2009 Toyota Prius with 248k miles....Is it time to get rid of her?

If you've been waiting for the oil light to come on before adding oil, you've been doing the engine a disservice.

 

most of that stuff is minor, but you might need an engine or rebuild. if you want to keep it for a half million miles or so, it would be worthwhile.
a good used engine is only a grand or two installed

 

Letting the engine oil get so low is bad, really bad. The car probably won’t last to 300,000, you will throw a piston. If I were you I would start looking for a new car and a junkyard to drive the Prius to.

 

All the problems are manageable and worth fixing except for the problem with you not taking care of the oil level... If the oil light comes on every 2000 miles your lack of adding oil in a more timely manner means you killed your engine and need a new one, but that's alot of money to spend on a car that needs other work. If I were you I'd buy a lower mileage Prius on Craigslist in the the $4-6K range and get a fresh start.

 

Do yourself a favor and sell it now.

 

I'm not sure how much it is worth in this shape or form to sell, but it maybe worth considering keeping it for spare parts if buying another Gen2. If anything significant goes bad (water pumps,ABS actuator, inverter, hybrid battery, 12 v battery) on the new Gen2, you can replace it from the original one or have a mechanic do it, but you wouldn't need to pay for those parts.

 

Mine is a little younger, 212,xxx, and I'm in the process of diagnosing a few issues with it. To me, it's a challenge to see how for I can get it to go, as long as it doesn't need like 3k in work. It really comes down to how much you have in it, what you're willing to spend on it, and how much faith you have left in it.

 

Are you NOT aware that all engines need to have the engine oil level checked with some regularity, and maintained at the proper level?

So you see this warning light like clockwork!

This warning light is NOT "ADD" oil level light, like the low fuel warning light and audible sound.
This warning light essentially means "BAD OWNER, I AM GRINDING METAL ON METAL! YOU ARE KILLING ME EARLY."

Do exactly this:

If you wish to keep future vehicles in better shape, check engine fluid levels with regularity, and READ THE OWNERS MANUAL!

 

The oil warning light is for low oil pressure, not low level. By the time the warning light comes on the oil level is very likely way below the dipstick low mark (distance between the two marks on dipstick represents 1.5 liters, 1.6 quarts) Maybe Toyota should address this, somehow.

Moral of the story: check the level regularly.

 

Does the P2 not have an oil level warning? Sounds odd.


If it does have one, and it didn't come on in this case, but the low oil pressure came on first instead, it means there is another problem.

 

No, just oil pressure. There are oil level warnings on some cars, but I think it's not that common? It would be a very good idea though. Think it's a little tricky, to avoid too many false alarms, say due to hard cornering or steep grades.

 

Perhaps the only thing more crazy than outrageous prices of car repairs is people who were never taught that regularly checking your dipstick is just as important as fastening your seat belt... And if you don't know what a dipstick is... Please don't ask me, but you better find out.

 

That much is true. My Volkswagen Diesel will throw a yellow CEL and "engine oil level low, please check" warning in the MFD in fast right turns when the oil level is becoming borderline low. Don't ask why I know this

BMW pretty much got rid of the dipsticks in their engines, they only have a digital indication of the oil level now. Well, they have plastic timing chain guides in their engines too, so I guess the missing dipstick is the smaller issue there.

 

I have had many Toyotas, not one had ”oil low”-light. There is only ”No oils pressure”-light what means that you are already fked.
VAG diesels have oil low light because they are always consuming oil so much that even for new car owner needs add oil between changes.

 

To thegreatwb...

Speaking as a Mechanic, not a Prius owner...to let her go. The monies required would and be wiser spent on a replacement vehicle in better shape.