Reliability information on first-gen Prius

i signed up but realized it is forward looking too late, as i am going from gen 1 to gen 3 this summer

i have wierd turtle/triangle issues, but never while driving, only on startup and have figured out how to get through it

i bought my 2002 in 05 w/ 65K miles, now i am at 140K. it came with a crappy new set of coopers that started leaking from the side walls at 30-35K miles. i replaced with michelin harmonies that i run at 41 psi - so far 45K miles and they look brand new. i get 50 mpgs in the summer and 44-46 in the winter.

 

i will come back and enroll my 2010 when i get it

thanks

 

Just thought I post the link to what consumer reports thinks about those Prius'.

http://priuschat.com/forums/gen-ii-...iability-statistics-stay-away-2004-prius.html

You might find these interesting if you own an "older" Prius.

 

I'm new to the forum, but will be happy to participate in this survey.

I have both a 2002 Gen I - and just bought a 2010 Prius III.

Two days ago, two weeks after buying the 2010, my transmission failed on the 2002! There was no warning, and the car had been serviced very close to plan. The 90k service replaced the transmission fluid 6 months ago......Your reliability info may help me as I try to deal with Toyota.

 

Was looking through the threads notice your thread from July 2008.
Can you still say you have had no major repairs. Just wondering if the Cat converter is still holding up. And have you done any transaxle/transmission preventive maint? How is everything, still no major repairs?

 

I own a 03 1 Gen with 136k. Purchased it a few years back from the original owner with 118k. It was garaged, and in fairly clean condition. I absolutely love my hybrid. Coming from an 04 F-150 Lariat 4x4, 03 Ranger Edge 4x4, 96 Mustang GT, 84 Ford T-bird. Going from 11-16MPG to 32-45MPG is a vast improvement. My life style, and mind set have changed dramatically after turning 25. That's what brings me to purchasing a Prius. I'm known to go from one extreme to the next. After being a Ford mechanic at a dealer for 8 years I will not buy another Ford. I only purchased them when I worked there for the obvious benefits. You guys are right, Toyota and the proper maintenance is all the warranty you'll need. I meticulously maintain my vehicle inside and out. I often get bored because nothing hardly needs repaired.

I fixed a passenger side front door lock actuator 3 months ago. They can be disassembled, cleaned, and reinstalled to work like new. I read on a Lexus forum that the $5 motor inside the actuator's case could be replaced separately. I couldn't locate a new motor so I just cleaned it. This applies to many types of actuators for other makes and models too. As a tech I would always just replace the entire actuator assembly. Time being of the essence.

I follow my own maintenance plan which involves frequent inspections. Rotate my tires at ever oil change every 3k. This increases tread life dramatically. Check and set my tire pressure every few weeks. I run 44psi in the front and 42 in the rear. How are some of you averaging 55-70+MPG? Must be all HWY miles feathering the pedal and ultra low rolling resistance tires. I average around 35-40MPG. Mostly stop and go town driving. I sit idle for extended periods with the AC on, but not MAX. With nobody else on the road, and lots of hill coasting I can get my 5 min logs to 50-55MPG. But this isn't maintained long enough to get those really high averages. Is there some 1 Gen special mod that enables you to obtain this incredible MPG? Has anyone installed an electric mode only switch on a 1 Gen? My Prius is very sensitive, and usually wants to run with the gas motor. Unless I'm driving Miss Daisy. Smart driving techniques work well for the most part. Other drivers on the road don't seem to like it. I find it easiest to just set the cruise control and the PCM do all of the fancy foot work.

The previous owner had the Catalytic Converter replaced at 116k for around $2,500. RR wheel bearing around 88k. Currently on its 3rd set of tires. The brakes are all original. Still has about 3/32" of front pads and rear shoes remaining. I clean and adjust the rear brakes upon inspections. It was Toyota dealer maintained per recommended scheduled maintenance. That is until I bought it. Now it has me. I de-carbonized the throttle body as preventative maintenance. Replaced the cabin and engine air filters. Replaced the NGK iridium spark plugs. Changed the trans fluid with the OEM type. I use standard 5w-30 motor oil because synthetic seems like a waste of money to me. Replace the engine coolant, and inverter coolant every season. Be certain to bleed all of the air from the coolant systems using clear rubber hose from the bleeder screws routed back up to the reservoir. The coolant pump should be very quiet and there will be no air bubbles, just flowing coolant.

The 1st Gen looks like a Camry so it blends in unlike the other gens. However it is far superior then a Camry. My dislikes are lack of leg room. This may be addressed in the newer gens but I'm not going to pay $30+k for it. I will try adding the 1/2" washers as explained in a different thread. The cup holders absolutely suck. They are too shallow. Just moderately slowing down or turning, and like clock work my drink flips completely out of the cup holder. Bottled water and large size drinks from BK etc.. are the worst. Medium size cups usually fit more snug. The center console is too low, and there is no padding. I want a higher average height arm rest that flips up out of the way when so desired. This part belongs in the corolla not a hybrid. The sun visors are poorly made. The bottom line is the vehicles interior needs minor improvements. These are all minor yet annoying issues I will eventually work out. Quality OEM and aftermarket solutions are lacking for the 1 Gen. It's all about the 2004-2010 in the aftermarket world. If you are into customizing, and modifications get one of these model years.

