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Bought Used Gen3 2010 Prius IV @ 155k miles. What should be done?

Discussion in 'Gen 3 Prius Care, Maintenance & Troubleshooting' started by swordsx48, Nov 21, 2024 at 4:40 AM.

  1. swordsx48

    swordsx48 New Member

    Joined:
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    Location:
    Los Angeles
    Vehicle:
    2010 Prius
    Model:
    IV
    Hi all hope all are well!

    I bought this prius, got a great deal on it in fact. $5300. It runs well, I've been getting 45-48mpg on eco mode, and I'm really happy with it. My first hybrid.
    It definitely does consume oil though, and I was thinking of doing the EGR + intake cleaning & a piston soak. Piston soak I see could be recommended not to do as B12 breaks down the rings, but it seems the soak is more likely to address the oil consumption, and the EGR more to help with heat.

    Now, some say it's easy, some say it's hard. I'd say I'm relatively decent with cars, done brakes, rotors, on my previous cars. Changed a valve cover gasket. I'm not great definitely, but I'm open to doing it myself. If I can get it done over a weekend that would be reasonable.
    What all should be done or looked at? Some also say the water pump. Any kind of checklist some expert has here?
    And so many different sources, would love some definitive full fledged videos -- "here, this to clean the EGR & intake. This for the piston soak"

    @Mendel Leisk if I may?

    Looking forward to feedback from the community! A very happy first time prius owner - getting double the mpg of my 05 camry.
     
  2. JC91006

    JC91006 Senior Member

    Joined:
    Nov 10, 2013
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    Location:
    Los Angeles, CA
    Vehicle:
    2008 Prius
    Model:
    II
    Do you have any repair history on this car? You can run a carfax to see if there are repairs/maintenance that has already been done, so you don't have to repeat them. 155k miles, many things should have been done already
     
  3. Brian1954

    Brian1954 Senior Member

    Joined:
    Jan 31, 2021
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    Location:
    South Central PA, USA
    Vehicle:
    2011 Prius
    Model:
    III
    Yes, for engine water pump replacement. Also, be prepared for the head gasket going bad in the next 10k to 45k miles.
     
  4. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

    Joined:
    May 11, 2005
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    Location:
    boston
    Vehicle:
    2012 Prius Plug-in
    Model:
    Plug-in Base
    congrats and welcome!
    merv has your back:
    watch
    all the best!
     
  5. Mendel Leisk

    Mendel Leisk EGR Fanatic

    Joined:
    Oct 17, 2010
    56,753
    39,259
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    Location:
    Greater Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
    Vehicle:
    2010 Prius
    Model:
    Touring
    The top two links in my signature are EGR related (on a phone turn it landscape to see signatures). Also recently added an EGR cleaning workflow, here.

    At your miles, I wouldn’t look at EGR cleaning as a “get out of jail for free” card; it’s late in the day to start with this. Unfortunately, it’s just about the time head gaskets start letting go, so tread cautiously, don’t make any major investments in it for the next few months; just deal with the EGR, then wait and see for a bit.