Contaminated A/C System - Dealer: $6600 Cheaper Options?

My car has 148k miles. I like the car and want to keep the car for another 80k+ miles. I got the Red Triangle w/ Exclamation, ((!)) and VSC warning light last week. It was weird because it happened after I hooked up my trailer (with lights probably shorted) to my wiring harness in my Prius's trunk. I unhooked the trailer wiring and this problem remained.

Let me preface this by saying about a year ago I had a local mechanic top up the A/C fluid with most likely oil that is universal old style (non hybrid) stuff which I know now can screw up so many things.

I was able to drive the car by unhooking the negative battery terminal but after driving for about an hour the warning lights came on at a stop light. I continued driving until I got to my destination (an hour and a half).

I tried to turn on the car and got the warning lights. I took it to the shop they called and asked me if I added anything to the A/c system I said yes. They gave me the sheets in the attachments where they did some tests. I asked if they could check the fluid and they said NO.

I have been driving it the past 3 days with multiple stop starts with no problem but I have not been using the A/C system. At night I noticed my headlights sometimes *blink*. (Could be a coincidence but I haven't seen this either).

I attached a picture of my dash with the warning lights. I also included pictures of the sheets with parts labor quotes I got from Toyota.


1. Do you all believe the problem really is a contaminated A/C system?

2. Is there a cheaper way to fix this? I found used parts on ebay for about $600 and if I could get someone with a good a/c flusher I think they could do it for less than Toyota wants. I don't think Toyota will install parts I get, but I had Midas install an exhaust manifold I bought used.

3. Will I do additional harm if I drive by using the A/C minimally?

4. Could I pull a fuse to disable the A/C system completely but still use the air/heat?

5. I asked the Service Desk guy about the Carb Battery warning if that could help with the cost and he said no. I am in Maryland which follows the CA standards so battery warranty should be 10 year 150k mileage which I'm under but close too. I did buy the car from a used car dealer, though.


Thank you all so much for your help. This forum is truly amazing!

I was told pictures aren't showing up that I uploaded to Priuschat I uploaded and linked them here:
Dash:
Toyota Sheet1:
Toyota Sheet2:
Write up:

 

Thanks for the heads up on the pictures. I uploaded to imgur and edited my OP for the links. There are no current codes that I can see with my odbIII reader and Torque app on my phone.

 

Will someone please let me know if the pictures are visible now? I uploaded the write up from toyota.

 

My post may have been confusing. He didn't add r134a to the best of my knowledge. He added the universal old style (non hybrid) stuff you can get at Walmart.

 

What about this link: High Voltage A/C Compressor Oil Issues | Automotive Career Development Center

"The ACDC Prius now has 143,000 (was 94K when we tried to break it). The A/C is running fine, with the PAG oil flushed out and ND-11 inside (Now Supercool oil), still no codes. The experiment is over. It is possible to fix a contaminated system without replacing everything, but only if you have the right equipment." I could get a used compressor off of Ebay for $100.

 

I'm not really sure I could call and ask the dealership.

 

Currently no warning lights. However, I haven't used the A/C at all since I got it back from the Dealer. The dealer likely cleared the codes. I did run the fan this morning on the way to work since it was raining. I can probably get it to show lights by running the A/C.

 

I definitely thought about that. I can probably do without the cooling aspect even though Maryland summers get hot and humid and the winters are quite cold. I don't know if this system not working would affect the heat in the winter which I would want. I haven't put much money into the car so far and I've saved ~$5k in the past 5 years so if I could repair for $1000 or less I may do that to have A/C for the next 50k+ miles.

 

UPDATE POST


Hi all. I figured I would update. I made the decision to buy a used compressor off of ebay (2009 77k miles, $100). I found a Toyota dealer that would install a used part. I had them install flush, install the new compressor, fill (I'm not exactly sure the order they did it yet).

Turns out one of the high voltage wires was chewed through!!!!!!! So I'm not 100% sure that the problem was the contamination of the a/c fluid at all.

This makes me optimistic on this fix lasting. Toyota charged $450 to install the new compressor and flush and fill. I couldn't find another shop that would flush and fill the high voltage system in Md/PA.



Here's a link to my new post: Need Electric A/C Compressor replaced with A/C flush, Help finding Cheaper Shops? | PriusChat

 

Yep I do. My car has 150,000 miles so my car is only worth about $4500 so that fix cost was ridiculous!