What services you need and what you don't

Hi everyone, I am frustratingly confused, and want to make sure I have not missed any required maintenance with my 2007 prius. When I check my old Toyota service records, I see "Coolant System Service ($160)" and a different day, "Hybrid transmission fluid service ($110)." Did I miss one? The OP says

Are these three different services, or are there actually four services? Transaxle fluid, CVT fluid, engine coolant, inverter fluid?

Most of the videos I find on youtube are using this drain plug and fill:
Prius Transmission Fluid Change (eCVT)

However, I stumbled across this one that looks quite different. Is it different because it is a different year range, or is it a totally different service?:
2010 Toyota Prius - Transaxle Fluid Change

 

There's 2 fluids: coolant, and transaxle fluid (aka eCVT fluid or transmission fluid). The transaxle fluid is Toyota ATF WS. The two videos you posted, first is for second gen, second is third gen.

 

To add to that, the same coolant (Toyota SLLC) is used in both the inverter coolant loop and the ICE (internal combustion engine) coolant loop.

Transaxle change in quite straight forward.

1. Remove (top) fill plug (to be sure you can get it open before draining the fluid);
2. Remove (bottom) drain plug;
3. Drain old ATF WS in to a drain pan;
4. Replace drain plug using a new crush washer and torque it to 29 ft-lb (39 Nm);
5. Place extended tube from funnel into fill hole and fill with Toyota ATF WS (approx 3.9 qt) until it just overflows. Put in 3.7 qt, then go very slowly. The car must be level to get the correct fill;
6. Replace fill plug using a new crush washer and torque it to 29 ft-lb (39 Nm);
7. Done.

It is no more complicated than ICE oil change.

For a more detailed step by step, this article on PriusDIY.com is pretty good: How to Change the Transmission/Transaxle Fluid
2004-2009 Toyota Prius. Contrary to what he says in the article, don't just fill it with amount you drained. Place the car level and fill until the new oil just seeps out.

The part number for the crush washers (Toyota calls them gaskets) are:

90430-18008 (PNC# 30900G) GASKET, NO.2(FOR TRANSAXLE HOUSING & CASE)
90430-18008 (PNC# 30900J) GASKET, NO.3(FOR TRANSAXLE HOUSING & CASE)

(So the same washer on both plugs). You can buy them on Amazon in packs of ten for ~$8-9. Make sure you buy genuine Toyota, preferably from a seller who is a Toyota dealer.

Hope that helps.

 

Thank you! To you or anyone else - what size tubing and what length did you use?

 

I would suggest 5/8" Outside Diameter or less. Get four feet, a little extra for insurance, and expect to trim it down to three feet, once you put it in position and verify.

 

Thank you again to @Mendel Leisk and @dolj. I was successfully able to drain/fill the transaxle fluid today for the first time doing it myself instead of bringing it to Toyota. I have a gravel driveway, so I am not terribly comfortable jacking it up or driving it onto plastic ramps, so instead I drove it up onto a couple chunks of wood to give myself an extra couple inches of clearance. The hardest part was trying to torque wrench the fill plug at the very end, but I finally got it done. They were also both quite a bit tighter than I expected and both required the use of a breaker bar and some serious pull to crack them open.

Next question: I've watched the youtube videos and the DIY Inverter and ICE coolant seems quite a bit more complicated based on the bleeding. I believe the dealer charges around $160 for the inverter and ICE coolant service. As a true greenhorn, should I attempt this next or is the dealership labor cost worth it to avoid potentially damaging the inverter and pump?

 

The bleeding valves complicate things but with DIY at least you can take your time, which reduces the likelihood of driving off with lots of trapped air. I found the Lisle funnel to be very useful in filling the radiator; it allows for constant gravity pressure on the system and can be screwed on while the engine is running. Then use the stopper to save the leftover fluid.

 

If you haven't, @NutzAboutBolts videos, there's one for each coolant circuit, see what you think.

