2016 Brake Fluid Flush w/o Techstream?

You might start by looking in the Repair Manual for your model year (more info) to see if there is a procedure for "brake fluid replacement (without Techstream)".

There is for Gen 3, even though there isn't any non-Techstream procedure for bleeding. The difference is that in fluid replacement, there's no air in the system to begin with, and as long as you're super careful none gets in with your fluid replacement, you don't need all of the operations in the Techstream procedure for actual bleeding.

But you'd need to look in the Gen 4 repair manual to be sure, because the brake system significantly changed.

 

The Repair Manual for model years 2016–2022, under Brake: Brake System (Other): Brake Fluid: Replacement, does indeed have a procedure for “REPLACE BRAKE FLUID (When Not Using the Techstream).” As @ChapmanF kindly pointed out, this procedure is valid only if you’re careful not to let any air get into the system.

For fourth-generation Prius cars, there is also now a procedure for “BLEED BRAKE LINE (When Not Using the Techstream).” This applies only to the lines, however; bleeding the complete system, as to remove air in the brake booster with master cylinder or actuator assemblies, requires a Toyota Techstream diagnostic system or equivalent. Toyota warns, “CAUTION: The Techstream must be used for bleeding the brake system. If not used, the air bleeding will be incomplete, which is hazardous and may lead to an accident.”

The Toyota Techstream software is available with a Professional Diagnostic subscription to techinfo.toyota.com, from $65 for two days. If your Bluetooth scan tool provides an SAE J2534 library, it might be compatible.

 

Repair Manual info. The "without Techstream" method starts about halfway in:

 

Somone scooped everything into a pdf a while back. I got a copy and create pdf excerpts as needed.

 

Definitely check with other Toyota dealerships. A brake flush shouldn't be more than $120 or so and that includes the fluid too. I did mine at the dealer instead of a local shop specifically for the use of Techstream and wanted it done right. I even brought my own fluid and they used it.

**** ninja edit **** I checked my post about the services I did and I actually listed the price. The dealership charges me $109 for brake flush

Posted via the PriusChat mobile app.

 

I'm with you....love doing my own maintenance, the more the better! Our family has seven cars and I try my best to keep them all updated on maintenance. (The hardest part is getting my hands on them for an afternoon.) My wife's 2017 will be due for a brake fluid flush this year and I have a scan tool that has the feature of turning on/off the ABS system to bleed without having to pump the brakes, or using a suction device.
The scan tool is called XTool D7 and is pretty impressive although I wasn't able to use it to program a new key fob for my daughters' 2016 Mazda. (But the professional who ended up doing it took 4-hours and had to use two different high-tech tools to do it, so I don't feel as bad....those Mazda security systems are pretty complex.) FWIW my 2021 Prius has 44 computers it can talk with and do diagnostics.
I've asked The Car Care Nut to use either his D7 or D8 scanner to bleed brakes so hopefully he finds a Toyota to make a video on it. (There's not a lot out there, right now.)
Not sure if you want to spend that much money...but here's his reviews on the XTool scanners

 

My two cents.

I’ve did the brake flush two times. I’ve not used anything other than putting the car in maintenance mode cracking the line at each wheel, and then having someone keep the reservoir over halfway… first wheel I’ll wait til new fluid is coming out. Then I’ll pump it, close valve, on to next wheel. Bam, new fluid through all lines, no air… simple as any other vehicle.

 

Not Invalid Mode?

 

Oops. Might have been invalid mode. Idk where I got maintenance mode from… or maybe I did it in maintenance mode both times and got lucky lol. I honestly can’t remember I’ve only did it twice.

 

i trust car care nut, so whatever he recommends sounds like it would be sufficient. It’s pretty much equivalent to pressure bleeding which many shops do. They probably use an air compressor instead of pumping. Just remember to not open and close the door in middle of the procedure.

 

If your dealer let's you bring your own fluids, use Motul DOT 5.1.It's better performing and absorbs less moisture than either DOT 3 or 4. Don't confuse 5.1 and 5. Huge difference with DOT 5 being completely incompatible with regular brake fluid. Motul is also the same price if not cheaper than OEM. My dealership is really cool and let's me bring in all my own fluids (oil, transmission, brake). For a brake flush, bring two bottles.

Posted via the PriusChat mobile app.

 

I’ve done a couple of non-Techstream method brake fluid changes on our ‘10, not hard. Cost me (each time) about $15 for a couple of Toyota DOT3 pints.

 

Check the bleed valves still have caps. It’s a little tricky, but you should be able to do it without raising car or removing wheels. Also, just make sure the brakes feel normal.

do you recall where the level was before you took it in? Aim to get it back there, with a baster or what have you.

Keep in mind: the level will drop about 1/2” when you open drivers door, activate pump. The “after” level is likely best to use.

 

I personally would never let any shop do maintenance items, even dealership…unless it was part of free maintenance. Those jobs they usually let the newer mechanics handle which you never know how they would perform.

 

That should not be the case with something so life-and-death important. Sadly it is: we had a similar experience at a Honda dealership a few years back; half the bleed bolt caps were missing, and one of the rear corners was NOT braking at all...

They heard about, lol.

 

In earlier generations, the level markings on the fluid bottle are expressly positioned to be right when the system is "zeroed down"—that is, when there is no fluid stored in the accumulator under pressure and it has all returned to the reservoir. This is the state before you open the driver's door or otherwise wake the system up.

If you let the system pump up pressure, the reservoir level goes down (as Mendel notes), and the level markings are not correct then. For example, if you fill to what looks like MAX while the system is pressurized, the next time it has zeroed down, you will see that it is overfilled. (That might, even, be one of the mistakes the dealer made here.)

I assume the markings in Gen 4 are meant to be used the same way, but I haven't looked it up in a Gen 4 repair manual to make sure.