Since your post mentions GDI, I'm assuming that your engine is an HEV or PHEV. I would suggest adding that information to your signature.

Look in your Owners Manual for recommended service intervals.

You can keep the GDI fuel injectors clean by using Top Tier gas and running a can of Techron through the system periodically.

I assume that "throttle body service" actually means cleaning the valves. Deposits can build up on the valves since fuel (with detergents) doesn't flow over the valves. 38K miles sounds early (but check the Manual). Also do some online research into cleaning the valves yourself using a $15 can of spray cleaner.

 

Didn't know about Top Tier gas or Techron--will definitely be incorporating them! Thanks for helping me save $700 haha

Since your post mentions GDI, I'm assuming that your engine is an HEV or PHEV.

Actually it's the gas only model. Updated my profile to clarify.

 

The only one I might consider is the brake fluid swap, and that's extremely unlikely. It's a little pricey, but it's the dealer. But, before you say yes, get one of these:

Amazon.com : brake fluid tester

btw, from what I've been lead to believe, Toyota has no set interval, just a change on condition.

The other two??? Nahhhh

My bet, they won't remove the TB. They'll just do this:

 

Thanks for the info, will look into that tester tool.

 

Use TopTier gas and Techron Complete additive (lot cheaper than Hyundai rebranded bottle) and skip the $700 expense. Ask dealer what “evidence” they have that one “needs” these services. Watch for monthly sales at Napa, Autozone and other stores for Techron

 

Didn't know about Top Tier gas or Techron--will definitely be incorporating them! Thanks for helping me save $700 haha

 

Changing the brake fluid is a time based event rather than mileage. Brake fluid is known to absorb moisture over time, eventually causing internal corrosion of brake system components. I tend to do mine every two or three years as a preventative maintenance task.

Throttle body service doesn't hurt but typically isn't necessary unless you're experiencing rough idle, poor engine performance etc. They do get dirty over time and can eventually cause such issues but in your case, it's probably premature.

As others mentioned, using Top Tier fuel and adding Chevron fuel system cleaner every 3K miles or so minimizes the need for GDI induction cleaning but your gas only model is far less susceptible than the HEV and PHEV models so that would be a hard NO on that suggestion.

 

The additives in top tier gas already acts like a fuel system cleaner in it. Don't waste your money on that throttle body maintenance or any of that this early on. 38k miles, unless you have a turbo engine...id say leave it alone for now.

 

I’ll skip the extras for now and just use Top Tier gas makes sense at 38k.

 

For clarity Top Tier gas has an impact much more so if used from the start. Using it after build up isn't that effective I suppose it would help slow down more build up. Using Techron every few thousand miles is also more effective from the start than doing it when the car is older, but it will do some amount of cleaning.
(I'm going on test results that have been done)

Also though there may be more I do not know about, BP, AMOCO are Top tier at least or better than equivalent they just don't belong to the group.

 

Why is that interesting? Not all TopTier gas has the same amount or makeup of the additives. I recall reading about a test where samples of various brands of TopTier were sent to labs for testing the amount of additives. I seem to recall maybe Exxon and Shell (if I find I’ll post) had the most which was significantly more than some others.

After a quick search, I’m not going to look for it further as here’s what AI says “Top Tier brands use approximately twice the concentration of detergent additives compared to non-Top Tier fuels, though the exact amount varies by brand, as they each have a unique additive package. This higher "treat rate" of detergents is added at the terminal and is designed to prevent the buildup of deposits in engines and fuel systems, which can negatively impact performance and fuel economy.” So, since one does not know which TopTier brand performs best, it makes sense to also recommend Techron.

 

I have been getting texts from my dealer saying that I should do the 30K maintenance even though this two year old car only has 13K miles. I understand that the dealer would like the business but suspect I could wait a bit longer for the 30K. I did do a second oil change at 11K miles so no rush on doing another.

I also noted that the Hyundai maintenance schedule does not show a 30K maintenance. It shows maintenance every 8K miles and no significant maintenance beyond the basics until 46K (replace spark plugs).

 

According to the maintenance schedule for my car, replace spark plugs doesn't appear until 96k miles...!

 

The last couple of years the whole “preventative maintenance (PM)” services sell seems to have really taken off by both dealerships and independent shops. Especially “induction cleaning services”.

It’s a different mindset. We’re all used to planned/scheduled maintenance per owner’s manual (OM). We’re used to trouble-shooting/problem solving if/when issues occur (something is wrong, what is wrong, please fix it). PM is different; you don’t have a problem now, but if you perform certain work you’ll hopefully prevent it from happening in future. Some PM items we do and never really think about (using Top Tier gas is PM, using a zip-tie periodically to clear your door drain holes is PM). Dropping hundreds of $ on other PM items is harder to swallow.

