A hybrid Filter at 50,000?

This is why I love this forum- it really educates me on the recommended maintenance. Looking forward to the responses.

 

As the receipt states "TRULY EXCEPTIONAL"... A "hybrid filter"....

 

Change your filters yourself, only as required. There's an engine air intake filter, and a cabin air intake filter. The latter I'm very cavalier with, just tap it out, reverse blow with some air. I've yet to change either, at 70K kms on our 2010. The engine air filter looks virtually new still.

Hybrid filter? There is a coarse mesh grill on the hybrid battery fan air inlet on later years? Maybe that?

I'd guess the term "hybrid filter" is some challenged service writer's attempt to describe hybrid battery FAN cleaning. Maybe. Again, this is something relatively easy to do yourself.

See @NutzAboutBolts video on that topic, pinned at top of 3rd gen maintenance sub-forum. (Kinda guessing, that the v is very similar) I'd say seat removal is not needed. Also, you can clean the fan without completely removing it. I would leave virtually all hatch floor fasteners off, to make future removal easier.

You'll likely find the fan very clean still, but doesn't hurt to check.

 

The Gen2 had an issue with hybrid batt cooling fan gunking up, so you need to clean the fan (note I have never done this yet). It was especially an issue with pet hair for pet owners. As far as a v, I am skeptical of the cost quoted.

 

Just call the service department and ask them what they mean by "Hybrid Filter".

I'd be really curious as to what answer they give you.

 

"Hybrid Filter" means to filter that dealer and find another one...

 

poppycock. never go back to this dealer. period. at 30k, all you need is standard maintenance. look in your o/m. the only off manual thing you might consider is a tranny fluid change in the near future. don't pay more than a hundred bucks.

 

They say to clean the intake grill on the Gen 4. If you remove the grill you can see a filter but it is not mentioned anywhere in the maintenance guide.

 

Yeah our OEM grill is basically about the same spacing as a waffle. I tucked in behind it a screen, the same stuff that's used on residential windows, maybe 1/16" openings. Maybe every couple of years I've checked on the fan, it has fine dust but not that much build-up. OTOH, we're only at 70K km's, lol, and west coast so less dust in the air I think.

 

As far as cleaning, I like the v's design better than the battery vent near my back seat on my gen 3. Was the dealer going to charge you $299 for changing that filter? How much does that part cost? From your photos, it looks as if it can be changed without complicated use of tools.

 

looks like a terrible location to me. something pushed under the seat could easily block it, and not be seen.

 

Ditto most under-seat SRS wiring (not limited to the Prius/v)... Throws all sorts of codes.

 

Just vacuuming it seems a simple and effective course.

Still, sometime down the road, dig down to the fan itself, if only to confirm it's not bad.

 

It's a legit item, and that price would include a new filter and cleaning of the fan. If it doesn't get done it will lead to hybrid battery overheating and failure. As said above, it looks easy enough to do yourself except that I recall reading you have to be careful with the fan in some way.

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if it's legit, how often does the o/m say to check/clean/change it?
i wonder if that location is sucking up more lint? my inlet screen and filter are clean as a whistle after 54,000 miles.

 

I vacuum the outside of the vent a couple of times a week. But I haven't gotten inside yet. Did you routinely clean the actual filter behind the inlet screen? Or when you checked it, was it already clean as a whistle?

 

already clean. i carry no shedding pets, so that is one mitigating factor.

another is different models have different numbers of inlet grilles, and different locations.

for instance, my pip has one on the right rear passenger seat back toward the side, same as my gen 2's, but also has one on the left rear below the seat cushion.

 

Toyota does not include this in the maintenance schedule which I thought was odd, especially since a malfunctioning fan can lead to traction battery failure. (Maybe they figured the fan would outlast the battery? In my 2010, the battery failed at 305k miles, the fan had never been serviced and was found to be badly clogged. Are the two related? Correlation or causation? Who knows?)

I guess the point is, if you're able to do it yourself, it's worth doing.

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