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BRAND new to 2020 PRIUS in WHITE !

Discussion in 'Newbie Forum' started by bikeprof, Jan 9, 2023.

  1. bikeprof

    bikeprof New Member

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    Hello all PRIUS persons here !

    John here after buying a 2020 base model with 208.800 miles, two years and a whopping number of miles :eek:.

    This was a patrol vehicle(one of three). Car is in pretty good shape but some smaller cuts and nicks on paint, couple sensors out of front bumper and splash wheel well guards/lower bumper need fixing, etc...

    Since ten years is expected for HYBRID batteries, I've got about 8 more :) !

    Maintenance is OK. because it was a lease but I'm updating that daily, just ordered WHOLE SET of brake rotors/pads w/fluid, changing parts is a necessity now...
    Next is CVT.
    Coolant,
    Steering,
    probably plugs, etc... but car is running like new so may wait a little.

    209K miles for $13K and returning 55-68 MPG, very nice !

    Anyone can suggest parts, routine repairs, etc... please, THAT'S WELCOME !
    (I'm learning about the dash/electronics, that's ARGH! )

    (I'll post PICS little later but it is JUST WHITE, white ! Just white...

    :D:cool::D
     
    #1 bikeprof, Jan 9, 2023
    mountaineer and bisco like this.
  2. hill

    hill High Fiber Member

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    100,000 miles a year? Wow! It must be on its third set of tires by now.
    Congratulations!
    .
     
    #2 hill, Jan 10, 2023
  3. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

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    congrats and welcome!

    maintenance schedule available at toyota.com/owners

    outside of the schedule, you might consider free 12v load test at auto zone, and changing the tranny fluid.
    take a peak at the air and cabin filters too, and of course, oil level and tyres pressure
     
    #3 bisco, Jan 10, 2023
  4. bikeprof

    bikeprof New Member

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    YES !
    I keep forgetting to check entrance to HYBRIB battery vent but MANANA, I'll do it fo' sure...!

    Waiting SO patiently on air filters because betting the cabin one is yuck :sick:...

    I'll keep you all abreast of stuff, thanks and gimme pointers like how to change CVT fluid.
    Thanks !
     
    #4 bikeprof, Jan 10, 2023
  5. ColoradoBoo

    ColoradoBoo Senior Member

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    Location:
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    Vehicle:
    2017 Prius
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    Congrats! My 2021 AWD Prius (LE) is also white...my wife named her Mini-Pearl. (Color is "Wind Chill Pearl")

    I'll post my standard maintenance chart for our vehicles:

    Oil/Filter Every 6-months or 5,000 miles
    Air Filter As Needed (check every 6-months)
    Cabin Air Every 12-months (Charcoal)
    Radiator Coolant Every 5-years or 100,000 miles
    Hybrid Coolant Every 5-years or 100,000 miles
    CVT/AT Tranny Every 5-years
    Power Steering Fluid Every 4-years/50,000 miles (Not Hybrids)
    Front/Rear DIffs Every 3-years
    Transfer Case Every 3-years
    Lube Every 12-months
    Spark Plugs/PCV and PCV Valve Hose/ Radiator Cap / Gas cap Every 10-years/100,000 Miles
    Brake Fluid Flushed Every 4-years/50,000 miles
    Throttle Body Cleaned Every 25,000 Miles
    MAF Sensor Cleaned Every 25,000 Miles
    Tire Rotation Every 5,000 Miles
     
    #5 ColoradoBoo, Jan 11, 2023
  6. bikeprof

    bikeprof New Member

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    Really enjoying having a new(er) car that is a gas mizer FINALLY !

    So glad that we can get stuff we need so fast these days...

    1. Installed engine air filter, wasn't so bad but it's done!
    2. Replaced cabin filter with charcoal filter, it WAS needed.
    3. HAD to remove Hybrid battery intake filter cause it was clogged, put filter media there while the one(s) ordered arrive in a couple days...

    Ordered full brake set of rotors/pads, etc...
    Ordered 2 small touch up paint thingies

    Going for the coolant(s) and CVT fluid changes soon
    AND learning about the vehicle, so far getting 57 MPG average and high a of 76 so far(but short trip)
     
    #6 bikeprof, Jan 20, 2023
  7. 2010moneypit?

    2010moneypit? Active Member

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    Congratulations!

    If you are changing the transmission fluid stick with Toyota fluid only.
     
    #7 2010moneypit?, Jan 20, 2023
    ColoradoBoo likes this.
  8. ColoradoBoo

    ColoradoBoo Senior Member

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    Since the air filter wasn't clean, shine a light into the air fins on the blower motor and make sure it's not clogged up. If it is, just blow some compressed air in there to remove it...want as much air as possible blowing over the traction battery.

    57 MPG? Nice! Even at 200,000 miles it's getting way better MPG than my wife's 2017 Prius which doesn't even have 30,000 on her.

