Carbon buildup at <25k miles

YOU should find a different place to service your car.
They are trying to rip you off......most likely.

 

If you encounter this 'suggestion' again, ask them to show you where it is on the manufacturer's recommended service schedule. None of us has seen it.

It is usually an 'upsell' to help cover their vacation home and boat payments.

 

AND.....if there really IS "excessive" carbon buildup anywhere, you should report that to Toyota as it would be a warranty problem.
If you insist that the dealer report it for warranty repair, they might change their story.

I would be tempted to report it to the Toyota warranty help line myself......because Corporate might not be too happy with their "sales" techniques.

 

Unfortunately dealers are independently owned and operated business entity from the manufacturer/corporation (Toyota).
Dealers can use whatever tactic to make upsell or extra profit as long as it doesn't violate the business contract with the manufacturer.
I've been working in this industry for almost 30 years so I know a few things about it.
If the OP wishes, call the consumer services dept of Toyota (800-331-4331) and ask following:
> Is an excessive carbon build up a known issue on Prime and/or have they heard such report from other Prime owners?
> If what this dealer telling me is true, will this repair be covered by the Toyota warranty?
> If Toyota says they would cover, then have them directly call the dealer and give them an authorization.
At the end of the conversation, get a call reference number from the consumer services rep.

 

Or just fugedaboutit.

 

Stealership scam to extract $$$ from your pocket to theirs. You can usually get Techron at your local auto parts store 2 for 1 on sale. Run the 20 gallon size bottle through every 3-5k miles and that will take care of it.

 

Take care of what? Whatever, it won't work miracles If-and-when carbon's building up, on whatever; it takes mechanical intervention to properly clean it. But that's a ways down the road, and best DIY'd, if at all possible.

 

Techron was not designed nor intended to remove "excess carbon buildup"......nor to prevent it.
It is an injector cleaner and lubricant.....and a light duty fuel system cleaner.

P.S. using twice the recommended amount of ANY additive for preventative care is NOT a good thing to be recommending.

 

Who said anything about using twice the recommended amount?

 

Your vehicle does NOT hold 20 gallons of fuel.
More like 10.
Using the "20 gallon size" would be twice the recommended amount.......about.

 

When filling a Prius you add appx 1/2 of a 20 gallon Techron container before pumping the gas...it’s not rocket science.

 

Only if you put it all in at once. Most people can easily figure out how to spread one bottle over two tanks or refills.

 

Don't forget you are not dealing with most people in your response.

Logic and reason do not always convey.

 

Yes, my response dealt with just one person.

 

I've ignored him so I don't see his responses.

But when I see the conversation going off the rails, I know why.

Keep fighting the good fight when required .

 

If that is what you MEANT, that is what you should have SAID.
"Run the 20 gallon size through......" implies doing that all at once.

 

That must be one of those "in the eye of the beholder" things.

 

Techron and such name brand fuel additives do work (getting rid of carbons in the combustion chamber) in my experience.

Many years ago I bought an used car for my son in college and we poured in one of those cleaners in the beginning. After a few months of driving, the timing belt broke and one of the pistons hit a couple intake valves and bent them. The cyl-head had to be obviously removed for replacing the damaged valves. When the head was removed, amazingly, the top surface of the pistons of the car that had 100k+ miles looked almost brand new - very clean and shiny.

 

All "name brand fuel additives" are not created equal and most are designed to target a specific situation.
Techron was NOT designed to eliminate carbon from the combustion chamber.

 

It DID in my case.
I didn't use a carbon cleaning specific cleaner.