Got an 07 Prius Wednesday... Help!

I'd suggest you talk to the person that sold you the car and have them agree to getting fixed through the hybrid specialist. There's very little we can do to help you because the car needs to be diagnosed properly to get a full understanding of the car's problems.

 

I assume that the dealer represented that they had FIXED the A/C......so you should take it BACK to them because it is NOT FIXED.
Hopefullly it will just be a matter of not having some wires reconnected properly. Regardless, they should fix it.

(EDIT) I see that you didn't buy it from a real Toyota dealer so you are pretty much in a deep hole.
Bad situation; likely the only good part is a lesson learned for the future.
Several of us DID suggest at the beginning of this thread that you take it back and get a refund.
An independent inspection is ALWAYS a good idea when buying used. It is not an unnecessary expense but money well spent.

 

I KNOW others on here know about this....I know just enough to be dangerous....

But, the Prius takes a special A/C recharge procedure, does it not? If it is recharged like a "normal" car, rather than following the hybrid procedure, would that be what is causing the A/C problem?

I say this especially because this does not appear to be a hybrid specialist working on the system. Again, don't know, just asking....

 

Yes but the difference has NOTHING to do with it being a hybrid.
As long as the right refrigerant is used with the right oil in it, there should not be a problem.

 

There shouldn't really be a need for any oil, just the refrigerant.

The problem occurs when mechanics think there's a leak and they add a sealant with the wrong oil. Unless you work on hybrid, you just won't know any better

 

Would it be kosher for mechanic to just "top up" the AC? Would a functional, undamaged system ever have a slow leak?

 

My 05 shows it had a recharge when it was only a couple years old. No leak detected by dealer, just a low charge. No problems after the recharge for almost 10 years.

There shouldn't be a leak in the ac system

 

Yes if that's what you ask for. But.....so what ??
It is not good practice if that is what you are asking.

 

Yes, exactly.