My experience with dealer/3rd party service providers has always been – you can never ask too many questions if what you’re being told doesn’t make sense to you. Unfortunately, some basic level of technical understanding by the customer is needed to get there, otherwise you’re then on a 100% trust-only basis and we’re all skeptical of blindly trusting people we hardly know. I know just enough to be dangerous on the tech side, but I usually reach the point with the service tech/service writer/mechanic/etc. that he/she gets tired of talking and tells me “I can explain it to you but I can’t understand it for you”. Fair enough, then it’s my yes/no decision time on if I want the service or not.

Why dealers push this service is no mystery - Hidden Revenue Leaks | Maximize Profit Potential in Your Service Lane – BG Products, Inc.

Brake fluid swap-out – IDK if a periodic (mileage/time based) swap-out is recommended by Hyundai, but wouldn’t be surprised if it was. What does your OM say? If your dealer is recommending it (especially if it’s before any written scheduled maintenance that may exist), maybe ask if they can test the moisture content of the brake fluid. I used to ride motorcycles a fair bit, most serious bikers I knew religiously swapped out fluid every 1-3 years, there is something about riding without a seatbelt or cage surrounding you that really focuses your brain on brake performance. Cars, not so much for me, I have swapped out brake fluid but only after 3+ years and after I had satisfied myself the fluid had issues (moisture, dirt, etc.).

Chemical-Based Induction Cleaning Service – I could be wrong, but I seriously doubt you’ll find anything in writing from Hyundai that recommends this/requires this as part of planned/scheduled maintenance. Only exception I know of is the Hyundai TSB “recommending” periodic use of their rebranded Techron bottled additive (a Techron plastic bottle with a Hyundai sticker on it at 1.5-2 times the price of a bottle of Techron). Your dealer however is under no such constraint; they’re selling a PM service not a planned/scheduled service.

The induction cleaning service your dealer is recommending is very different than throwing a bottle of injector cleaner into the gas tank. I’d bet what they are proposing is in general like what is procedurally described on the BG Products site: BG Platinum® Fuel Service Set Instructions – BG Products, Inc. .

This type of service is usually thought of as being applicable to/providing the most benefit to engines that are direct injection only. Why that is has been discussed/debated ad nauseum on this and every other auto forum I’ve ever visited. As you noted, your ’22 SEL is a 2.5L gasser (no turbo, the fairly new Smartstream engine with both direct injection and port fuel injection). You’ll notice the BG site under Hyundai/Kia engines doesn’t list that exact engine, but procedurally it is likely similar to the other 2.5L engines listed (and/or maybe the separate instructions for port fuel injection engines). Ask the dealer tech folks what their exact procedure is.

To answer the question “is the induction cleaning worth doing, do I need to do it?” – I only have an opinion, and that is, with only 38k miles on your Smartstream engine odo, hell no. If your Tucson is running/idling like crap and it’s not another identified fuel system fault, then maybe, but still unlikely.

 

We've discussed the importance of using top tier fuel many times on this forum. I'm glad this subject came up again here. Once again, we're reminded that for some, this is the first time they've heard of it. Sad that dealers aren't required to tell this to new buyers on day one. It matters that much.
FWIW, 189 to flush the brake fluid is crazy. Maybe 15 bucks worth of fluid and an hour of your time, and you're done. It's a super easy job, just watch a couple UTUBE videos. Not much harder to do than an oil change. If you can change yer own oil, brake fluid should be easy enough. Another possibility: find a local MOMPOP shop to do this for ya. Paying nearly 200 bucks is just robbery. By the way, I wouldn't want to go much more than 3 years before flushing that brake fluid. It's cheap insurance against some expensive repair work down the road. Modern calipers ain't cheap. And: MAKER SURE YOU USE THE RIGHT TYPE OF BRAKE FLUID. They're not all the same.

 

We've discussed the importance of using top tier fuel many times on this forum. I'm glad this subject came up again here. Once again, we're reminded that for some, this is the first time they've heard of it. Sad that dealers aren't required to tell this to new buyers on day one. It matters that much.
FWIW, 189 to flush the brake fluid is crazy. Maybe 15 bucks worth of fluid and an hour of your time, and you're done. It's a super easy job, just watch a couple UTUBE videos. Not much harder to do than an oil change. If you can change yer own oil, brake fluid should be easy enough. Another possibility: find a local MOMPOP shop to do this for ya. Paying nearly 200 bucks is just robbery. By the way, I wouldn't want to go much more than 3 years before flushing that brake fluid. It's cheap insurance against some expensive repair work down the road. Modern calipers ain't cheap.

Excellent adivse.
And Hyundai should be making it protocol that salesman need to let you know best performance over the years is to always use Top Tier.

