PriusChat Forums - Gen II Prius Care, Maintenance and Troubleshooting http://priuschat.com/forums How to take care of your 2nd Generation 2004-2009 Prius. en Fri, 20 Nov 2009 21:49:14 GMT vBulletin 60 http://priuschat.com/forums/images/silk/misc/rss.jpg PriusChat Forums - Gen II Prius Care, Maintenance and Troubleshooting http://priuschat.com/forums Front seat removal http://priuschat.com/forums/gen-ii-prius-care-maintenance-troubleshooting/72348-front-seat-removal.html Fri, 20 Nov 2009 21:18:24 GMT PriusChat rocks!

Amazing this hasn't been a topic yet, but I hope you don't need to know for the same reason I did-- spilled milk under the seat. We needed to clean deeply and thoroughly, so I removed the front passenger seat. In a thread on extending seat rails, I found this link to a Toyota service manual with all the pages on removal, disassambly, reassembly and install of the front seats.
http://jaygroh.dreamhost.com/prius/P...20-%20Seat.pdf

The hardest part is disconnecting the cable from the negative terminal on the accessory battery. The glovebox owners manual shows the location, in the rear to the right of the spare tire well. Getting your #10 wrench on the nut is the hard part. I wished I had a stubby open end. Can't fit a socket wrench in there. Be sure to wait for two minutes after disconnecting the battery before working on the seat bolts and disconnecting the two wiring harnesses under the seat.

Jerry ]]> Gen II Prius Care, Maintenance and Troubleshooting JerryCS http://priuschat.com/forums/gen-ii-prius-care-maintenance-troubleshooting/72348-front-seat-removal.html Tested my battery. http://priuschat.com/forums/gen-ii-prius-care-maintenance-troubleshooting/72319-tested-my-battery.html Fri, 20 Nov 2009 10:27:49 GMT Using the vehicle system check on the car, my battery was at 11.6 unloaded, and 13.9- 14.0 loaded. Can't determine if there is a problem or not, can't think of what would be loading the battery overnight, or is it just bad? I've only had the car 19 months. 38000 miles. ]]> Gen II Prius Care, Maintenance and Troubleshooting triumph1 http://priuschat.com/forums/gen-ii-prius-care-maintenance-troubleshooting/72319-tested-my-battery.html clicking/grunting noise after cold start, intermittent http://priuschat.com/forums/gen-ii-prius-care-maintenance-troubleshooting/72312-clicking-grunting-noise-after-cold-start-intermittent.html Fri, 20 Nov 2009 04:41:07 GMT Occasionally when I start up Prius in the morning or after work, while the brake i depressed, I am getting a clicking/grunting sound (sounds like a... Occasionally when I start up Prius in the morning or after work, while the brake i depressed, I am getting a clicking/grunting sound (sounds like a series of short, fast grunts, actually) from under the dash on the passenger's side. It also happens when I have been driving awhile, when stopped at a traffic light, again with the brake depressed. It will go weeks with no noise, then do it several times in a day. HELP! Dealer is clueless because we can't replicate it. I have had the Prius over a year, and it is not one of the usual pump noises that I am accustomed to. I am going on a trip soon, and would like to have this resolved. I purchases Prius in Mississippi, but recently moved to Northern Virginia. Any ideas, you gurus out there?
Thanks in advance! ]]> Gen II Prius Care, Maintenance and Troubleshooting stedman98 http://priuschat.com/forums/gen-ii-prius-care-maintenance-troubleshooting/72312-clicking-grunting-noise-after-cold-start-intermittent.html Being Curious How many sensors in an 05? http://priuschat.com/forums/gen-ii-prius-care-maintenance-troubleshooting/72256-being-curious-how-many-sensors-in-05-a.html Thu, 19 Nov 2009 17:04:46 GMT My 05 Prius just turned 41,000 miles; is never subjected to harsh conditions, and sits out the winters. We bought an extended service agreement,... My 05 Prius just turned 41,000 miles; is never subjected to harsh conditions, and sits out the winters. We bought an extended service agreement, AKA prepaid service agreement at 35,000 miles hoping never to need it. We are down to the last 100 dollars of the agreement with replacements of sensors. This week it was the oxygen sensor again (two previous, same thing) and a headlight sensor. Just how many sensors does my Prius have and do I have to allocate 3 to 5 hundred per year for replacement? IF so why are they so shoddy? Thanks for satisfying my curiousity and budgeting. ]]> Gen II Prius Care, Maintenance and Troubleshooting momstoys http://priuschat.com/forums/gen-ii-prius-care-maintenance-troubleshooting/72256-being-curious-how-many-sensors-in-05-a.html Red Triangle, MFD Error Message http://priuschat.com/forums/gen-ii-prius-care-maintenance-troubleshooting/72229-red-triangle-mfd-error-message.html Wed, 18 Nov 2009 17:58:02 GMT :confused:For the past few days, when I pressed the brake pedal and turned on the power to get ready to drive, the red triangle/exclamation point... :confused:For the past few days, when I pressed the brake pedal and turned on the power to get ready to drive, the red triangle/exclamation point would come up on the dash with all the yellow icons beside it, and the MFD would not always come on. Sometimes, the vehicle would never show "Ready", and the power button was orange in color. You could hear some relays clicking and the whirring of the pump under the hood, but no "Ready" light. I would have to press the power button again before it would go to green and the "Ready" light would come on on the dash so I could drive the car.

