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P0420 while using injector cleaning additive

Discussion in 'Gen 2 Prius Technical Discussion' started by jprates, Mar 28, 2010.

  1. jprates

    jprates https://ecomove.pt

    Joined:
    Jan 30, 2008
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    Location:
    Moita, Portugal
    Vehicle:
    2017 Prius PHV
    Model:
    N/A
    Here’s the deal:

    I filled up to the brim with fuel, and poured in the now infamous Toyota injector cleaning additive for gasoline engines.

    Right after that I proceeded in a 8 hour trip to Albacete – Spain, all motorway with CC set at 127 km/h (120 km/h real speed as per imposed speed limit).

    About 5 hours after starting the run, the MIL light went on, and it stayed on after resetting it at Albacete and back in Portugal.

    My cat is ruined, or at least (hope) one or both of the oxygen sensors is ruined.

    My car has 120 thousand km on it, and less than 4 years of age. I don’t think this is normal.

    I goggled the net and found the exact same reports from other Prius owners: car ruined and the same P0420 error after using the fuel injector cleaning stuff.

    Any other experiences here among you folks? I’ve reported this back to Toyota Portugal and TME already, and asked for an investigation.

    If indeed the injector cleaning additive is too aggressive for the cat, and we can’t run at high rev and high load for a long time while using it, then we must know about it.

    Please share any knowledge you have on this, so that I can report this back and we can prevent future events like this from happening.

    Thanks,
     
    #1 jprates, Mar 28, 2010
  2. DetPrius

    DetPrius Active Member

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    Location:
    Southeast Michigan
    Vehicle:
    2010 Prius
    Model:
    III
    Techron's injector cleaners were recommended to me years ago as a good preventative maintenance additive by a shop I used for years and trusted. It definitely helped the rough idle I had on my CRX Si. I have used it in all of my cars with no problem and just put the first bottle in my Prius at around 8500 miles. I only have 150 miles on this tank with the Techron product and have had no problems. I will be diluting down the product unintentionally this Friday as we fill up and head out on a 2500+ mile road trip.

    After I bought my last package of 6 bottles of Techron Pro Gard, I called the Chevron (manufacturer) help line on the bottle with a question and the guy told me that their Techron Concentrate Plus is a better product than the Pro Gard product, so I will use that next time.
     
    #2 DetPrius, Mar 28, 2010
  3. dogfriend

    dogfriend Human - Animal Hybrid

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    Location:
    Carmichael, CA
    Vehicle:
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    I recall some previous threads on this. I believe that in the other cases where this has happened, the speculation is that the technician who runs the cleaner through the system does not follow/does not know the proper procedure to avoid overheating the catalytic converter. In those cases, I believe that the technician runs the cleaner directly into the fuel supply line by teeing into it.

    http://priuschat.com/forums/gen-ii-...verter-bad-after-fuel-induction-cleaning.html

    http://priuschat.com/forums/gen-ii-...placing-catalytic-converter-85-000-miles.html

    I haven't heard of anyone destroying a catalytic converter by adding a cleaner to the fuel tank.
     
    #3 dogfriend, Mar 28, 2010
    1 person likes this.
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