 

It'd probably make for a more productive TTT to wait longer, but I've got to give a big +Eleventy to this whole thread!

More than anything it reminded me when raising my spoilt li'l sih darling cherubs. I beat into their "inherited from pop" blockheads the importance (both to their cortisol level AND their bank account) of ALWAYS attending all maint. & upkeep with their vehicles, to ALWAYS do it according to the owner manual, and to ALWAYS do everything ahead of the schedule by either the timing or the mileage, whichever is sooner.

I can brag it apparently took, as I can tell they're using their scrutinous eyes and ears when recounting their trip to a shop, and even the dealer when called for.

I taught them one big money-saving reason to suffer the boredom of reading the owner manual. It's to keep going through all the maint. items to stay current by doing all the things possible can yourself (air filters, checking fluids, belt tensions, connections - hoses, blah blah). And it'll greatly reduce the shop's success and continued interest in playing their "Baffle You With BS Game".

 

Grateful for all the replies here; I've learned a lot by asking just one question

I checked the maintenance schedule through this site and "replace brake fluid" appears at 48k miles, so I'll wait until then (unless a brake fluid test says otherwise--still getting around to that).

Bought some Techron to use at the next refill and will be going to top tier gas stations going forward, so I won't worry about the GDI induction cleaning. And actually, the maintenance schedule says to "Add Fuel Additive" at every 8k service, so seems like this is supposed to be done anyway.

I found no mention of throttle body service in the owner's manual, so I guess I won't worry about that either until I start experiencing issues.

Side note: I used the Top Tier app's station finder and there were several local gas stations listed, however I did a runaround and found that only one station (Sunoco) had the top tier sticker at the pump. The Mobil station didn't have the sticker. And two supposed Citgo stations were actually Gulf stations (Gulf is not listed on their website). Just wondering why it's so inconsistent? Perhaps that's another reason why more people aren’t aware of Top Tier gas.

 

I've also wondered about the consistency of the Top Tier label on the pump. I've been to several Chevron-branded stations in the southwest and couldn't find the TT sticker. Since Chevron holds the Techron patent, you'd think if any brand is Top Tier it would be them. These stations are actually called Terrible's - a convenience store chain in the southwest - but the Chevron name is prominent on the signs and pumps.

 

Glad we brought this "STICKER DILEMMA" issue up. Years ago, I saw top tier stickers quite often, but lately, almost never. Very, very strange. I know that if the sign out front says, Mobil, Chevron, (you can fill in the rest of them found on the TT website), that every one of their stations carries top tier fuel, sticker or no sticker. I'm certainly glad of that. But as to why we don't see those tell-tale stickers any more is anybody's guess.
So I'd like to offer a guess or two...
--nobody reads them anyway
--too many don't even know what this is
--stickers cost too much
--they ain't mandated by the TT program?
--yo mama stole all the stickers

 

--To make people post about it like we are... 😄

 

Yeah, I saw where this had morphed into another bout of the TTs so I was sure of getting in my own, "I'm in this thread!"

Say, starting back at the beginning I skimmed but found no come-back from the OP about your, "You could ask the dealer why they are recommending a GDI service for your car that does not have a GDI engine."

And with that right there when I noticed that my bestest reply relative to the thread title would have to be No, you don't. And on top of that what you also don't need is to ask that particular dealer what time it is or the day of the week,.......because I wouldn't trust their answers any further than I can throw my Cadillac!

 

Say, starting back at the beginning I skimmed but found no come-back from the OP about your, "You could ask the dealer why they are recommending a GDI service for your car that does not have a GDI engine."

Short answer: I never went back to that dealer

But out of curiosity I threw this question at ChatGPT, and here's what it said:

"Your 2022 Tucson SEL 2.5L (G4KN) does have GDI (Gasoline Direct Injection), but it also has MPI (multi-port injection). Hyundai calls this setup “dual injection” or Smartstream GDI + MPI.

👉 Why this matters:

• On pure GDI engines, carbon buildup on intake valves is a bigger concern because fuel doesn’t wash over the valves.
• On dual-injection engines like yours, the MPI side helps wash the valves with fuel, so carbon buildup is slower and often not serious enough to need routine “induction cleaning.”

So, if you tell a dealer “my car isn’t GDI”, they could correct you — but if you ask:

“Hyundai doesn’t list induction cleaning anywhere in the 2022 Tucson maintenance schedule. Since this engine uses dual injection (MPI + GDI), what problem are you actually trying to prevent?”

…it forces them to explain why they’re pushing a non-scheduled, profit-driven service."

 

Subtle, but rather insightful and descriptive differentiation and definition of the fuel delivery for our gen's 'better than ever' design. Thanks for looping back.

