Who has done their recall?

Opinions? Toyota has the facts. Good luck!

 

I got the boost converter recall / firmware update done on my car (2010 Prius 3, built in March 2010) when I had it at the dealer about 4 months ago. I haven't noticed any difference in performance since. My mostly-highway fuel usage averages about 49-51 statute miles per US gallon, same as before.
I think I hear the traction battery cooling fan operating more often than I remember in the past, but I have no serious observations to support that.

 

Just thought I'd throw in my two cents here in case anyone's keeping score. I had a 2010 package IV that had the recall done back in March. I immediately noticed a drop in MPG but gave it some time to see if it would level off and it never did. Then, as summer approached the traction battery fan kicked into overdrive. If I pressed the gas the fan would kick in. Prior to the update, with over four years of ownership, I had only heard the fan kick on a couple times. It drove me completely nuts that it went in for service twice. The dealer took apart the whole fan system and could find nothing wrong. The only thing we could point our fingers at was the update.

Anyways, I don't have the car anymore but I figured I'd share, anyways. Sorry to hear the update caused some folks a headache.

 

The HV Battery fan speed increases with vehicle speed. That is one reason that when you press the gas you hear the fan.

Several people have commented on here that they have heard the battery fan much more often than before the update. I monitor my battery temps, fan speed, fan air temperature and room temperature closely during the hot summer months. I have definitely noticed that my battery temperatures are running higher this summer, after the recall, than last summer with similar ambient temperatures.

 

I have experienced the same thing along with a drop in mpg of about 15-20%. When I asked the service manager about the mileage he said it would go back up. Hasn't yet.

Any suggestions?

 

After reading all the comments on this thread, I'm sooooo glad I've postponed doing my update/recall.

 

After 8 weeks without our car, our dealer finally got an inverter in stock and fixed our car. While the recall could cause issue, not doing the recall will damage / shorten the life of your inverter. I have a feeling we are going to see a lot more inverter failures as the years go on. The advantages outweigh the disadvantages for the recall.

 

I have not seen a decrease in mpg like you. As for battery temps my only advice would be to monitor temps closely.

For my particular daily work commute, I have a 20 mile drive home that ends with a 5 mile drive through city streets with heavy rush hour traffic. The constant start/stop and regen braking "heat pumps" the battery temps. I have started shifting to neutral to disable regen braking and using the friction brakes to help eliminate the heat pumping of the batteries. This does seem to help control the heat pumping of the battery temps.

 

Decided to get the recall done, reluctantly. I suggest you understand the consequences before you get yours done.

Early findings indicate it reduced my MPG by ~4 on average, but time and more fill-ups will render a more accurate result.

It increased my 0-60 uphill time test by an average of 5%. Prior to doing the recall, I ran many 0-60 tests on an uphill freeway on-ramp, all from a dead stop at exactly the same location. I used the "CT Speedometer Systems LITE" android app, which includes a GPS based 0-60 timer. Power mode, A/C off and WOT every time. After the recall detuning, the times went up by 5% on average.

This update detunes your car. The ICE runs more often, louder fan cooling noise, lower MPG, slower acceleration. For what??? So Toyota does not have to actually FIX the problem and reduce in warranty replacements, while the consumer gets less performance. Is there any attorneys out there that want to pursue a class action lawsuit? Toyota should be forced to properly redesign and replace the faulty parts to maintain the claimed product specifications, and not detune the car to prevent failures. At the very least, I should be given reasonable compensation for spending additional money for gas, and reduced enjoyment of the car through lower performance. Toyota, shame on you for taking the easy way out. This is clearly a recall for their benefit and not ours.

Several of you may have noted an increase in mileage, presumably from those who drive slow and live in areas without hills. I can see this happening, because the batteries are going through a deeper cycle and preventing a rapid full charge. This trick will allow more instances of regeneration and battery use on a low stress level. Consequently reduce battery life as well. For us normal drivers who often pass others, accelerate briskly on freeway onramps, and drive the vehicle like a normal car, we are penalized severely. Please consider realistically the kind of driver you are before doing the recall. Consider yourselves warned.