Finally, I saw an error message for about 1 second on the display last night when I was trying to get it to do it again, and it said something about "There is a problem with the "P"" and I couldn't read fast enough to get it all. This came up after about 10-12 times of turning the power on and off. I gave up and went to bed.

This morning, I got smart and got my video camera and held it to watch the dash for me while I pressed the power button. Guess what? No red triangle or error mesage! Par for the course! At lunch, I went out from work and tried it again, and on the 2nd attemp, I videoed the triangle and the message! It said "There is a problem with the transmission "P" park lock mechanism. Please park your vehicle on a level surface and engage the parking brake..." or something to that effect.

I have called the dealer to take it in on Monday. I only have 29,655 miles on the '07 model, so it is under warranty, but what is the problem, and what should I expect? ]]> Gen II Prius Care, Maintenance and Troubleshooting bluesparky http://priuschat.com/forums/gen-ii-prius-care-maintenance-troubleshooting/72229-red-triangle-mfd-error-message.html Can structural integrity be restored after an accident? http://priuschat.com/forums/gen-ii-prius-care-maintenance-troubleshooting/72209-can-structural-integrity-restored-after-accident.html Wed, 18 Nov 2009 03:25:57 GMT Hello --

My 2007 Prius was recently hit on the driver's side by an out-of-control car. The driver's door was destroyed, and there was also damage to the frame on the left bottom side of the car. The left front wheel was pushed into the body of the car and was at a slant with the top of the wheel touching the frame of the car. I was told today that the car is probably repairable, but my question is, once the frame is bent, can it be restored to be as strong as it was before the crash? Thank you!

Janiek ]]> Gen II Prius Care, Maintenance and Troubleshooting janiek http://priuschat.com/forums/gen-ii-prius-care-maintenance-troubleshooting/72209-can-structural-integrity-restored-after-accident.html Jacking http://priuschat.com/forums/gen-ii-prius-care-maintenance-troubleshooting/72160-jacking.html Tue, 17 Nov 2009 02:47:05 GMT These approaches for jacking and supporting the prius have been previously mentioned on priuschat, but it's been convenient to put them all together.

To lift any corner of the prius with a floor jack:
Cut a hockey puck in half and epoxy the two halves 1/2-inch apart to a round metal plate which fits in the lifting cup of a floor jack. Then fit the welded vertical metal of any prius side jacking point into the groove between the two puck halves, and lift. This puts no weight on the vertical piece and all the weight on the horizontal unibody without any scratching.
To support the front with two jackstands:
Cut two hockey pucks in half and fit the two halves 1/2-inch apart on the top of each jack stand. I just epoxied them to the jackstand top, but something removable could be done also.
To jack the front without driving the car tires onto blocks:
An American Forge AFF 200T floor jack will reach the center front jacking point. I'm sure other long and low jacks that can do this too.
When I rotate tires, I do front-to-back and back-crossed-to-front, so it's convenient have all four wheels off the ground. I jack the front at the center front jacking point, lower it onto jack stands on the two front side jacking points, then jack the back at the center back jacking point. If I'm going underneath the back, I have two big wood blocks to support the back corners, but I don't bother with this for just tire rotation.

