1. Attachments are working again! Check out this thread for more details and to report any other bugs.

3-Way Coolant Flow Control Valve Water Valve Replacement

Discussion in 'Gen 2 Prius Main Forum' started by alanf52, Apr 9, 2024.

  1. alanf52

    alanf52 New Member

    Joined:
    Apr 5, 2024
    16
    2
    0
    Location:
    St. Louis
    Vehicle:
    2008 Prius
    Model:
    LE
    I need to replace the 3-Way Coolant Flow Control Valve Water Valve Replacement in my 2008 Toyota Prius.

    The price quoted to me was $900 which sounds excessive. Is the picture below the proper part? Will mechanics allow me to bring the part with me and use it for their replacement? TIA

    upload_2024-4-9_15-34-21.png
     
  2. TMR-JWAP

    TMR-JWAP Senior Member

    Joined:
    Aug 12, 2016
    6,404
    6,062
    0
    Location:
    Columbia, SC
    Vehicle:
    2007 Prius
    Model:
    Touring


    Most mechanics won't do that, or at a minimum, will not warranty anything.
    Yes, that one you show is the Chinese imitation.
    The OEM assembly can be found at some Toyota dealership online stores for about $120.
    You get what you pay for with things like this...
     
  3. alanf52

    alanf52 New Member

    Joined:
    Apr 5, 2024
    16
    2
    0
    Location:
    St. Louis
    Vehicle:
    2008 Prius
    Model:
    LE
    Is this any better? It looks like it's from Toyota and has a 12 month warranty.


    upload_2024-4-9_16-57-29.png
     
  4. Tombukt2

    Tombukt2 Senior Member

    Joined:
    Nov 29, 2020
    10,376
    1,792
    0
    Location:
    Durham NC
    Vehicle:
    2009 Prius
    Model:
    Base
    I would say pay the $120 for the factory original You might could buy it online pick it up at the store and save 30 bucks I'm not sure of that or take it off of another junk car It's really easy to change won't take but a minute literally takes longer to take the plastic off. And that's about it The Chinese imitations will fail regularly.
     
  5. alanf52

    alanf52 New Member

    Joined:
    Apr 5, 2024
    16
    2
    0
    Location:
    St. Louis
    Vehicle:
    2008 Prius
    Model:
    LE
    Thank you. I'm going to buy it off a local Toyota certified dealer. Are you saying the repair itself (replacing the 3 way control valve) takes a minute?

    Each place I called said I can't drive the car because it will overheat. Does that make sense?
     
  6. Tombukt2

    Tombukt2 Senior Member

    Joined:
    Nov 29, 2020
    10,376
    1,792
    0
    Location:
    Durham NC
    Vehicle:
    2009 Prius
    Model:
    Base
    Nope nothing is happening Just change it ASAP and you should be fine You don't want to drive around all summer in the high heat with the thing acting up but you just need to get it changed It could but it's highly unlikely until it gets real hot outside and you're taxing the cooling system so just knock it out before then
     
  7. alanf52

    alanf52 New Member

    Joined:
    Apr 5, 2024
    16
    2
    0
    Location:
    St. Louis
    Vehicle:
    2008 Prius
    Model:
    LE
    Thank you! Overall I have not gotten a great feeling about this dealership.

    I bought the part from a dealership for $130 with a 12 month guarantee. What's a normal rate/cost just for the labor. They want $600 (which is still better than the $900 from the 1st dealership).

    I brought in my 2004 Camry last week (yes I love Toyota) to this dealership and if I listened and got all the repairs they suggested, the total bill would have been $3,331 before tax.
     
  8. Tombukt2

    Tombukt2 Senior Member

    Joined:
    Nov 29, 2020
    10,376
    1,792
    0
    Location:
    Durham NC
    Vehicle:
    2009 Prius
    Model:
    Base
    Look man the coolant control valve is right in front of you when you're standing in front of the car Just take that plastic black shield up that goes around the hood latch and all of that You don't even have to reuse the clips just rip it up you'll get new clips You should have a box of them anyway in your car then the coolant control valve is right there to the side of the driver headlight and straight down there's four hoses whatever going to it You need a long pair of angle needle nose that's the best thing to squeeze the clamps and push them back behind the barbs then you twist all the hoses and then with your really good at it you can pull all the hoses off whip valve out . And plug up all the hoses on the new one without losing hardly any coolant but forget that for now and don't forget to unplug the electrics to the valve the plug. But it's really silly easy If you can change the flush valve in your toilet you're well on your way to doing this job and just think how you'll feel saving I don't even know what $2,877 are you kidding me there's no way you can make this take much more than an hour. Take a look at some YouTube videos be shocked. I can't help with what people charge in your area for car repair but you can The coolant and whatever's going to get on your hands is not going to hurt you.
     
