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Dealer wants to clean fan, "trans axle service," $611 total

Discussion in 'Gen 3 Prius Care, Maintenance & Troubleshooting' started by carlbarry, Feb 8, 2023.

  1. carlbarry

    carlbarry Member

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    I brought in my 2012 Gen 3 Prius due to it not working because of an IPM failure after 28,000 miles.
    When it was ready, I was told that I don't bring it in to them for service, but it needs "hybrid maintenance" that only they can do. Which is:
    1. Hybrid fan cleaning service $339.95
    2. Trans axle service $269.95
    Over the phone, he told me the filter for the fan cooling the HV battery should be cleaned. From my research, it looks like the filter is near the fan, and requires quite a bit of work to get to.
    The "trans axle service" is I assume changing the transmission fluid.
    Do any experts have an opinion as to if any of this is necessary at this point? It's really a design error to not have that filter easily accessible.
    Thanks.
     
  2. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

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    Too much!
    28,000?
    You need to follow the maintenance schedule that came with the car.
    10 years, a lot needs to be done, though tranny fluid is not on there , it’s a good idea.
    Battery fan does not need to be cleaned and the filter is on the side of the rear passenger seat, you can look at it yourself
     
  3. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

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    Find another dealer or private mechanic.
    $150. For tranny and $100. To clean the fan if you choose.
    Fan is only an issue if you carry shedding pets
     
  4. carlbarry

    carlbarry Member

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    I did some research on the filter by the rear passenger seat. A couple of places said I just need to slide up that whole assembly. Doesn't seem to slide on my car. Other sites said look through the grill there to see if there is a filter. I did; didn't see a filter. And of course, other sites said there is a filter down by the fan, after much disassembly.
     
  5. Noahdoge

    Noahdoge Active Member

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    Your 2012 may not have a filter. My 2012 didn’t. This video will answer all your questions.

     
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  6. ASRDogman

    ASRDogman Senior Member

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  7. carlbarry

    carlbarry Member

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    I actually had come across his video. I can't pull up on that panel. Tomorrow I will try to loosen the bolt, and give it another try. And oh yeah, look through the louvres to see if I can see a filter there.
    Thanks!
     
  8. carlbarry

    carlbarry Member

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    Thanks. I'm a little leery of adding in an AC filter, which might cut the air flow a bit. In any event, I have no dirt at all around the intake. I have no dogs being transported, and 99% of the time, I am alone in the car. And I don't shed too much, either.
     
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  9. nicoj36

    nicoj36 Active Member

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    Just diy
     
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  10. CR94

    CR94 Senior Member

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    There's no battery-air filter, if it's the same as 2010-11. You can fairly easily improvise a filter to go on or just behind the intake grill at the side of the rear seat.
    The transmission oil is fairly simple to change DIY---not much more laborious than an engine oil change. $270 is at least double what that should cost, even if they're billing $100/hour.
     
    #10 CR94, Feb 8, 2023
    Last edited: Feb 9, 2023
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  11. ASRDogman

    ASRDogman Senior Member

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    There IS an A/C filter, behind the glove box.
    Just remove the lower glove box, press the tab on the white cover and
    remove it and there is the cabin air filter...

     
    #11 ASRDogman, Feb 8, 2023
    Last edited: Feb 8, 2023
  12. carlbarry

    carlbarry Member

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    I meant putting a snippet of a room window air conditioner filter in the intake for the HV battery fan. I didn't mean the cabin filter.
     
  13. ASRDogman

    ASRDogman Senior Member

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    I put the Toyota filter and an AC filter and have not had any problem.
    I have two dogs, lot's of FUR! It's never overheated, never had any problems.
    Those filters catch the fur and a lot of dust and dirt.
    It pops right off and easy to clean with water. Then clips on...

     
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  14. Mendel Leisk

    Mendel Leisk EGR Fanatic

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    $100 for transaxle drain and fill, ditto for fan cleaning.
     
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  15. vvillovv

    vvillovv Senior Member

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    #15 vvillovv, Feb 10, 2023
    Last edited: Feb 10, 2023
  16. carlbarry

    carlbarry Member

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    They would know the same way they would know if the fan needs cleaning, or any of the other things they have told me that needs to be done, but can only be inspected with a big disassembly.
    Last time I brought it in (3 years ago) for an oil change and State inspection, they told me it needed about $3000 in work. One thing they wanted over $100 for was cleaning the little flapper valve in the engine air intake. I did that myself in about 15 minutes, and there was NO dirt on the valve.
    In other words, it's a rip-off; recommend unnecessary work that an uneducated consumer would have no way of knowing whether it's necessary or not. I have a friend whose wife falls for that. She brought in their SUV to the dealer, and they told her she needs the cabin filter replaced for over $100!
     
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  17. jdenenberg

    jdenenberg EE Professor

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    Toyota dealers tend not to suggest tranny fluid replacement in their cars as it is claimed to be a "Lifetime" fluid. It is not gong to last the life of your car if you want your tranny to last 300k miles. I do an ATF drain/ refill at 30k miles (to get out the break-in metallic wear particles) and then a second one at 90k miles and every 90k thereafter. This approach was derived by tracking ATF using lab analysis every 60K miles in my 2004 Prius which showed the degradation of Type WS ATF with time/miles.

    JeffD
     
  18. Mendel Leisk

    Mendel Leisk EGR Fanatic

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    I did a transaxle fluid drain-and-fill very early, around 15K kms and one year, and it was markedly darker than new fluid. Did a couple more changes, progressively further spaced, and the drained fluid looked increasingly close to new, so I've resolved to forget about it for a long time now.
     
  19. ASRDogman

    ASRDogman Senior Member

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    "Lifetime" in the car business means: Until the warranty expires....
    Then they are off the hook!
     
  20. vvillovv

    vvillovv Senior Member

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    I changed the tranny fluid at 36k . It looked like it didn't need changing, but 36k was at least 80% EV, though I wonder if EV % makes any difference in tranny fluid flush, probably not a big deal either way.
    I have 4 more qts of WS and am going to change it again, eventually.