2010 Prius Maintenance Schedule (US)

Prius chat gurus recommend an ATF change at 30,000 miles then every 60,000 miles based on used ATF analysis.
Brake fluid degrades by picking up moisture, not by time or mileage. Brake fluid should last longer in Phoenix than in Miami. Honda's suggestion of 3 years may be a good average. There are test strips your mechanic can use to measure moisture.

Amazon.com: Phoenix Systems 1-1000 Brake Fluid Test Strips 100 Per Pack: Camera & Photo

 

Mendel, Thanks for creating the maintenance schedule as a Excel spreadsheet. This is much easier to follow. Is there a key for the colors? Do the colors represent anything?

Thanks,
sweaver13

 

Many thanks!

 

I have a 2010 toyota prius IV ?...with 85000.
I have had the rear brake pads and rotors replaced within the past year...
Now I am being told that both rear calipers need to be replaced along
With the pads and rotors....the parts alone are 520$...according to toyota
They are saying that the rear brakes calipers etc should be serviced cleaned etc every
30000 miles and another dealer is saying every 15000 miles.
Help anyone else with same issue or comments? Thanks

 

Thank you Mendel ---- well I took the car in this morning and also got a second opinion yesterday ----- turns out I do not need new calipers in the rear they needed to be cleaned out and greased ---- I am going to have them do this every 30000 miles from now on --- in the front and rear ---sullivan tire did not charge me anything and they replaced the rotors and pads also ---- they probably should have done that maintenance when they replaced the rear brakes within this past year.... they did the right thing... they charge 30 to do that maintenance per axel where 1 toyota dealer I spoke to charges 195 per axel !!! I have 85000 on my car. How many miles on yours and have you had any issues? Thank you !

 

I want to look at the required maintenance schedule. Thanks :-D

 

The brake fluid never needs changed???
But I thought brake fluid was hydrophillic (sucks water out of the air) and needs to be changed every few years, to prevent build-up of rust from te watery liquid. Hmmm.

 

this is great, thanks.

 

Brake fluid change is overrated. You don't need to change it every two years. I've changed only once on my 2002 camry.

Same thing goes for the transmission fluid. Some say when its dark you need to change. Its incorrect, though. Its dark, but its effective and you don't need to change it.

 

This is why I wish location was a mandatory field. Brake fluid absorbs humidity out of the air. if cipsaz lives in southern AZ or much of NV, he may well be right, simply because there is no humidity in the air to absorb. Water in the brake fluid makes it boil at a lower temperature, so the flatter it is the less you will notice your brakes fail at high temps. A Prius does not heat the brake fluid as often as other cars. However, not having brakes is a poor result at any time or place.

This is Prius specfic, but we are not changing it because it is transmission fluid, we are changing it because microscopic pieces of metals short out the windings of the Motor/Generators, burning off their insulation. We want or ATF to be a clean nonmetallic fluid to cool electric motors.

 

Why? Do you think you know more about your Prius than Toyota? The manufacturer is the absolute last person to tell you not to change a particular fluid, so if they say dont change it you can be damn certain they are confident.

 

The car manufacturer's preventive maintenance schedule is the bare minimum you need to do to keep a car running well and avoid costly repairs. Car manufacturers minimize their prescribed preventive maintenance schedules so they can understate "total cost of ownership" advertising numbers.

If you trade cars often you can probably just do the minimum, but if you keep your car longer and want to save money in the long run, changing the fluids more often and servicing things like brakes that the car manufacture doesn't call for is a wise move.

Bottom line is it is your car and your money. The car manufacturer is not your friend or fiduciary. It wants to take more of your money by selling you costly repairs and yes another new car. Doing just a little more preventive maintenance in certain critical areas than the car manufacturer calls for will prevent the car manufacturer from taking more of your money. Once you understand this and put it into practice, you will be ahead of the game.

 

I have a 2010 prius 11.....it has 69,000 miles on it.....I got as high as 54 mpg the first three years....I changed the yoko tires at 30,000 and put cooper 90,ooo rated tires....my mileage dropped to the high 40's.....now I am getting in the low 40's mpg......I have replaced the engine and air filters as scheduled.....I use mobil 1 0-20 viscosity extended life oil, rated at 15,000 miles.....I change every 10,000 and use no oil.
I thought maybe I needed new plugs but it says 120,000 to change....I will probably buy Michelin energy or bridgestone ecopia next time..
I wonder if anyone has any thoughts about why my mpg is so low......thanks for any info

 

I do not think Cooper markets a Low Rolling Resistance tire.

Going back to a LRR tire may well pick up 5 MPG

 

I checked my battery this morning....overnight it read 12.2v.....with engine running is was 14.25v.....original battery is 7 yrs old...is the optima battery the best choice for prius 111 ......I plan to buy Michelin energy saver tires next time around....I would like to get back to the mileage that I got in the first year.....

 

a good choice. the best choice? it's subjective.