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New, 2005 owner. (no questions, so far)

Discussion in 'Gen 2 Prius Main Forum' started by Danny3xd, Dec 15, 2015.

  1. mmmodem

    mmmodem Senior Taste Tester

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    Hey Danny3xd. Looks like we both picked up a 2005 Prius at around the same time. Mine only has 129k miles and if it makes it up to 240k miles, I would be thrilled.

    I used to be a courier that drove 300+ miles a day so I understand your mobile desk reference. Back then, Prius were too expensive so I had to drive a Corolla that at best only gave me 36 mpg. I took that Corolla to about 220k miles before I sold it I 2007. I performed monthly oil changes on her which is 7500 miles with no engine troubles at all. However, the HVAC blower motor died, half the console lights didn't work, airbag light on, front power windows go down but don't have enough power to go up. Cigarette lighter adapter was loose. Turn signal actuator failed. Interior door plastic handles broke off. Luckily, two fronts were identical to the two rears so I swapped them. The good thing is an oil change on a 1998 Corolla is stupid easy. It's just high enough off the ground that I can access the fuel filter and the drain plug without jacking up the car. It was 9 years old when I sold her. My 10 year old Prius? Everything works. Hopefully for the oil change, I don't have a stupid plastic flap like my 2012 Prius.

    Data plans were too expensive a decade ago, so my media consumption was literally a 35 cent newspaper with a pen to do the crossword puzzle. I think if I still drove for a living, I'd get myself a tablet. Ah, those were the days... If there was too much traffic, I couldn't stop for lunch so I'd just put my knees up to the steering wheel and proceed to eat my whopper and fries. :p
     
  2. Danny3xd

    Danny3xd Active Member

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    Howdy, 04.

    Sorry for the late reply and hope ya found it, already. I had the same question and was kinda worried. But found this; Sign-In

    It gave me the recall & maintenance history.

    LOL, MMM!

    Man life got easier. Instead of $300 in maps a year, I say "Go to...." into my cell phone and google maps and get turn by turn directions. It even gives you a picture of the house or business you're going to.

    Man, we really do live in amazing time. This car, internet and cell phones. My cell phone now has way more computing power than my first computer. Really does just amaze me.
    I can't wait to see what happens next.

    I got into another accident! The only I car I have ever owned or driven for that matter that I truely enjoyed and valued as much. And I get in 2 accidents in a row. Arrghhh! (neither was my fault. Thats my story and I am sticking to it)

    Just have to replace the nose, plastic cowl thing and the lower grill. Cant be that hard. (lol, famus last words)
     
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  3. mmmodem

    mmmodem Senior Taste Tester

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    Eh, household blow dryer and a a crowbar. That's how I pushed out the dent on my bumper.
     
  4. Danny3xd

    Danny3xd Active Member

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    Har, lol MMM.
    ! Still trying to figure out the blow dryer but what ever works. My all time favorite autobody repair tool is the toylet plunger.

    Heard it on the radio while racing barstools with a buddy. So we ask the barmaid if we can borrow one. We then went out to parkinglot and fixed all the dents we could find. Someting like 8 out of 10. If I remember correctly. And I do not. We drank for free the rest of the night.
    Ah, a well spent youth...


    Havent looked yet but the maint. req. lite blinks 8 times when I fire up the black beauty. Oil is good and when engine kicks in, it goes off. do not know and gonna look around here and the owners manual.
    When in doubt, read the directions. But not untill then!
     
  5. mmmodem

    mmmodem Senior Taste Tester

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    The blow dryer makes the dent more maleable. I initially tried pushing with a crowbar figuring I didn't have a hot air gun. But it would just push out a smaller dent within the dent. Then I though what the hell, let's see if a blow dryer will work. And after about 5 minutes and without much force the dent popped right out.

    Blinking maintenance means you're >4500 miles since last oil change. It will become solid once you get to 5000 miles.
     
  6. Danny3xd

    Danny3xd Active Member

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    great information about warming dents! Makes sence. will use it and thanks.

    just checked and oil was changed 1,600 miles ago. but gonna change it again and will report. seems to be oil related as lite goes off when the ICE firres up.

    HOT AIR GUN WORKED AWESOME, MMM! $29 harbor fright special. Thanks for the knowit.

    Met a guy at work today who was driving a 28 ft box truck and looked the part of a serly, road weary old truck driver. when he saw me getting in my prius, he became very animated and excitedly told me about how much he loved his and just turned over 300K miles with no major problems. He was really elated and couldnt wait to talk about it.

    kinda surprising me who drives these. I thought I did not look the part. kinda grizzly looking. Not the highly educated, tree hugging, bunny loving looking sort that I had imagained most were. (I am a closeted concerned citizion, snork)

    This is funny. My fob stopped working. (play along and guess why) So I replace the battery. no joy. search for 2 days here on PC and am about to replace the 12v battery even though the chicken dance, talk to the computer thing says it is fine.