(And yes, I'm getting paid extra for D- words today.)

 

We dropped off our Tucson 2023 with 32K miles for its last free oil change at the dealership. They called and wife approved coolant service ($200).

Checking the maintenance schedule on the corporate site I see coolant replacement at 120K.

Any ideas why it would need coolant service at only 32K miles? Is that normal? I am not a mechanic.

Thanks in advanced for any feedback.

 

Because it is a money maker for the dealership.

 

Normal after that 120k one maybe. I like to do mine a bit earlier than 120.. but 32 with modern coolant?... ehh Id say no. Sort of like a 3k oil change on synthetic oil. It wont hurt.. but a bit overkill IMO.

 

Money grab - upselling.

 

We all don't like today's maintenance prices (whether it's scheduled maintenance or PM proposed to us).

To feel better about that, imagine if we had to time-travel back to 1955 and buy/maintain a new '55 Chevy but at todays maintenance prices:

Back in the days of 'break-in oil', oil-bath (not paper element) air cleaners, drain/flush the radiator twice a year, re-pack wheel bearings at 10k miles, re-pack prop shaft u-joints at 25k miles, drain A/T at 25k miles, inspect/re-gap or replace spark plugs at 5k, 2k mile oil change intervals, and so on. I feel better already about my 2.5L gasser.

 

For the record, in case anyone is unaware of this...service advisors get paid on commission only. This is for most brands, and thats thr reason for upselling. Its almost like everyone that works at a dealership is basically some kind of salesman.

 

Commissioned employees work only on commissions IF they are meeting either the Federal Minimum wage, or if State Law says you must meet the State Minimum wage if higher. "The law says that if the employee’s wages, including tips or commission, do not meet the full minimum wage, the employee must be compensated. Additionally in many cases, the employer is required to pay tipped or commissioned employees overtime for work in excess of 40 hours weekly."

In California for instance before the employer does not pay a salary, the Commissioned employee must have made the equivalent or more of $16.50 an hour.
As in the example below, sometimes you will get a set pay, lower than you might otherwise get but meeting laws, and then commissions on top of that.
That commission is on several things, sale of repair as agreed to by the customer. Sale of items not originally agreed to. Satisfaction survey. And more in some instances.

Here's how one dealer is or was doing it.

 

We've said this before, but if yer looking for the reason why the dealership called to suggest a coolant flush, your answer is on the wall of the service advisor's office, just behind his chair where all can see it: his "advisor of the month" award certificate. Neatly displayed in an 8x10 frame, he won that last month for outselling all the other advisors in the place.

--HIS BRAGGING RIGHTS PAID HIM NICELY AND COST YOU DEARLY.

 

To quote Nancy, Just Say No. For actual safety issues if you just feel you want the dealer to do it, at least go very soon somewhere for another cost estimate and if it really does need to be done. For maintenance issues which by far is what the dealers are pushing take some time and get what will near certain be a better cost if it is actually needed.
Problem is people are in a hurry/busy (maybe legit) and don't want to come back or spend time getting other prices.

Not everyone is comfortable doing any work on a car, no matter how simple to some it is. But one of the biggest areas is what they charge to replace an engine air filter because filters are reasonably priced and it is so simple on a Tucson including once you see how easy to remove the glove box to replace the cabin filter also.

Coming to a forum like this one can really help guide someone not sure about car maintenance.

 

:: Tampa8 ::
"Coming to a forum like this one can really help guide someone not sure about car maintenance."

+1 and in Spades.
And add the corollary that the same initiative and effort (and simple tools) which immediately translates to consistent and measurable savings across wide-ranging aspects of vehicle ownership, will curiously also result in an increased self-confidence in interactions and dealings with not only car repair shops and dealers, but will also apply the same way involving the purchase of most other goods and services. Brilliant!

 

"But we filed a complaint with our credit card company. "

I sure hope you're made whole on that "most excellently scummy" scam. But if anything like my primary cc, I trust you'll fare well. With mine it was what turned out as the credit reader at the local parts house (skimming I think it's called) and soon after having shown I bought $800 concert tickets six states over for someone my granddaughter would probably like.

I called the cc co. after checking my account awhile later, mentioning I sure didn't want to miss a 'contest charge' deadlline. She said, "Oh we don't have any deadlines, and anything like this and your record we simply revert the charge and done."

As long as you don't use that dealer again, you might enjoy the poetic justice if the cc co. still charges that dealer the transaction fee. One can at least hope.

 

Those prices are definitely on the high side since it’s dealer work.
Brake fluid every 3 years or so makes sense, but throttle body and induction cleanings aren’t urgent unless you notice issues.
I’d personally space them out or even skip some until there are actual symptoms.