What services you need and what you don't

http://priuschat.com/forums/newbie-forum/73400-weird-stuff-happening-mpgs-dropping-test-battery.html

 

100,000 miles



Woo hoo! Happy birthday to my 2005 Gen II.

I'd like to be nice to it, since its been so nice to me. I'll look into doing most of the things listed in the original sticky post for this thread. Any other suggestions?

 

Post your experience in the 100,000 mile club!

http://priuschat.com/forums/gen-ii-prius-main-forum/29373-100-000-mile-club.html

 

Because I had just been through the terrifying experience of HV battery failure, during which my 2006 ran (at great apparent effort) for 45 minutes on ICE power only, I asked that the dealer inspect carefully for damage that may have been caused during my 80,000 mile service. They came up with two things they recommended doing: replacing the engine drive belt and "evaporator service". The evaporator service was 55.00 for the part (00289-ACRKT) and 56.95 for labor. I looked up the part and see it's simply a couple of cans of cleaner, one sprayed into the drain opening for the evaporator and one sprayed in through the air intake. It's sold online as cheaply as $14.95. After the service, my car smelled decidedly like windex. I been running the AC fan on high with outside air and after a few days it is starting to smell better. On the plus side, I notice that whenever I get into the car I don't immediately sneeze. So maybe it did really need this (or maybe it's just the chemicials) even though it does seem a lot like extra dealer profit.

 

Re: What services you need and what you don't

Would you mind sharing the details of your experience with your dealer? How many miles? Did you get the battery replaced under warranty? Did you have any of the tell-tale signs of failure, such as the HV battery fan running a lot?

2006 is a somewhat early HV battery failure, but we have heard that Texas has been brutally hot this summer. Still, it is a bummer to have this happen.

 

Thank you. Battery was replaced under warranty at no charge to me. On the day it failed, I drove 45 minutes on ICE power alone to the dealer when it was 105 degrees, covering about 5 miles on surface streets with heavy traffic, with a good number of warning lights, including one triangle and the HSC light, but not the brake light (you are definitely supposed to have vehicle towed if brake light comes on). Either the engine or the engine cooling fan seemed to be running at high speed, and acceleration through uphill intersections took a long time, barely making it before the green light changed to red, with lots of people passing me legally and illegally. I have discussed this in another recent thread asking what is this mode of operation when you are not using electric power. The dealer said it was "failsafe mode" but that actually applies to the new failsafe accelerator cutoff. Someone suggested "turtle mode".

 

The 'evaporator' service that you mention seems like a pathetic attempt at a fix for a very poor design of dealing with the condensation for the A/C and to prevent water damage, mold and leakage into the cabin of the car...I'm at the dealer now dealing with water draining into the front passenger floor area...this should have a more permanent 'fix', am I the only one who considers this unacceptable...I'm at 40,000 km so it should be fixed under warranty but how often is this going to need a fix and what do I do when it is no longer covered under warranty?

 

I was also told when I brought my car in for my 40,000km oil change that at 32,000 I should have had brake service which I didn't have...they never indicated to me that at 32,000 km I needed brake service, but now 8,000km later another service rep says they don't understand why it wasn't done....do I need it????

 

Re: What services you need and what you don't

While performing the major service of my 2004 Prius with 89,000 miles, the dealer said the engine water pump is leaking into the engine and should be replaced for $700. There is no water on the garage floor, nor warning lights to indicate over-heating. What do you think?

 

Re: What services you need and what you don't

I think you should look at the engine coolant pump to satisfy yourself about whether it is leaking coolant or not.

Find the pump on the end of the engine facing the passenger-side fender. It is powered by the serpentine drive belt.

Look at the pump body and the inside of the pulley. If you see a pinkish crust that is evidence the pump bearing is leaking and the pump should be replaced.

By the time you see an engine overheat light turn on, it is too late and the engine will probably be damaged. However if you don't see a coolant stain on the garage floor then the leak (if one exists) is not too bad at this time.

 

The initial failure mode is a very, very slow leak past the interior shaft seal on the water pump. The leak rate is very low, about 1 drip per mile. You will not see a pink puddle on the floor. In addition to Patrick's suggestions, look for pink crust on top of the A/C compressor, which is easier to see, as well as the amount of coolant in the expansion tank.

