First Problem

[AfonsoSilva]

Coming back from a Scouts campsite last Sunday, I started hearing a loud knocking noise coming from the front wheels. :x The noise was really loud with every road imperfection. Turned off the Sound system and the AC, opened the front windows, and I could distinguish it was coming from the right front wheel. I went home and parked the car, and took it straight to my dealership the next day.

I was happy they took me in without an appointment. I left the car there, took their courtesy shuttle and went to work. Since I did not hear from the dealer by 4:00PM :x I decided to call the service manager, who told me they still did not have a diagnostic yet. By 5:00 PM I called again, :x and he told me they finally found the source of the noise: It was coming from the right front strut, which somehow worked itself loose! He told me that since it was a lot of work to get there, the car would have to stay overnight. :cry: He gave me a rental and I went home, but at least I was relieved they had identified the problem.

I picked the Prius the next day, and the service slip described the problem as "Excessive Clearance on Front Cross Member". The solution: "Front Cross Member re-torqued to specifications". Of course they did not charge me anything for it, although I noticed that mileage out was 6 miles over the mileage in :x . The noise was pretty obvious, and thus I was intrigued that it took them that much driving to figure it out...

Anybody with similar experiences out there?

This happened with 1300 miles of very careful driving, not a single pot hole. I asked the dealer, and he told me my undercarriage was in pritine condition, not a single scratch!

[Tideland Prius]

wow. Now that's service! I haven't had that problem but I have noticed a beeping noise from somewhere in the front. Trust me, when I first heard it, I thought there was a bomb. It starts beeping slowly, then gets faster. Absolutely no clue what would cause the beep and whether it's normal or not. I've heard it only with the radio and fan off and windows up.

[bookrats]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(AfonsoSilva\";p=\"103430)</div>

Of course they did not charge me anything for it,   although I noticed that mileage out was 6 miles over the mileage in  :x . The noise was pretty obvious, and thus I was intrigued that it took them that much driving to figure it out...  
[/b]

They probably wanted to take the car out and make sure that the problem didn't occur under different driving conditions (highway, etc.)

Sounds like a pretty thorough service department to me.

[rick57]

6 miles is pretty short but not abnormal for a loud noticably noise that you heard. They probably drove it 3-4 miles total during diagnosis and the other 2-3 miles making sure it was gone. Some dash squeaks and under car noises I have had needed more miles. Even drivability concerns are sometimes a pain. I know some cars have had 10-15 more miles when they left and a very few may have had close to 50! Some concerns are easy to pinpoint and others make you pull your hair out wondering, . Just the life of a typical tech,

[galaxee]

Rick, that's exactly what my husband reports... trying to find noises drives him nuts most days! I think 6 miles isn't terrible...

[DanMan32]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Tideland Prius\";p=\"103431)</div>

wow. Now that's service! I haven't had that problem but I have noticed a beeping noise from somewhere in the front. Trust me, when I first heard it, I thought there was a bomb. It starts beeping slowly, then gets faster. Absolutely no clue what would cause the beep and whether it's normal or not. I've heard it only with the radio and fan off and windows up.
[/b]

Sounds like the beeping you get when driving without your seatbelt.
No, I don't usually drive without my seatbelt, but I sometimes do park the car in the church lot without my belt, after helping my friend out of the car in front of the church entrance.