    Concerning the brakes, you know we have a different setup than traditional brakes, right? Bleeding the lines can be done the old-fashioned way but, I've found, it's easier to disconnect the negative battery terminal so the regenerative brake pressure doesn't turn on while working on the brakes. (There's a way to bleed the brakes using a scanner but requires two people and it's just as effective just turning the system off.) The electric pump sound you hear whenever you open the driver's door is the regenerative braking system charging itself up for use.
     
    #8 ColoradoBoo, Jan 20, 2023
    Doug McC and bikeprof like this.
  9. vvillovv

    vvillovv Senior Member

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    There are many misconceptions in regard to regenerative braking and it's relationship / function to the friction braking system.
    I did a search in the forum search box of regenerative braking and got 6 pages of results. skimming all 6 pages I did not find even one post I thought was worth linking to as a basic description for others to follow.
    On the olther hand I think there is a very good post that took me only a few minutes to find when searching the term brake booster pump which is the sound that is heard when the driver door is opened and a pumping noise is also heard. Brake actuator pump... brake accumulator pump...? | PriusChat

    The understanding of how the regenerative braking system and the frictuon braking systems work together and / or separately, gets extremely complex and is dependent of many things not the least of which is it's differences when in HV mode as compared to in EV mode.
    This post is already longer than I like it to be .....
     
    #9 vvillovv, Jan 20, 2023
  10. bikeprof

    bikeprof New Member

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    ColoradoBoo:
    THANKS for this information, SUPER helpful !
    LOTS to learn about the electric system and all of its intricacies, I heard that it is a BIG OUCHIE if done wrong...

    Checked brakes and they'll last another 3-4 months but I have new ones when needed.

    Went to TOYOTA "stealer ship"(dealers try to get to get customers to hop on board and bite the cost of parts/repairs 'cause it's got their name on it(including labor...), and they smell "nice"...
    Yes, there are parts and services that Toyota does deserve us to buy, but many, ALL ? Hmmm !

    Dealership stated that my Prius WAS UNDER WARRANTY until they heard the mileage...!
    VIN came back with 4 miles on the ODO. and THAT'S what is in the Toyota cloud, until they learned there are 209.323 actual miles...

    BUT there is a 10 year battery warranty, isn't there, I asked ?
    Yes, but that is 7.5 years to go said service tech and he invited for a
    $150 Toyota service check up, including ALL electrics...
    I THINK I WILL PAY FOR THAT...!
     
    #10 bikeprof, Jan 21, 2023
  11. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

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    LOL, they're always conniving new ways to reach into your pocket :p
     
    #11 bisco, Jan 21, 2023
  12. bikeprof

    bikeprof New Member

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    ColoradoBoo
    "The electric pump sound you hear whenever you open the driver's door is the regenerative braking system charging itself up for use."

    Dang aliens living under the dash..., Know I know where the beeps are coming from...
    And thanks for the TID BITS... of INFO. !
     
    #12 bikeprof, Feb 2, 2023
  13. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

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    it's the pump pressurizing the brake actuator
     
    #13 bisco, Feb 2, 2023
  14. bikeprof

    bikeprof New Member

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    So went to Phoenix for the month, came back and with strong winds of yesterday and today, still 50.4 for 1,100+ miles for the return !
    Been averaging 62-64 while in Phoenix and being patient with your foot is THE key to the EVO thing.., just keep the blue bar within the ( ) and the lower the better.

    IT is like a staircase... Accelerate a little then pause, accelerate and more pause and repeat till your wanted speed for the next process... After that, PULSE to an above 3-6mph+ speed and GRADUALLY lower to an "acceptable" flow with traffic and up and down you go AND repeat X infinity..........

    Or use an accelerator egg but might smell bad if you crack it :eek: !

    (Did the LYFT thing while in Phoenix, taking riders EVERYWHERE and this is a viable number for me, maybe others in normal driving)
     
    #14 bikeprof, Mar 17, 2023
  15. bikeprof

    bikeprof New Member

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    Sorry for the double post here...

    DID finally change engine oil 03/08/23 and better MPG's happened
    DID change the trans fluid three days ago before my trip, and YES, it was an ogre looking chocolate looking black. Probably 35-40K later, it'll get done again...
    I didn't have the breaker bar necessary-long enough to break the factory seal on the plug while laying on my back, seems factory fill :cry: so went to Midas !
    Alignment and tire rotation, THERE is difference in something so overlooked...
    (At Midas, they did: alignment, labor, tire rotation w/my oil-Toyota WS $190)
     
    #15 bikeprof, Mar 17, 2023
  16. CR94

    CR94 Senior Member

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    I predict it will look much prettier then.
     
    #16 CR94, Mar 17, 2023
    bikeprof likes this.
  17. bikeprof

    bikeprof New Member

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    Yeah, much better like it should be, little black but not CADBURY dark...
     
    #17 bikeprof, Mar 17, 2023
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