    After pulling my hair out, it was uber simple fix.

    first correct responce or caller #9 will recieve 7 inch antennia that i purchased but did not need. Seriuosly, up for grabs.

    I also bought a set of front weather tec window rain guards. If any one needs em and want to donate 40 bucks to St. Judes childrens hospital, they are yours. They work great and I really like the set I did use. Its just the fronts though. Wish I got all 4.
     
  7. mmmodem

    mmmodem Senior Taste Tester

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    Simple, you turned hit the switch underneath the steering wheel.
     
  8. Danny3xd

    Danny3xd Active Member

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    Dangit Skeeter! LOL, ayup. And where were you when I was pulling my hair out? No kidding, I was on that for 2 days. What is the purpose of having that switch?

    Email me where I can send the grand prise to ya.

    The heat gun thing really did work like a charm. Thanx again.

    after sliding into that car, my insuance co. estiamated the damage at 900. Less the 500 deductable. It was just a pucker on the bumper cover. (the heart break of bumper cover pucker)

    then found out how easy it was to replace it my self, here on PC. but aside from just de-puckering, I havent got around to replacing it.
    Saw a prius today with a bra. looked sharp so I just bought one. LeBra Car Bra - Best Prices & Reviews on LeBra All Weather Car Bras
     
  9. mmmodem

    mmmodem Senior Taste Tester

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    I was right here. Should've replied to this post. I must've missed your other thread.:D

    The button is to turn off the alarm in case you want to get wet. Seriously... If you are going to the beach to surf for example by yourself and don't want to destroy your fob by getting it wet. You can turn off the alarm. Take out the physical key, slip it inside your wet suit, and leave the rest of the fob in the car. You can see its a narrow use purpose which they kinda did away with in the G3 Prius. The button is gone. No more accidents. You can still turn off the alarm doing some weird sequences but its near impossible to do accidentally.

    Oh yeah, remove your email address from places that can be read openly. Lots of bots comb the internet looking for email addresses to spam. Use the private message feature to send email info. What would the antenna be used for?

    You're welcome. Gotta love YouTube. I'm gonna be doing my first oil change soon so will need to fire YouTube for helpful hints.
     
  10. Danny3xd

    Danny3xd Active Member

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    OIC, makes sence. About the fob.

    The grand prise antenna is just a spare radio one. I get spotty reception and gave it a shot. Didnt help. So was wondering what to do with the thing. And is fun playing games like that. Thought it would take more than 38 minutes for some one to win it though, lol.

    just lemme know where to send it. Hate for it to sit in a box and get thrown out 15 yrs from now. Not kidding, you could fill a garage (and I have) with all the weird odds and ends I have accuired and can not bring myself to disguard.

    The rain guards have been ridding around with me for a month. I know if I pack em away, yrs from now I will find em again and get annoyed at waisting em.

    .(n)
     
  11. The Electric Me

    The Electric Me Go Speed Go!

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    I was raised and educated by wolves. I don't trust tree's..and...OK...I do like bunnies.
     
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  12. Danny3xd

    Danny3xd Active Member

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    Har, lol....

    That's still cracking me up, ElectricMe. Like children, if properly prepaired.

    -------------------------------------------------------

    This is odd. my taillight/brakelight has been out for weeks. I was just shopping for a new unit and decided to check it again. Now the thing is working fine. alls that I can figuer is that I played with the wires just enough. do not know but all good I guess.

    ----------------------------------------------------

    planning on changing the transaxil fluid. Found these ramps at Habor Fright for $23 bucks. Made in America from genuine U.S. plastic. (accept no cheap imatations!) They are low enough for the prius.
    Magnum-16000 Auto Ramp Set with Built-In Safety Chock
    I of course used jack stands for safety and was not sure they would work as well as they do.

    but while under the car, it is beautiful. looks like she has less than a year on the road. If it would not freak the woman out who owned her first, I would like to send her flowers or a TY note. She really took care of the car. It was obviously garadged .

    Dang brake lite went out again.

    Got a bra for her. looks good. The hood portion looked silly and over done. Sort of like a Disney cartoon charictor about to rob a staem train.looks way better with just the bumper portion.

    but just more junk in a box now. *trades and selling goes in the sales forum*

    more out of bordom, checked tire presure. All tires were surprisingly low via gage (good one) but didn't look at all low.

    But getting almost 10% better MPG.

