What services you need and what you don't

[galaxee]

Originally Posted by LRP114

Please clarify what you meant by "in the passport".

Thanks

"passport"= scheduled maintenance guide.

[Tideland Prius]

Hey Galaxee,

up here in Canada, the engine coolant gets changed at 64,000kms. I thought it's a 160,000 "super long life" coolant? Why is it being changed so early? I had a pretty hard time getting out of changing it early. THey still insist they change it now.

[rposton]

Galaxee,

1. How does the Prius handle small amounts of water in the fuel? Like about a tablespoon full? Thinking that some accidently got in, I dumped in a small bit of fuel line de-icer. Several tanks later, nothing weird has happened yet. Is there like a fuel filter than can be inspected? Does the electric motor spin the ICE till it passes through causing a rough start?

2. I wish that I lived closer to the dealership where your husband works.

[rposton]

My 06 is now around 101000 miles +. I need to do the 100K service. Problem is I can't stop driving it long enough, literally. I think though, I am just going to have to tell my boss that I need a half-a-day off, and go get it serviced.

As stated in an earlier post, the car has been trouble free.

Some learning issues;
1. Unlocking and then quickly getting in the car, sometimes I observed the emergency flashers coming on instead of the double blink that I expected. I have since determined it is my FOB pressing one if it's buttons agains something else in my pocket. Normally I carry a small box cutter and a USB flash drive in that pocket.

2. Locking the car, sometimes I get the long beeep, and it does not lock when pressing the button on the outside of the car. This particularly seemed to occur after shutting the rear hatch. Ok, what is happeining. I am in the rear hatch almost as often as I am opening and closing the drivers door. When in the rear, I am standing at the bumper, and sometimes leaning in a little. Apparantly, I am demanding of the car to notice that I have straightened up and that I am outside of the body of the car, just a little to quick for the computer to figure out what I am doing. By either waiting a moment, or by stepping back a yard, and then step back to the car, the computer will figure out that my FOB is not in the car and allow me to lock the door.

3. Gallaxee says that the brakes won't rust. Hmmm... Well, just the parts that move I think I read. Anyway, I have noticed a noise, seems more so in wet weather, from the brakes when I press the pedal when I start the car, and when I release the pedal after putting it in park. Seems to be associated with the brake shoes/pads. Seems more so up front. To my knowledge the rear brakes have never been checked, and definitely never been adjusted, and the car has more than 100k on them.

Well, my glove box light still only works when the door is open, and the arm rest does not squeak. The car seems to persist at an average mpg of 51.7 in this Tenneessee Winter. Maybe, because it is supposed to be 14 deg F tonight, mpg will drop a little more tomorrow.

[LRP114]

Regarding LOCKING, unlocking:

1) its funny, I have almost never used it to lock or unlock the car, I guess since I have the accesory which allows you to drive the car w/o using it.

2) however, I have been having a problem opening my front doors while having the fop in my pocket. has anyone had any of the following occur, and if so, how did you resolve it? is there a problem with the computer?

o with fop in pocket, and standing within 1 - 2 ft of passenger door, I pull the handle to open it, and I do not hear the beep, nor the lock moving, and it does NOT open; without moving, I try it a few more times w/o any luck. then I walk around to the driver's door, and it opens normally (beeps as I pull handle, then opens)


o similar thing has occasionally happened when I first approach the car from the driver's door.

Since the above occurs only infrequently, I have not gone to the dealer with this -- yet.

[LRP114]

Originally Posted by dcoyne78

The 60K service looks pretty straightforward. If someone knows a competent mechanic, is there any reason this couldn't be done by that mechanic rather than at the dealership. I am simply talking about the standard inspection items and a rear brake adjustment, these seem like things a good mechanic would be able to handle. I don't plan to service the cooling system until 100 K, at that point it's just a drain and re-fill not a flush, correct? (This I will do at the dealer.)

Dennis

When I first got my 2004, since it was a "Hybrid" I expected it to need "special handling", e.g., Dealership only servicing. I read the Passport, at least twice to see if I was missing something -- but no, this car is amazing! The maintenance which is specified are things that ANY competent mechanic can do. As a result, I have only brought the car to a Toyota dealership twice: (1) first oil change was FREE; and (2) when there was a recall on the computer.

So Dennis, and anyone else, the hybrid components do not need any maintenance that I can see, and using a competent mechanic is all that is required for a LONG, long, trouble-free ride!!

[LRP114]

Originally Posted by efusco

I went in, today, for my 60k service. 4 hours and $280 later it's done. Interestingly they only charged me $12 for my transaxle fluid replacement...kinda makes me worry if they really did it. The installed my Fumoto valve for free....little do they realize that now I'll be doing my own oil changes!!

PCV valve was part of the routine there. I asked for and got an alignement...everything was still in spec except the right rear toe which was at +0.31 and the upper limit of normal is +0.28. But, as we know, there are no Toyota procedures for fixing that. 0.03 out doesn't seem like much and there's no evidence of premature tire wear. Gal, or anyone, got any recs on what to do, if anything, about that minor toe issue?

I only gave them 3 quarts of oil, got all kinds of warnings about how it took 3.7 liters (specs say 3.9) and how I'd get warning lights with the under fill (I don't and never have). Dude wasn't happy with me for disagreeing with him....same guy that last time parked my car at the door with a bottle of ice cold water and a customer service survey...this time no water, car in the regular lot, and no survey.

In any case, they got me and out the same day didn't fuss about my specific requests and I should be in pretty good shape until the 100k mark. Probably start doing my own oil changes every 10k miles from now on.

Well, it sounds like you have a pretty reasonable dealer, but unless you can not find a good mechanic, I still think that you would get better price, and maybe better service at an independent shop.

Also, like someone else wrote, even without a fancy oil valve, one can change your own oil VERY easily. In fact the Prius is the EASIEST car I have ever owned (since 1966) regarding changing oil and filter. Good luck. Little Lou

[LRP114]

Galaxee, I for one am VERY THANKFUL for your input sharing your "on the floor" experiences, AND I understood that you were giving "rules of thumb".

Thanks again for all of your help.

Little Lou

[efusco]

Originally Posted by LRP114

Well, it sounds like you have a pretty reasonable dealer, but unless you can not find a good mechanic, I still think that you would get better price, and maybe better service at an independent shop.

Around these parts (Southwest Missouri) there really isn't anyone else I'd trust with a hybrid. My wife has oil changes done on her Highlander Hybrid at the Jiffy Lube...and that's fine, but even then every time we go they ask about changing the rear-differential fluid...every time!

Also, like someone else wrote, even without a fancy oil valve, one can change your own oil VERY easily. In fact the Prius is the EASIEST car I have ever owned (since 1966) regarding changing oil and filter. Good luck. Little Lou

Been changing oil since I was a kid...but these days it's usually easier and not much more expensive to have someone do it for you. That said I do know that it's not difficult to unscrew the oil plug, but I got the Fumoto from a fellow Priuschatter slightly used for a good price and with it I won't have to worry about keeping the little gaskets around and it's just too easy to flick the thing open and then closed again.

[LRP114]

Galaxee, I went to this website and could not find any info on the PCV valve. What IS the recommended frequency; and what is its location?
Thanks as always, Little Lou

Originally Posted by galaxee

http://priuschat.com/index.php?showtopic=16822

that's a worded description, i don't think anyone's documented with pictures. we're at 35997 miles as of this morning so it'll be a while before we do ours, but if nobody has done it when we reach 60k (if we don't have to sell before then) we'll do a photo guide.