Looking at a used Prius V need advice

The EGR circuit needs to be examined, if not completely cleaned. Watch the coolant level for loss of coolant. Watch oil consumption. Those items are more worth watching then the batteries(12v and hybrid). I may be one of the outliers but I am closing in on 230k and the battery has not given me any issues on my 2010.

 

the biggest concern is a potential blown head gasket the near future. at 100k, idk what you can do about it one way or the other.

 

Don't do it................!

 

Chances are the EGR has never been touched. Still, that's not a lot of miles; now is an opportune time to clean the EGR cooler, valve, and connector pipe, AND the intake manifold. And consider and Oil Catch Can install.

Watch @NutzAboutBolts videos, pinned in 3rd gen maintenance section.

Toyota doesn't seem to care that this is a 3rd gen Prius right-of-passage?

 

I have a 2012 v Three with 123,000 miles and no issues at all, third set of tires. i changed the ATF WS at 100,000 miles. I changed the 12 volt battery this Fall, but that was just an abundance of caution. (7 years)
I plan to have the dealer clean the EGR system 'soon'.

There were issues with head gasket issues with the 1.8 litre engine if the EGR got clogged, they made changes in both 2014 and 2015 to remedy that.

 

see post #2

 

It was just dumb luck that we bought a 2015 Prius V. There were changes in 2015 that may reduce the complaint of premature oil burning. Most modern engines should go 200,000 miles without abnormal oil consumption but some of these engines start using oil at 100,000 or before.

In 2015, Toyota changed the piston and piston ring part number to hopefully address the oil burning issues.

I learned about the second major issue after joining this site. That is head gasket failures. This may be a poorly designed head gasket or there is a secondary issue with clogged EGR coolers which may contribute to head gasket failure.

The Exhaust Gas Recirculation or EGR system helps reduce the amount of the nitrogen oxides (NOx) in the exhaust gases. Nitrogen oxides are normally formed in the process of combustion in the engine cylinders. However, their formation increases dramatically at higher combustion temperatures above 2912 °F. Introducing exhaust gasses back into the intake manifold reduces the peak combustion temperature in the cylinders. There is an EGR valve that closes the exhaust passage when the engine is idling and opens when the throttle is opened.

All ICE vehicles have an EGR system but this 3rd generation passes the exhaust gas through a cooler before it is introduced into the intake manifold. The cooler is a heat exchanger (radiator). It circulates engine coolant through one side of this small radiator and flows the exhaust gas through the other side of that radiator cooling the exhaust stream. The tiny radiator passages get clogged up with carbon over about 100,000 miles reducing the volume and raising it's temperature before it is introduced into the intake manifold. The lowered EGR flow and increased temperature would not dilute the fuel charge as designed and increases the peak cylinder temperature. That may contribute to premature head gasket failure. Dealers charge about $700 for the EGR cooler service. My guess is since this is flat rate, they don't clean, they replace the heat exchanger.

A picture of a dirty EGR heat exchanger from another story on this site is shown below. The small honeycomb like tubes get clogged with carbon.

 

If you really need to get through it quick, or have a mechanic do it for you: pick up an extra cooler (used) and pre-clean it, ready to go. If they're really primadonnas about not cleaning ANYTHING, get and clean the valve too. The pair of them are commonly for sale on Ebay, used.

 

not at all. my advice is to follow post #2 advice to hopefully save you major headaches down the road.

 

Looks like the cheap, used EGR components on EBay are drying up, due to increase in demand?

 

For people reading this at a later date......

 

Here's one, brand new, $139 US plus shipping:

Toyota Lexus EGR Valve Cooler ASSY Factory 25601-37010 2zrfxe for sale online | eBay

And:

Genuine Genuine Toyota 25601-37010 (2560137010) PIPE SUB-ASSY, EGR W/COOLER - Amayama

 

Happy Thanksgiving........

 

I have the Catch Can (and new PCV valve)...... I did it when I had the intake off....... C Can cheap but the one I had came with super low quality hoses..... get new hoses ( at least 3' long) and quality clamps...... and the can takes two different size hoses.....

 

Did you change the ATF or you have the dealer do it? If you had the dealer do it, how much was it?