Help me, Prius Chat. You're my only hope! 2003 Prius base model, 196k miles. We just bought it so I don't know the maintenance history. This morning (temperature just above freezing, 50% humidity, no precipitation) I started the car, let it warm up for five minutes then started off. About four minutes later, the engine started bucking and stumbling, PS MAIN showed up, and the check engine light came on. I limped into a parking lot and turned the key off and on a few times. Still ran like junk. I left the car running in neutral for a few minutes, and the engine smoothed out. I then made my long commute with no problems. The CEL is still lit but the PS MAIN is no longer on. I plan to hit an Autozone and have the code read after work. Should I worry, or is this just an inconvenience?
A dirty throttle body/sticking throttle plate is a common issue. Give that a good cleaning if you pull P3191.
The throttle body interior and throttle plate cleaning should come first. Even if that helps, it would be prudent to assume that no maintenance had been done on the car and that you will need to replace the engine air and cabin air filters, the iridium spark plugs, and change engine oil and oil filter using 5W-30 viscosity. Then, as you check those items, if you should find they actually had been recently replaced you can be pleasantly surprised.
I took the car to a dealership and was floored when they asked $205 to replace the spark plugs. Oddly enough I declined the service when they couldn't offer any more explanation than that the plugs might need replacement. Is there something special about these plugs that makes $50 a pop reasonable?
The correct iridium spark plugs typically will cost $12 each, or thereabouts, at a Toyota dealer's parts counter. The job should take 1/2 labor hour. Hence I would say a fair price would be ~$100 or so. However we have seen many instances on the forum here, where the dealer service price far exceeds what might be deemed "fair". This is why DIY and use of competent independent service is alive and well.