 

And for what it's worth, the job is not always done correctly at the dealer. If you really want it done right, I'd say learn how to do it yourself.

 

Alright, watched some additional videos, read some searched threads here on priuschat. The following questions are specific to the inverter coolant drain and fill only, not the ICE coolant change. I am going to start with the inverter since that seems like the easier of the two jobs and go from there. My car is a 2007.

1. Other than hooking plastic tubing from the bleeder under the radiator cover back to the inverter coolant reservoir, and squeezing the black hoses a few times, do I need to do any maintenance mode, inspection mode, or manual jumping of the pump to assist in the bleeding process?
2. Does running the heater on high blast help bleed the air or is that only for the ICE coolant change?
   
3. Does the Lisle funnel help at all with this job, or only the ICE coolant change?
4. Will 1 jug of the 50/50 SLCC suffice for the inverter only job?

Thank you!

 

2nd gen is tougher than third? I'm clueless, just the sense I've got here.

 

1. No
2. Not needed
3. Not needed
4. Yes, you probably need around 3 quarts or less.

 

RE: 2007 prius Inverter coolant drain & fill

Garrr, stopped by the dealership on my way home today to buy the SLLC coolant and the aluminum crush washer for the drain plug on the inverter. The guy at the counter could not find the part number for the aluminum crush washer and could only find the little cover for the bleeder valve. I asked if it was the same as the crush washer I used for the transaxle last weekend (90430-18008) and he looked it up but said there was no reference to inverter, only transaxle. Does anyone have the part number for the aluminum crush washer for the inverter coolant drain plug?


Thanks!

 

The coolant system for the inverter also cools the transaxle generator. There isn't a drain plug on the inverter.

The parts site I use shows the same part number for the oil and the coolant plug washers.

 

Great thank you, I will just grab another part #90430-18008 then.

 

Alright, so far, so good, onto the next challenge. Couldn't have made it this far without all of the expertise here and folks taking time to share and answer my questions, so thank you again. I completed the transaxle drain and fill by myself followed by the inverter drain/fill/bleed. Next up: ICE/Radiator coolant drain and fill. I've searched the forums and watched a couple youtube videos, purchased this special funnel, so here are my remaining questions:

1. Will jacking up the front passenger side help with the drain and fill or not worth the effort?
2. At what point do I connect, fill, plug up/unplug up the "Lisle" style funnel to minimize air being introduced? In other words, do I have it full and "open" when I open the drain or keep it full/plugged until the drain is complete and closed back up?
   
3. Do I need to unplug the electrical connector near the heat storage tank drain or will I be OK if I just pull the fuse thing that I eventually manually jump at the end of the process to cycle the pump?
4. If empty, should the radiator overflow canister be filled to the L level after the drain and refill?

Thanks again!

 

1. Not worth the effort, the Lisle funnel is all you need.
2. Keep the radiator cap on as you drain the system, so that fluid in the overflow container will be sucked out via vacuum. Once you've drained the system, it is full of air since the coolant is gone. Then put on the funnel and start filling up the radiator.
Are you going to drain the system via the drain at the coolant heat recovery canister? That is the single best way to drain the system.
3. You don't need to disconnect the connector. Just make sure the car is IG-OFF before you begin draining.
4. You want the overflow container to be empty after you've drained the system, and it should be at the F mark after you are done.

 

Thank you and yes, I am going to drain from the coolant heat recovery canister only. I learned that that is the most efficient method from your step by step guide in post 42 here. Also planning to use your paper clip trick!

 

Can I go to my local mechanic to service my Prius 2007?. What does a Toyota dealership service department does for your regular maintenance then if you go to your local mechanic for your regular maintenance?.

 

RE: 2007 ICE Coolant Drain & Fill that I will finally be getting to tomorrow weather dependant. When I jump the CHS WS relay socket during the bleeding stage, do I have the multi-meter set correctly in the attached photo, or should it be pointed towards DCA 20m? I've never used a multi meter before, and this one is slightly different looking than the one in @jreed's awesome video.