Prius C Tranmission/Transaxle/HSD Oil Change

Your service manager didn't know what they were talking about, or was giving you BS. No calibration involved whatsoever before, during, or after transaxle fluid change.

How many miles on your PC? I wouldn't change the transaxle fluid before 30k miles.

SCH-I535

 

Your computer must have been high that day.

 

If you don't mind spending $25, there is a great lab that will analyze the fluid for you (I plan on getting the analysis @ 30k, but that won't be for a few years). Here's the link if you're interested: Transmission

Edit: Whoops, this was supposed to be directed at Invisibleman

 

My mileage is 20k, will wait until 30k to make the request again. This time I will ignore whatever the service advisor says and give him very clear instruction, "Drain & Fill" and not going to pay any extra other than fluid cost and minimal labour charge.

Thanks

 

If it's possible for you, you have the space, tools, equipment, I'd try doing it yourself. If someone is so deadset opposed to doing something, do you want to goad them into it? Maybe it'll end badly, they'll set a clueless junior mechanic on it, mess it up. And blame you.

In my PDF of the repair manual the instruction is in there. Simple and plain as day. Makes you wonder. I'll post it once I get my PC booted, keep in mind there may be some variation, but should be similar.

Prius Transaxle Fluid Change instruction, from Repair Manual (for regular 3rd gen Prius):

 

Called my Toyota dealer service department today and asked how much it would cost to change the transmission fluid in my C. They said it never needs to be changed. I said "Never?", they repeated "Never." So I asked "Well, if something happened and it did need to be replaced, what would it cost?" He said something about having to heat the fluid first, and that it be around $300.00. Asked at my local Express Lube place the same question, and they said $66.00, which includes the fluid. I'm not quite believing either of these answers, and still trying to decide the best course of action.

 

^ With the Toyota dealership giving you such guff, I'd be reluctant to use them. I'd also be very reluctant to use quicky lube type place, just on principal. At this juncture, DIY?

If it's similar to Prius hatchback you'll need 4 qts (or liters) of Toyota ATF-WS, and 2 (identical) replacement washers for the drain bolts. You get 4 qts, it'll take about 3.5. That's cost me under $40 from my dealership, 2 times now. If it's per the hatchback:

You'll need some method to get the car raised and level, safely. Also, a funnel with 3 foot minimum tube extension (the tube not too big diameter, say 3/8" max). The drain and fill bolts require a 10mm hex socket driver. It's also good to have a breaker bar and a decent torque wrench (bolt torque 29 ft/lb).

(the Prius Hatchback Repair Manual excerpt posted above explains in more detail)

 

Try RepairPal.com, see if you can find a good shop from that site that would give you a good price and quality work.

 

I would call another dealer and see what they say. It seems like the dealer you are talking to doesn't want to be bothered

 

My Toyota dealer quoted a price of $75. The service rep also said they are encouraged to say that a fluid change is not necessary, however, he personally thought it was a good idea. He also said most of their repair technicians agreed that changing fluid is probably beneficial.

 

^ Drives home how much the climate can vary between dealerships. Good to know there are some that are more down-to-earth.

I've never had any problem buying the fluid or washers at our nearby dealership, so would suspect they're not averse to transaxle fluid changes.

OTOH: I've had them dig in their heels when I was trying to find steel rims for snow tires: went with another dealership, no problems there. Same with prices: I've seen 10~20% variation on some items, between two parts departments.

 

Thanks for the advice.

 

The debate on when to get the transaxle changed should be driven by hard clinical data (oil analysis). It doesn't get better than this.

Nope. Professor Jeffrey Denenberg's oil analysis says otherwise. Look at the second graph (Wear Material vs Miles). Imagine how much more wear materials would be showing up at the first transaxle oil change of 100,000 miles vs the 60,000 mile mark on the graph? FYI, my transaxle failed at 91,000 miles, no fluid drain/fill either. If someone doesn't keep their car that long, transaxle problems will likely be inherited by the second or third owner.

It really isn't that expensive, esp if one DIY. Just to get an idea, last time I changed the transaxle fluid on the new replacement transaxle, 4 quarts ATF-WS cost me $7/bottle (Feb 2013). I installed a GoldPlug magnetic transaxle drain plug which came with a new crush washer. I also just flipped the fill plug washer around; new one will be installed at next drain/fill interval. Excluding tax, $28/30,000 miles = $.0009/mile. Would you agree that nine-ten-thousandths of a penny, per mile, is cheap? It will be even cheaper if one extends the interval longer, but why? The data from Professor Denenberg is too compeling.