 

My 2011 Prius is making me crazy! I have averaged between 48 and 50 MPG consistently since I bought it (I'm the first owner) and since the recall I am really lucky if I get around 40 MPG (and it's dropping). I am still driving it the same way and places as I always have. We replaced the traction battery not too long after the recall work was done. I used to love my Prius, now I'm constantly frustrated with it. I thought I was taking care of my car by taking it in for the recall, now I really wish recall work could be reversed.

 

I had mine done 2 days ago, and so far everything seems the same - I got 61 mpg the rest of the day (starting from a warm engine, with 4 trips totaling about 100 miles between 1:30 and 8 PM), which is possibly better than I might have expected previously, but not impossible. Also did some mountain driving yesterday that netted about 52 mpg. Of course, that's just what the computer reports, so it'll take a few tanks to be sure, and to get more of our usual driving routes in.

Nothing behavior-wise (acceleration, engine on/off, etc.) seems different either, at least so far. I do drive somewhat conservatively though, so YMMV (literally).

 

We got a 2010 Gen 3 Prius III a few months ago, it does not have the recall. I was able to squeeze out 68 mpg on a good day in the morning on my ~70 mile commute. I was easily getting over 60 mpg every day. Gave this car to my mom and got another car, a 2010 Gen 3 Prius IV, last week.
The IV has the recall done and now I am struggling to get 55 mpg. I have the tires at 42/42. It could be the lower temperature, (42F in the morning already), it could better tires on the III. But I can feel that it is a bit more sluggish.

When I got the IV the tires were way low, 35/32 and it felt like driving a sponge. I barely got 50 mpg the first day. Bringing the tires to 42/42 made it feel much better and got me up to 55 mpg. I will be searching for other factors, like loose trim at highway speeds or dragging brakes.

 

I am so glad I finally found (and read) this thread. I had the update done on mine back in late April. Ever since then, my MPG average has dropped from 47-48 to around 42-43MPG. I was thinking it was because of the tires I had put on a few weeks earlier, but they have to be broken in by now (and, I put on the exact same brand/model of tires I had on it before).

Has anyone heard of anything on Toyota's part to get this fixed?

 

Several on here took it back to dealer and were told the software update was not performed correctly. After the reflash their mpg returned.

 

Thanks -- I'll give that a try.

 

Just did the recall software update last Friday. Definitely not happy with the power reduction, it does not have the kick as it used to have before when flooring on PWR mode, I actually think it is unsafe now when switching to other lanes to escape traffic due to the slower and delayed acceleration. My steering wheel also seemed a bit stiffer when turning, and my speedometer is 3 mph off, for example if I am going 45mph, I'm actually only going 42mph, this was tested on 2 different gps devices with speedometers.

Toyota simply reduced our cars power in order for it to avoid the inverter failure, which I am very unhappy about. I am changing my driving habit to way slower now which I really don't like. It feels like the car is out of sync and has decreased reactions as far as sudden braking and accelerations which I think makes it dangerous. F*** Toyota, should have never done this update.

 

That's an odd one. Didn't have those issues when I drove mine after the update. Had no difference in how the car drove. That was a 2010.

 

I grumbled about mine after the recall and it did seem there was a slight loss of power in Power mode. Now? I've got used to it and the car seems just like it was before. I'd be curious what the car would read on a rolling road - 134bhp? 150bhp or 115 bhp?

 

IMHO, if this recall would result in loss of HP, Toyota should have advised owners so (or at least be open about how this recall affects the specifications that they published) and:

a. made the recall optional which means they would replace any failed inverters during standard hybrid warranty and
b. extended Inverter warranty for those that get the recall done like the brake accumulator warranty extension they have done for the 2007 (first generation) HyCam.

While I did perceive an ever so light loss of the "kick" in PWR mode, it's not significant for me and for my driving conditions/style for which the car seems adequate as before. YMMV.

 

My car is in service for 4 weeks now. Still waiting for the parts. No ETA