NEW!!! Service Bulletin for Engine Knocking at Startup T-SB 0012-10

I suppose this TSB will never be published in Europe... there are like "3 of us" with a Prius in EU, compared to the the US and Japan, and I had the knocking happening to me just once, in over 2 years ownership and 40.000km driven....
I have my 45.000km check coming up, I will address this, but I don't expect anything to be changed in my car...and since this is not a recall...I don't see my manifold ever to be changed...

 

I feel and share your pain... Toyota Australia just don't care about us small number of owners, but I am determine to change that tomorrow. I have the TSB printed and will tell them I experienced this very issue. I'd reported to them at 30,000km service interval in which they did nothing about, it will be 60,000km service tomorrow, so wish me luck!

 

How long does it take and will they be taking my engine apart? I get scared about major repairs, if this is indeed major? Also are there any bulletins for the right side dash rattles or any of the other hundreds of rattles?

 

I just called GO Toyota in the Denver area and they did not know of this bulletin. I even gave them the number on it. They said the only bulletin for this is for an engine mount.

 

I took the number (T-SB 0012-10) to my Service Manager, he had not heard of it yet either, he looked it up on his computer in about 10 seconds. The dealer you called should have been able to do the same thing, I think they all have access to the same information. You can always print it and take them a copy.

 

I don't think it was. I could go back to the thread I posted in and check the temp on that date perhaps, it was summer time, so I would be surprised if temp ever got below 50F at all...

 

Indeed, maybe they've simplified it and you can just base it on alphabetical/chronological ordering (not worrying about the plant #).

 

I posted this in another thread, but the dealer I'm at is not taking my word about it. Even though I reported the problem to them prior to my service appointment and brought in a copy of the TSB. They told me it has to happen in front of them on the spot for them to honor the TSB. That being said other dealers might handle this situation differently...maybe.

My knocking has occured above 40 F. So the cold soak is not always the contributing factor, at least in my case.

 

I took a copy of the TSB and told the service advisor that I was there to get that item taken care of. They typed up that I experienced a loud knocking/rattling sound after a cold soak and that applying the accelerator for 15 seconds would usually solve the problem.

The technician wrote up for the TSB and they ordered the parts.

 

Here is what I did after the 10k service was done today and the Toyota dealership wouldn't do anything about the TSB. I called Toyota Care (1-800-331-4331) and registered the issue with the representative. They took down all the details and Toyota Care will be contacting the dealership. She asked what I expected for the results: I stated I wanted the issue with the knocking / rattling I have been experiencing to be fixed per the TSB. She said they will be escalating my concern. Now I just need to wait and see what happens.

 

ridiculous, good luck!

 

Oh boy, should be fun to see what my local (only one) dealer has to say when I bring this issue forward.

 

Am I reading the document correctly that all units built at plant "0" are impacted by this TSB?

 

I have just been to the dealer yesterday and the same thing they said to me as well. Firstly, they didn't want to know the problem as I showed them the printed TSB, claiming US prius is very different to Australia's. I politely pointed to him that they all manufactured at the same plant... He went quiet for a while.

To they credit, they did try to diagnose the problem by looking for the DTC in the system. Unfortunately it wasn't there, but I emphasised that I certainly experienced it during last winter around July 2010. I also got them to concede that if the problem is mechanical, there might not be any DTC thrown to the system.

However, I still need to show them the condition in front of them or the system needed to throw the DTC before they will do anything... this is quite an ordeal. I might have to wait till winter before I could prove anything to them... not happy!

GT-I9100T ?

 

It looks to me like:

All 2010 and 2011 units built at plant code 0 or 1 with VIN less than #B1438336 are included.

All 2010 and 2011 units built at plant code 5 with VIN less than #B5332406 are included.

Probably if your VIN is higher than that you don't have the problem because your car already has the new manifold.

 

Don't count on Customer Service to get any results from the dealer for you, instead insist that the service manager at your dealership call Tech Support in California. They know the problem & should approve ordering the new manifold without actually seeing any codes!

 

I've experienced this a few times but my car sits in the garage at night so it may not see 40 degrees or lower very often. I have 57,000 miles on the car. Should I quickly try to convince the dealer to repalce the parts. Does the condition hurt the engine if it does it once a year? Not sure how to proceed. I don't have a "B" in my VIN. I have an "A" because I purchased the vehicle in July of 09.

 

Pardon my ignorance, but how do I tell by looking at my VIN if my Prius is covered by this TSB or not?