Look at Poor Jzair, below:

Conor, Frodoz is right, based on Professor Denenberg's oil analysis. The Professor concludes 30,000 miles for the first change. 60,000 miles for a second change, more or less. Then subsequent changes can see a longer interval. All to reduce wear.
Cost of an ATF change isn't really that much, as seen in my calculation above.

Ultimately, to each their own. Your car, your money. If you plan to keep the car till it dies, the Professor's study makes a compelling point to go aggressive. If you have money to burn or rotate out of cars quickly, then follow the Toyota's minimum maintenance schedule. The transaxle will become someone else's problem.

 

I don't own a "C," but I did a transaxle change on my "v," which has a similar transaxle.

Unlike the Gen II, Toyota got rid of the drain plug with the small ceramic magnet in it to save money.

So, I made my own with extremely strong neodymium rare earth magnets.

My transaxle fluid change and NEW custom drain and fill plugs... | PriusChat

 

Speaking overall, most people these days couldn't tell you how to check their own oil, let alone how to bleed their brakes. Some would say this is likely because vehicle quality and reliability has improved over the years, which is good, but breeds complacency. It has also decreased the requirement that folks learn how to do basic car maintenance out of necessity. Add to that higher costs to service at Dealerships and/or poor quality control for service at places that do not have real Mechanics, and (most) people just let it ride until something breaks or they buy the next new vehicle every 2 to 5 years (both which cost more by the way). Then there is the target market for Prius and other like cars that is looking to save every penny on transportation cost...and there you have it. People either take care of their vehicles or don't. In this age of information everyone is an expert with opinions, justifications and causes, but whether you run a desktop or the latest Apple Watch, it can not teach you common sense or work on your car for you. end of line.

 

^ One man's ceiling is always another man's floor. I figure I'm being pretty self-sufficient, and then the new Princess Auto flyer arrives:

This is a company that started somewhere on the Canadian Prairies (Winnipeg?). The flier has to be the same country wide, that's the only way I can rationalize some of the content:

There's typically one page devoted to hydraulic components. Not assembled hydraulic components, we're talking pistons (pick your size), hosing, couplers. Barrels of hydraulic fluid (How's our hydraulic fluid, are we running low?)

Then there's the trailer page. Again, not assembled trailers, this is axles, springs, and so on. Right next to the welding page.

On to the rural specialty page: feed pans, heaters, meat grinders, smokers, etcetera. The last flyer had some sort of deer hanger, for use during slaughtering.

There's typically one page full of compressors, and then a page of air tools.

They're really targeting some self-sufficient, out-in-the-sticks farmer on the prairies, it seems a little misguided in suburbia, lol. But my hat's off to them. Well, if I had one.

 

Went to my Toyota Dealer today and had my oil changed and trans fluid replaced at 35K miles mark. Took two hours and $165.00, Next trans fluid change will be at 60K miles and every 30K miles after.

 

At 140,000 miles, our Prius C had its first CVT fluid check (still on original factory fluid). My mechanic told me it still looks pinkish, and doesn't need to be changed.

Each time I ask him what the harm is with changing it early, just to be safe, he tells me that CVTs tend to be touchy and finicky, and that a fluid change done too early could cause problems. I'm not sure how much faith I have in that opinion, but he said he's seen CVTs die shortly after an early fluid change. He also keeps telling me to trust Toyota's engineers whenever I bring it up, and how they say the CVT doesn't need a fluid change and he feels this is good advice.

I've also been told a few times but the dealer that they have seen a handful of Prius' well past 200,000 miles with the original fluid. Not to mention that I spoke to a mechanic at Luscious Garage (hybrid specialist shop in CA) and asked about their high-mileage Prius Taxi customers, and they said that they follow the severe maintenance schedule of changing the fluid every 30k miles. The C only calls for a check at every 30k under severe conditions.

To be safe, I am sticking to just checking the fluid and replacing it only when it looks like it needs to be. Please keep posting what you guys experience with your cars in regards to this issue.

 

I think your mechanic is blowing smoke. There's no reason not to change it, LG's change interval sounds about right. It's under $40 for the fluid (Toyota ATF-WS) and at most an hour's labour.

 

There would be nothing pink about 140k mi trans fluid. You are being lied to.

I changed our 2009 at 30k miles, and it was some ugly deep gray and dark purple stuff.