 

Re: What services you need and what you don't

Seilerts, sorry I didn't reply sooner. Don't know why I didn't receive an email as I'm subscribed to this thread.

I use Amsoil 0w-30, their best synthetic, though I use their 5w-40 in my diesel VW. I change at one year, which is usually is just over 20,000 miles for us. I haven't had to add oil but once, about half a quart this past year. Just changed again a few weeks ago-- wish I had one of those Fumoto drain plugs to flip open and shut.

 

What I have always wondered with an OCI that long is, how do you know that your additive package isn't breaking down? Still that is very impressive, to be able to run 20K with just 1/2 a quart added in. You are over 100K miles as well?

 

Re: What services you need and what you don't

My machine is also a 2005. I've been running 0W40 Mobil 100% synthetic on this car since it was 21,000 miles. It is now 49,000+ miles.

The folk who change oil for me do not like my schedule or my filters or my oil, but they do it anyway. After they overfilled my 2007 Prius Touring three times in a row I raised hell with them. They now know to put in three quarts only. I put in the remaining half quart to bring it up to snuff just under the full mark on the dip stick; an oil change is well under 4 quarts to full on a Prius II. I have yet to add oil between oil changes in either of the Priuses I've owned. The 2007, in which I changed oil at 20K intervals at the end, was at 79K when I traded it in on this beautiful 2005. I spent about quarter of my driving time in the Big Horn Mountains running dirt roads in and around of the Big Horn National Forest or out on the flat running oil patch dirt roads.

Needless to say there is nothing wrong with either my engine or my mileage. 20K miles between oil changes is the standard for Prius sold in Europe running 100% synthetic oil, Toyota sourced or otherwise. Using high quality synthetic while taking into consideration dirt roads and such, you should get 20K miles between changes easily.

Needless to say, you have to have a hole in the system to dirty up the oil, even running it 20K miles.

 

Hello All,
New to this forum but have had my 2005 Prius since new and back when the government was still rewarding our environmental stewardship with tax rebates! Love the car and refuse to trade it in for a newer model despite all the cool gadgets they're adding on nowadays. 120k+ miles on it now and have never needed anything other than an oil change really. Imagine my surpise when the wife takes the car to the dealership today for an oil change and gets hit with 1000.00 worth of "strongly recommended" services! These guys never mentioned any of this stuff since they been servicing our car and now all of a sudden:

LF axle leak -290.00
change hybrid motor coolant - 112.00
change coolant for gas motor - 162.00
spark plugs - 117.00
cabin filter - 48.00
a/c refresher - 62.00
clean/adjust rear brakes - 62.00
clean fuel injectors - 109.00
clean throttle body - 52.00

Can anyone advise me on navigating through this stuff? Is any of it absolutely necessary?

Thanks-Dennis

 

Re: What services you need and what you don't

 

Re: What services you need and what you don't

If your at Bragg and have MWR take it to the auto hobby shop and have them do the work. The stuff you have mentioned is mostly 100K mile recommendations. Except for the throttle body and injectors and rear brakes and a/c refresher and cabin filter; they are all gratuitous add-ons by the shop.

If the axle is really leaking you can find out at the base auto hobby shop. Changing coolant for the hybrid system is no easy task. An added fifty dollars is not sufficient to cover the increase in difficulty over changing engine coolant.

You can buy a cabin air filter at Wallmart and do it yourself for less than fifteen dollars.

There are some who adhere to the service interval recommendations. They are so stretched out the service replacements may or may not be needed. Use your best judgment on that.

 

Re: What services you need and what you don't

To this, I would add a PCV valve, usually done in conjunction with spark plugs.

These are the services that you need. The axle seal, a common problem, must be addressed ASAP, because loss of fluid with ruin the transaxle, which is the most expensive part on the car. It is okay to push the spark plugs to 150K since that is their service interval in some areas.

Prices seem high.

These are services that you don't need (fuel injector cleaning) or can do yourself (cabin filter).

 

Re: What services you need and what you don't

Great Post. I am from New Zealand. My 2007 Prius has just clocked 200,000kms and going well. Any tipes on what I should be checking at this stage. I recently had the font disk brakes and rotors replaced and having problem with the cruise control - it keeps sticking and sometimes I have to depress the brake pedal whilst stationary to allow it to be engaged. Any clues. cheers

 

Re: What services you need and what you don't

10kmiles is the oil change interval for the Prius in Europe not 20k