  9. Tombukt2

    Tombukt2 Senior Member

    Joined:
    Nov 29, 2020
    10,376
    1,792
    0
    Location:
    Durham NC
    Vehicle:
    2009 Prius
    Model:
    Base
    Along set of angled needle nose will be used many times in your life Don't sweat the $13 at Walmart or whatever
     
    #9 Tombukt2, Apr 9, 2024
    Last edited: Apr 9, 2024
    alanf52 likes this.
  10. dolj

    dolj Senior Member

    Joined:
    May 14, 2012
    7,855
    3,967
    0
    Location:
    Wellington, New Zealand
    Vehicle:
    2007 Prius
    Model:
    N/A
    Yes, that is a genuine online dealer and a genuine part.
    They don't know what they are talking about. As you know your car drives just fine. This is not the engine coolant pump. They might be able to replace the valve (it's not rocket science) but, just to be safe, you should show them the location of the coolant flow control valve on your car.

    Prius Gen 2 Location of CFCV.png
     
    #10 dolj, Apr 10, 2024
    Last edited: Apr 10, 2024
  11. alanf52

    alanf52 New Member

    Joined:
    Apr 5, 2024
    16
    2
    0
    Location:
    St. Louis
    Vehicle:
    2008 Prius
    Model:
    LE
    Thank you! I
    I couldn't find my old one and just bought another one.
     
  12. alanf52

    alanf52 New Member

    Joined:
    Apr 5, 2024
    16
    2
    0
    Location:
    St. Louis
    Vehicle:
    2008 Prius
    Model:
    LE
    Thank you. I will be less nervous driving the car from the "stealership mechanic" to a local mechanic I just found. Hoping they will be a lot better and cheaper.

    I did watch a bunch of youtube videos on how to replace it but am not so confident I can do it.

    Thank you for the links with all the helpful tips. I might just go to AutoBeYours for my next big Prius repair
     
  13. Tombukt2

    Tombukt2 Senior Member

    Joined:
    Nov 29, 2020
    10,376
    1,792
    0
    Location:
    Durham NC
    Vehicle:
    2009 Prius
    Model:
    Base
    Good Lord in the morning well whatever you decide it's all about you and your car It's unfortunate you can't find a mechanic who doesn't work at a shop and have a shingle hanging over the shop and has to charge $100 an hour If you watched a mechanic from craigslist who comes to your house and do this in your driveway you'd be stupefied I guess because this is one of those repairs it's so easy and goes so fast that you have to go around the corner of the person's garage where you're working and smoke a cigarette and diddle around for a while because you get done so fast it's hard to tell somebody it's $185 and you've been there whopping 9 minutes and 34 seconds but such as life I guess till it happens to you directly and you see it with your own eyes well then things are seen differently and sometimes that is unfortunate and costly but hey if you don't think so that's all that matters $850 I'll even supply the coolant control valve all day long. It's funny how this is a real male problem too women are the first to get in contact very quickly and know that something's not right and then I just show them and they're like my God I could have just gone to Walmart and bought one pair of little pliers to keep in the trunk along with the screwdriver and a quarter inch drive socket set and I can do most of this stuff to my car in minutes oh my God yeah it's that enlightening. I guess that's why not a lot of women spend a lot of time in places like this or something along those lines. because they're quick to suck up the advice or something where guys seem to hem and haw over I'm not sure what .
     
  14. highmilesgarage

    highmilesgarage Active Member

    Joined:
    Jul 28, 2022
    339
    125
    0
    Location:
    Kansas City
    Vehicle:
    2007 Prius
    Model:
    Touring
    yeah $900 is stealership price.. this job can be done by a mechanic in less than an hour charging you the part and some lost coolant (plus bleeding) and the labor. I did this twice on my Prius both have aftermarket (Dorman, etc) and they will leak or have some electronic issues (Dorman didn't leak but the electronics failed) Pay for the Denso part which is around $100, save you from doing it again.

    For a DIY I consider this 5 out of 10, not that easy and not that difficult.. for sure it can't be done in a few minutes. The lower hose is hard to reach at and remove the clamps, I have to remove the hose from the coolant canister (dumping more coolant) which is easier and you also have to disconnect the big radiator hose on top to make room. You should at least know how to bleed the system otherwise it will overheat. You also need an OBD scan tool to reset the code.
     
  15. highmilesgarage

    highmilesgarage Active Member

    Joined:
    Jul 28, 2022
    339
    125
    0
    Location:
    Kansas City
    Vehicle:
    2007 Prius
    Model:
    Touring
    Nonsense, the $1500 Prius that I recently bought has this problem for very long time. It will cause you not to have heat in the cabin during winter and probably the canister not having warm coolant to warm up the engine fast (for emission purposes)
     
  16. Tombukt2

    Tombukt2 Senior Member

    Joined:
    Nov 29, 2020
    10,376
    1,792
    0
    Location:
    Durham NC
    Vehicle:
    2009 Prius
    Model:
    Base
    The trick is to make it quick as you have plugs male and female to block off pipes and plug up hoses It is that simple I have them on my tool tray because on a Prius you're always disconnecting some stinking coolant line from something inverter radiator CHS tank blah blah blah so if you're prepared for those things then makes everything real jiggy. If you're not and you're running to find crap while you have a hose on done leaking crap on the ground well there's always that. That is why some people fly a desk and do it on the web.