume the procedure on a Tacoma is similar:

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=E6GsXhBb10k

 

I had a '92 Jeep Cherokee Laredo that would overfill the taillight blinker fluid.

Drilled small holes in the bottom of the tail light to allow the excess to drain off.

 

Sounds like people are overpaying if it can be acquired naturally.

 

Shave your eyeballs

 

Do it in your head. Better brain exercise. Making notches in your steering wheel for every 50 blinks will help the next owner too.

 

I prefer to keep them peeled.

 

Whatever blows your skirt up Sally

 

Now I understand why people hire personal assistants, and I refuse to mess with the quality of my steering wheel. Safety issue.

 

I regret to inform you that I’m not the skirt-wearing fellow you’re seeking, that’s available in a different forum.

 

Whatever you do do NOT use the BMW branded stuff! Anyone who's ever driven near a BMW will tell you their blinkers NEVER work!

 

So first, @Clearwater Bill is exactly right, it was not an OEM option on the 2nd Gens. You can get an adapter kit though, I tried one on my previous 2G but it never seemed to function as well as all the ads said it would.

300K activations seems about right for standard fluid but I prefer the AMSOIL Synthetic, it cost a little more but it is worth it. I get an easy 500K activations between changes.

My 3rd Gen blinker activations counter was not working properly at first but luckily I found out that Toyota had a fix for it. If you go to your dealer just tell them you want them to perform the Blinker Fluid TSB and they will know what you are talking about. Once they do that you can go into the setting on your head unit and reset it just like you would you Trip odometer.

Good luck, and please post pics and vids when you change yours.

 

I prefer organic blinker fluid to synthetic.

 

Lol!