So nothing original here, but I'm pleased with this approach and perhaps someone else will find it useful.

Bill

Attachment 19981 Attachment 19982
Attached Thumbnails
Click image for larger version Name: PriusJackstandPuck.jpg Views: N/A Size: 68.1 KB ID: 19981   Click image for larger version Name: PriusJackJackstandPuck.jpg Views: N/A Size: 81.4 KB ID: 19982  
]]> Gen II Prius Care, Maintenance and Troubleshooting 1F7 http://priuschat.com/forums/gen-ii-prius-care-maintenance-troubleshooting/72160-jacking.html water pool under front window http://priuschat.com/forums/gen-ii-prius-care-maintenance-troubleshooting/72123-water-pool-under-front-window.html Mon, 16 Nov 2009 09:18:48 GMT i noticed after heavy rain the plastic that houses the wiper motors is full of water.after driving for a few minutes it sloshes around and eventually... i noticed after heavy rain the plastic that houses the wiper motors is full of water.after driving for a few minutes it sloshes around and eventually goes.
could it be blocked somewhere?...any ideas ]]> Gen II Prius Care, Maintenance and Troubleshooting edwardob http://priuschat.com/forums/gen-ii-prius-care-maintenance-troubleshooting/72123-water-pool-under-front-window.html <![CDATA[There's something wrong with my prius]]> http://priuschat.com/forums/gen-ii-prius-care-maintenance-troubleshooting/72058-theres-something-wrong-my-prius.html Sat, 14 Nov 2009 04:18:26 GMT I have a 2009 prius that I bought in March. I have not had any problems with it until yesterday. I have been averaging around 53 mpg, but yesterday I... I have a 2009 prius that I bought in March. I have not had any problems with it until yesterday. I have been averaging around 53 mpg, but yesterday I started having problems. My prius is not maintaining its speed, it is making reving sounds everytime I accelerate, and it is using way too much gas even when I am gliding. I have not changed how I am driving or doing anything different, but my average has dropped to 35 mpg. I am planning on taking it in, but I thought I would go ahead and see if others have had the same experience. Any ideas? ]]> Gen II Prius Care, Maintenance and Troubleshooting JSA http://priuschat.com/forums/gen-ii-prius-care-maintenance-troubleshooting/72058-theres-something-wrong-my-prius.html So I cleaned my original cabin air filter.... http://priuschat.com/forums/gen-ii-prius-care-maintenance-troubleshooting/72043-so-i-cleaned-my-original-cabin-air-filter.html Fri, 13 Nov 2009 22:29:09 GMT I bought new one to replace it, but I decided to try and clean the original one. It worked so far, but i need your guy's opinions.

1. I filled a bucket with warm water in the bathtub
2. I poured in about a quarter cup of dishwashing soap
3. I swished the water about to get it soapy
4. I let the filter soak for an hour. why an hour? i was doing errands. you can just check the filter ever 10 minute if you want.
5. rinse the filter with warm water until there is no more soap coming off it.
6. let it dry in the sun.

when i came back the filter was perfectly clean looking... but i still repeated the process to make sure... the water was very black, so the soap and long soak did a great job...

the second time it looked a little cleaner than before, in my opinion.

the filter seems to be in tact and still tough feeling and seems to be perfect.

do you all think it is good enough to put back in the car? ]]> Gen II Prius Care, Maintenance and Troubleshooting ajbdiaz http://priuschat.com/forums/gen-ii-prius-care-maintenance-troubleshooting/72043-so-i-cleaned-my-original-cabin-air-filter.html Scrape...scrape...scrape sound when turning left http://priuschat.com/forums/gen-ii-prius-care-maintenance-troubleshooting/72031-scrape-scrape-scrape-sound-when-turning-left.html Fri, 13 Nov 2009 17:21:10 GMT 2004, 92K miles. I've recently noticed that when I am turning left, I hear an intermittent scraping sound.

I've looked in both front fender wells and don't see anything unusual. The plastic fender liners are secure.

My first thought was that a warped disc rotor is making intermittent contact with the disc pads, but why would the noise only happen when the steering wheel is turned so that the car is moving to the left?