I'm interested in some worth while mods that involve time, and labor over a high price tag. I'm going to go check out that survey.

 

I also have an 03 bought with 49,000 miles and now over 121,000. It is has been a joy and even though we have a 2010 model for my wife, the 03 remains my primary commuting car.

This is my short list:

• 25 mph for first 1-2 miles - the car really needs to warm-up while rolling. So I cut through the neighborhood, 25 mph speed limit, before getting on a cross town street. There is a stoplight to get on the cross town street and often I'll stop long enough for the warmed up Prius to 'auto stop', the last phase of warm-up.
• avoid 40-44 mph and anything over 65-70 mph - there is a hybrid control law transition at 42 mph and staying either below or above it with plenty of margin avoids transitions that with my car seems to lower mileage. At 65 mph, I get 52 MPG on the highway but it falls to 49 MPG at 70 and down to 39 MPG at 75 mph.
• climb hills at 55 mph if possible - it depends upon local traffic but on the Interstates, I follow heavily loaded semi-trailer trucks and they climb at that speed. Any faster and the engine goes into higher power regions with more fuel burned per unit of shaft power (BSFC.)
• under 40 mph for last 2-3 miles - when approaching your destination, choose a route that stays in 'hybrid mode' so the battery energy can pay a dividend as you approach your parking spot.
• park in shade during the summer and sun in the winter - try to avoid having to use the AC with the limits of common sense or a lot of heat in the winter when the car needs to warm-up.
• lower radiator block below 60F - I use a split water noodle to block airflow through the bumper inlet and this helps the warm-up a bit.
• block heater below 40F - it pays dividends anytime but I find an hour pre-heat on frosty mornings is especially helpful.
• route planning - if you have a daily commute, use a map and see if there are any slower speed segments that can shorten the distance. Often these short cuts don't increase the commuting time but they sure pay dividends at the pump.

I hope this helps you as much as it has helped me. My mileage records are open and I would recommend starting your own using any of the online database systems.

GOOD LUCK!
Bob Wilson

 

Hello Bob,

Thank you for the valuable information. I plan to implement these driving techniques later today. Do you know of anyone that sells easily removable flush mounted grill block inserts? I'd prefer color matched to the factory silver paint, or black/carbon fiber. I'm also interested in an under body tray or full length belly pan. I'd prefer to buy one because I don't have the resources or experience to design, and test one effectively. Improving the aerodynamics where the manufacture neglected to. I'd rather not try to make one and end up causing unwanted overheating, and instability. If there are no solutions I may end up fabricating one myself. There must be a market for these items especially if it's a green mod saving money, and environmentally friendly. I think the biggest problem is that there are fewer 1 Gens on the road today and seem to be less popular. II and III Gen Prius's can be found around every corner. When I spot a 1 Gen I often point it out to my passengers being as it's so rare.

I was going to delete my PS mirror but according to the VA state safety laws it would be in violation. This mod is legal only if your front side windows are not tinted. I despise Virginia's strict laws. The automotive laws that should immediately be removed are the front license plate, the one mentioned above, and the window tint percentage. It should be more like 35% front 20% all rear. instead of 50% front and 35% rear. Why do SUV's have less restrictions on this? Last time I checked the larger capacity for passengers in these vehicles pose an even greater potential threat. The police themselves have 20% tint or less on all of their windows. What about the safety of civilians? Police vehicles are stolen all of the time. We need to be able to identify a possible threat even more then they do. The average civilian has no training in self defense nor carries a firearm, taser gun, pepper spray, club, and radio for back up. We are a very controlled society. This only causes more crime. I would hardly call this freedom. At the very least police should have to abide by the same laws we do within reason. I may be off topic but one thing leads to the next.

 

No problem. I'll probably hack out an NHW11 Prius FAQ this weekend and see if we can make it a 'sticky.'

Sorry, no. I use a split water noodle because it is cheap and effective but I do get questions. Then I explain about the Prius needing so little gasoline that it needs to keep all of the heat it can.

Some of the Japanese drivers make a modified front license plate mount that extends down and blankets a good portion of the air inlet. This seems very practical and if properly anchored and attention paid to 'flow separation noise,' could give a nice, year round solution.

Here are some of my experiments:
http://hiwaay.net/~bzwilson/prius/pri_T_cold.html#AIR

I wish you luck. I'd bought a big Coroplast sheet for that project and then realized there is a front air dam that already solves a lot of the problem. It is a 'good idea' on hold. GOOD LUCK!

Bob Wilson

 

Make that 7. Just entered mine today.

 

I was the original owner of a 2001 Prius until it died a little over a month ago at 89,000 miles. It was mostly problem free, other then the 'false alert' check engine lights, and occasional starting problems the last few years. It finally died when the fan (or one of the fans?) which cool the hybrid battery shorted out, causing a fire in the trunk which partially melted the hybrid battery.

Anyway, as a former owner for just over nine years, would I qualify for your 2001 survey? I have just purchased a 2010 Prius, but haven't had it long enough to answer any questions regarding it's reliability...

 

Any pictures?

Bob Wilson