i have a 2001 prius. monday it started misfiring pretty bad so i took it in. they said sure enough the spark plus all had to be replaced. no worries there, they replaced them. then the fun started. it was still registering as something wrong so they tested the fuel and said it was contaminated and separating badly. then they said it needed new injectors, new ECM & valve adjustment to 'change the spray pattern of fuel' to prevent carbonation. which would cost $3000 and recommended we scrap the car. i dont really want to buy a new car, but if this one is kaput, so be it. BUT.. i'm just not sure they arent over-reacting? can they really tell all that just from diagnostic codes? i mean its not like they took the car apart and looked inside or anything. is it just something that as a mechanic you've seen before so you know whats going on? like i said if i gotta get a new car, then thats what i'll do. but i really love this car! if there is anyway to get around that i would so love to keep my awesome lil prius! if it helps, here are the codes they found: p0440 p0441 p0446 i apologize if this is posted in the wrong place or has been covered in other places (first time poster here and i did search, i promise!). any input would be appreciated as i do want to have a safe car but am hoping to not be ripped off if it can be helped. i realize i am probably lucky to have gotten this much out of an 01 prius in the first place, but if i can repair this one rather than buy a new (used) car that would certainly be my preference. thank you
0440, 0441, 0446 -- these are all EVAP codes. There is a gross leak somewhere. That could cause random misfiring at idle. It could be something as simple as a vacuum hose was not plugged back in when they did the plugs, even a bad gas cap seal. You may have been "blown out of the water" -- given an estimate so rediculus and ludicrous to have you go elsewhere, because they are too lazy to pull out the smoke machine and find the leak. Take it somewhere else, like a Toyota/Japanese specialist.
but does it mean all that other stuff is wrong? and if i run the car with the $20 of separated gas in it, will i kill my car? and is there a way to make this gas 'better' (for lack of a better word)? apologies for the simplistic questions, i just know zero about cars
What they are telling you has almost no resemblance to the trouble codes. It is very slightly possible that, with the gross EVAP leak, enough moisture has entered the fuel tank to cause the ethanol component to separate ... do you have E10 fuel in Canada? ... but I wouldn't expect that on a car that is driven regularly. And regarding the valve job to correct fuel spray patterns, it would literally be cheaper to pull an engine from the junkyard and have them install it. You see, this stinks so strongly of BS that I strongly encourage you to go elsewhere. If you have a close friend or relative that has some knowledge about cars, ask them for help, and a recommendation for a good shop. I understand that a Gen I Prius is pretty rare in Canada, but this is straight engine mechanicals here, so it should not be too hard to find someone competent.