I'm expecting that a bearing failure would produce a squealing noise while a CV joint failure would be demonstrated by a clicking sound when power is applied and removed. ]]> Gen II Prius Care, Maintenance and Troubleshooting Patrick Wong http://priuschat.com/forums/gen-ii-prius-care-maintenance-troubleshooting/72031-scrape-scrape-scrape-sound-when-turning-left.html 12V Battery Life/Failures http://priuschat.com/forums/gen-ii-prius-care-maintenance-troubleshooting/72003-12v-battery-life-failures.html Thu, 12 Nov 2009 22:23:26 GMT Tell us how long yours has lasted, or what age/miles yours failed. Tell us how long yours has lasted, or what age/miles yours failed. ]]> Gen II Prius Care, Maintenance and Troubleshooting triumph1 http://priuschat.com/forums/gen-ii-prius-care-maintenance-troubleshooting/72003-12v-battery-life-failures.html Serpentine belt http://priuschat.com/forums/gen-ii-prius-care-maintenance-troubleshooting/71994-serpentine-belt.html Thu, 12 Nov 2009 17:06:32 GMT What happens if the serpentine belt breaks will prius still drive? My 04 Prius starts but does not drive all dash lights are on. What happens if the serpentine belt breaks will prius still drive? My 04 Prius starts but does not drive all dash lights are on. ]]> Gen II Prius Care, Maintenance and Troubleshooting illuminati480 http://priuschat.com/forums/gen-ii-prius-care-maintenance-troubleshooting/71994-serpentine-belt.html Latest Oil Analysis http://priuschat.com/forums/gen-ii-prius-care-maintenance-troubleshooting/71979-latest-oil-analysis.html Thu, 12 Nov 2009 10:53:55 GMT Blackstone Labs
Equipment Make & Model: 2008 Toyota Prius
OIL TYPE & GRADE: Mobil 1 5w30
Make-up oil: 0
OIL USE INTERVAL: 10,000
Miles on unit: 37,000
Sample Date: 11/10/2009

We found no significant change in the latest sample from your Prius. The 10,000 mile oil changes are
working well for you but we think you could easily be going longer on your oil. Try ~12,000 miles next time
and check back for another look at wear. Silicon improved a little here and should continue to do so with
each oil change. The trace of fuel that we found isn't an issue and no other harmful contaminants showed
up. You still had plenty of active with a TBN reading of 3.5. We consider a reading of around 1.0 too low for
extended use. All in all, a good report.




ALUMINUM -4
CHROMIUM -0
IRON -14
COPPER -2
LEAD-0
TIN-2
MOLYBDENUM-84
NICKEL-0
MANGANESE-1
SILVER-0
TITANIUM-0
POTASSIUM-2
BORON-38
SILICON-23
SODIUM-5
CALCIUM-2333
MAGNESIUM-12
PHOSPHORUS-666
ZINC-809
BARIUM-0


cSt Viscosity @ 100°C 55.72
SUS Viscosity @ 210°F 8.99
Flashpoint in °F 365
Fuel % TR
Antifreeze % 0.0
Water % 0.0
Insolubles % 0.3
TBN 3.5
TAN
ISO Code ]]> Gen II Prius Care, Maintenance and Troubleshooting triumph1 http://priuschat.com/forums/gen-ii-prius-care-maintenance-troubleshooting/71979-latest-oil-analysis.html Business is slow = throttle body cleaning! http://priuschat.com/forums/gen-ii-prius-care-maintenance-troubleshooting/71968-business-slow-throttle-body-cleaning.html Thu, 12 Nov 2009 03:20:55 GMT Just thought I'd give everybody on Prius Chat a little heads-up. Seems that in tough economic times even a Toyota dealer will resort to pushing unnecessary service.

My staff accountant owns an '07 with 13k miles. I try to give her some maintenance guidance whenever possible (her husband is not very handy with cars). She showed me a coupon for some simple $48 service. It looked like a good deal, so I gave it my blessing.

She gets there in the early-AM and the service rep pushed the daggone "throttle body service" on her. What a waste of another $100. I highly doubt they pulled the air filter to even inspect the innards. Probably just dumped some gas treatment in her tank.

So beware out there, my unsuspecting friends. You go in for your $19 coupon special oil change and leave feeling pickpocketed.:eek: ]]> Gen II Prius Care, Maintenance and Troubleshooting Leadfoot http://priuschat.com/forums/gen-ii-prius-care-maintenance-troubleshooting/71968-business-slow-throttle-body-cleaning.html