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Need 100k mile service advice ...

Discussion in 'Gen 3 Prius Care, Maintenance & Troubleshooting' started by linterzz, Feb 26, 2021.

  1. linterzz

    linterzz Junior Member

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    So, my 2012 is closing in on 100k miles and I figure I ought to take it to a dealer and get the service work done there. I am semi-disabled and can't do any of the work myself. Sigh. Worse: I haven't taken all that great care of the car. Done the oil changes at a local oil-change joint but that's about it. Oh -- and both batteries were replaced about a year ago.

    Car still runs great but every once in a while it shudders slightly, so I tend to shudder slightly, too. Anyway, I have limited funds but not so limited that I don't want to do what's necessary. That being the case, what's necessary at this stage of the car's life? And ... how much do you suppose it'll cost? I'm in San Diego.

    Thanks!
     
    #1 linterzz, Feb 26, 2021
  2. Mendel Leisk

    Mendel Leisk EGR Fanatic

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    Have you got the Warranty and Maintenance Booklet? If not you can download PDF from at least a couple of places. Toyota Tech Info is my go-to, then choose manuals tab, enter your car info and search.

    For States at 100k miles (or 10 years) I believe main extra item (besides oil and filter change) is engine coolant change, which should be maybe $100 or a bit more extra. Inverter coolant is delayed to 150k miles or 15 years BTW.

    There’s other items, not in the schedule, to consider, especially if you’ve never done, or let slide:

    1. In-depth brake inspection
    2. Brake fluid change
    3. Transaxle fluid change
    4. Complete Exhaust Gas Recirculation system and intake manifold cleaning. More info for the latter:

    Bad Flywheel | PriusChat
     
    #2 Mendel Leisk, Feb 26, 2021
    JC91006 likes this.
  3. royrose

    royrose Senior Member

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    So, you've averaged 11,000 miles or so per year. Are you expecting to keep that up or are you, like many these days, driving less? That could determine whether Mendel's #4 ,which can be quite expensive to pay to have someone do it, is needed soon.

    Like you, my Prius (a 2010) has 100,000 miles and runs great. I'm putting few miles on it these days so I am waiting on #4.

    I would add that a gen 3 Prius with 100,000 miles use oil, so be sure to check that periodically. Mine does use some, not drastic.
     
    #3 royrose, Feb 26, 2021
    Last edited: Feb 26, 2021
  4. ETC(SS)

    ETC(SS) The OTHER One Percenter.....

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    Coastal California is like the elephant graveyard for Priuses.
    This means that there are some good independent shops for these cars.
    I would IN NO WAY recommend that you set foot on a Toyota car lot for any reason....especially if you have limited funds.
    (don't MOST people?"
    As mentioned before....rummage around in your glove box and find your "warranty and maintenance guide" or down load one for the YEAR and MAKE of your Prius.

    It might look like this:
    https://www.toyota.com/t3Portal/document/omms-s/T-MMS-12Prius/pdf/2012_Toyota_Prius_WMG.pdf

    You said that you haven't taken all that great care of the car.
    That's actually a great first step!
    There's a bunch of know-it-all's out there that don't really know what they don't really know.
    Trust me. ;)
    So...
    Here's the deal.
    Being "partially disabled" doesn't mean that you cannot maintain a car, and it almost certainly does not mean that you cannot learn what's involved from the guide and even perform simple things like fluid checks, cabin air filters, etc.
    Watching a video such as @NutzAboutBolts EXCELLENT Prius maintenance videos will allow you to gauge the difficulty and expense of something like a transaxle fluid change to see how much you should be charged for this service.

    Consider changing the oil every 5,000 miles instead of 10,000 miles if you do not CHECK the oil level regularly.
    If you ignore our advice and go to the dealer, ask how much it will be to clean the EGR plumbing.....THEN ask how much an engine replacement will be.
    They DO seem to be related in "some" Priuses.
    Report back. ;)





    Penance for maintenance neglect:
    READ the ten longest posts in this forum for "sudden oil use" and "head gasket"
     
    #4 ETC(SS), Feb 26, 2021
    Ed Beaty likes this.
  5. Grit

    Grit Senior Member

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    o_O
     
    #5 Grit, Feb 26, 2021
  6. ETC(SS)

    ETC(SS) The OTHER One Percenter.....

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    Quote is accurate but out of context.
    You should consider jourinalism.... :D

    Besides....I thought that "You admitted" would sound too patronizing. ;)
     
    #6 ETC(SS), Feb 26, 2021
  7. pjksr02

    pjksr02 Active Member

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    Am I the only one curious to know more about why the hybrid battery was replaced?
     
    #7 pjksr02, Feb 27, 2021
  8. linterzz

    linterzz Junior Member

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    well, i'm back, sorry for not replying sooner -- health events and all that. meanwhile, i'll try searching for in indy toyota shop. gots to be at least one in the greater san diego area. and i will track down the cost of those things ya'll mentioned

    as re oil: uh oh. i got the Oil Maintenance Required light blocking my dashboard and have been ignoring it resolutely for about month, after some google search led me to believe it's not really true ... or might not really be true, the word 'might' suddenly becoming more relevant. i did check the oil when the light first came on and it looked okay. but maybe my looking wasn't so good.

    re the battery: one day the car wouldn't start. had it towed to a dealer who told me it was the small battery, which wasn't covered by warranty, so i paid through the beak for it. car ran fine for a month or two, then began to die again. got it towed again and this time, dealer told me twas the big battery and replaced it under the warranty. don't know why it died and wasn't told.

    i bought the car used. i continue to drive about 10k miles a year. and i will look at those how-to vids. maybe i can do something. i once owned a '76 bmw 2002 and loved tinkering with it. then again, that car was dead simple under the hood.

    thanks again for the advice, all. guess i better get this done. or at least priced out.
     
    #8 linterzz, Mar 10, 2021
    Last edited: Mar 10, 2021
  9. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

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    what does an 'oil maintenance required' light look like?

    i get a 'maintenance required' message every 5k, which is just a reminder to look at the schedule to see what needs to be done.
     
    #9 bisco, Mar 10, 2021
  10. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

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    you don't need a hybrid mech until the coolant and brake fluid need to be changed.

    and even then, any conscientious mech can do it
     
    #10 bisco, Mar 10, 2021
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