Hi purchased a 2017(not prime), I thought the filter would be the cartridge type and to my surprise it was a canister type like my 2008 Prius. Are all of the 2017's this way or was there a change?
From reading other oil change threads here, there was a change part-way through 2017. I think the cartridge idea was to be more environmentally-friendly, and they finally decided the environment could take that tiny hit in exchange for some convenience and all the CO-related damage Prii are NOT doing.
The cartridge has been problematic too: The O-ring can be mis-positioned, the housing can get damaged during removal if it was previously overtorqued, and last but not least: it's possible to install the housing without a cartridge. The latter scenario's been reported here at least once, an owner taking over maintenance for the first time, finding no filter element when they remove the housing. That said, I've had no problems so far, with the filter in reusable housing. I've done 14~15 DIY oil changes (every 6 months), and torqued it to 18 foot pounds each time. A couple of improvements Toyota could have done: 1. Revise the filter housing to a more durable material, say stamped steel, made so it could be installed removed with just a ratchet wrench, no need for cumbersome oil filter socket. Say either directly connecting to a 3/8" drive, or with a largish socket, maybe 17mm~19mm? 2. Rework the O-ring recess so the location can't be screwed up, or go to an end gasket. 3. Design the housing so that it's impossible to install without a filter element inside. If possible, lol.
I suspect another reason for the change is profit. Paper elements are cheap which equates to low profit margin, the canister filters are 3-4 times the cost to us. Working on a % mark up that's 3-4 times the profit. Small amounts, I know, but it all adds up taking into account the number of oil changes performed.
That's a good thought, but the thing is, if you need a paper filter element, you'll probably buy Toyota. With a spin-on filter, we have a LOT of choices, and Toyota will usually be the most expensive one. So they're actually LOSING money on oil filter sales now. I'll probably find the Bosch filter that fits.
After taking off three panels from under the car, I have yet to find the oil filter. from reading a post, it seems to be viewable from behind the right front wheel by cranking the wheel to the left. Is it also workable from that position? ( without removing another panel ) The previous Toyota mechanics have shown the way to the oil drain panel. just three screws. From the deduced direction of the oil flow, it looks like oil all over the place. Iv never owned a car where I couldn’t find the oil filter, It’s always connected to the engine block and relativly Close to the engine drain. Thanks in advance for your help.
In this post I have a shot of the u Der side and the oil change door: What did you do to your Prime today? Behind the door is the drain plug and filter. Hope that helps.