    Didn't research it yet but manual says to rotate the tires front to back rather than criss-cross? Seems odd.

    Had window tinting done. Asked to match the low, rear window as much as possible. My guy, Jamaican accent, garb and business card announcing he is the Hon. Some thing or other priest, came highly recommended.$201, ayup. I know. But very well done. Prius tint.jpg IMG_20160415_181312-1.jpg IMG_20160415_181312-1.jpg Prius tint.jpg Prius tint.jpg

    Really dark. Still getting used to it but growing on me.

    Not that a Prius will ever be a conventual beauty, sexy sports car but really like her new look.
    Kinda professional looking

    Bra really helped. (Hides the "opps") Still have the hood portion and need someone to take it off my hands. Free for shipping. Just hate to waste it and killed a faux cow for nothing.
    Seriously, some one should take it.

    Dang battery went to electric heaven. $3 grand. Really hurt but after 250,000 miles, not a bad run. And went from avg. 42 MPG to 47. So it will pay for it self in just a few decades.

    Also, removed the driver's and passenger window tinting. Most of the work I am doing is at night now and with winter coming here in CT. Often had to lower the windows for Peripheral vision. (It was that dark)

    But man, still loving this car. Gonna drive it until I have replaced every bolt.

    Happy Halloween, every one!

    Just realized, before replacing the battery, I was burning a wee bit of oil. Given her mileage, I thought this normal. But since the battery change, she doesn't seem to be burning any?

    Any thoughts? Don't make no sense, no how.
     
  13. mmmodem

    mmmodem Senior Taste Tester

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    The electric motor assists the ICE during heavy load conditions like when you need a lot of acceleration or going up a hill. Assuming these heavy load conditions are the cause of oil consumption, we can say more of this load is being shared with extra battery capacity.

    Additionally, it's winter now. Lower temperatures equals engine is less likely to burn oil.

    I love to speculate!
     
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  14. Danny3xd

    Danny3xd Active Member

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    That makes good sense, 3M. Thanks!

    Code reader at advance said the there is an ABS warning and dealer said rear shoes were at less than 1MM. But no lights or warning sound? Are there any other indicators? Dealer wants $300 for a shoe replacement. Seems a bit much. Might try Meineke.
     
  15. exstudent

    exstudent Senior Member

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    High mileage Prius are known to burn oil. Check the engine oil level regularly and religiously.

    What was the exact code?

    Code readers that don't use Techstream software will miss codes. Techstream is software written specifically for Toyota to read the Toyota family (Toyota, Lexus, Scion, Daihatsu (JDM)). You can buy a hacked copy to Techstream and a generic miniVCI OBD2 cable at Amazon/eBay for $25-$30. Laptop is required.


    Brakes shoes don't have a wear indicator that disc brakes have. If you hear a squeal, it will likely be metal on metal wear: metal shoe meeting metal drum.

    Factory specs for rear shoes: New is 4mm thick. Minimum thickness is 1mm. TIME TO REPLACE.
     
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  16. mmmodem

    mmmodem Senior Taste Tester

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    I don't think I've ever replaced drum brakes on any of my cars up to 200k miles. But then again I practice DWB so that even my front discs last 100k. Definitely get a second opinion. If I ever have to replace brakes on my Prius, I'd be wondering who was joy riding it.
     
  17. Danny3xd

    Danny3xd Active Member

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    Have been and even while it was still warm out my way, hasn't lost a drop. Pleasant surprise for sure but am following your advise.


    Long forgotten. I should have made note.

    Trying to get by for now but is time to replace. Not sure if I'm going to attempt or find a better price to have done. $300 seems crazy for brake job.

    3M, "DWB"? (I drive while broke. Does that count?)

    I'm over 250K miles and have found no evidence of any brake work being done. Which is pretty amazing, me thinks.

    Side note, I ordered a dash kit today. Can't wait to apply! TOYOTA PRIUS BASE INTERIOR WOOD DASH TRIM KIT SET 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 | eBay

    Will do b4 and after pictures. Dash is a wee bit long in the tooth and scruffy at present.
     
  18. mmmodem

    mmmodem Senior Taste Tester

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    Driving Without Brakes. It's a hypermiling technique that basically means keeping a really long following distance and rolling to red lights. Look ahead to preserve your brakes. Don't do it in the fast lane if you want to live.
     
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  19. exstudent

    exstudent Senior Member

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    Call other dealers. Pricing varies a lot.

    Don't forget to ask for discounts: AAA, Costco, military, student, etc. Don't be ashamed/afraid to ask for any discounts/breaks from the dealership b/c you will always be holding the short end of that stick.

    Interesting. Typing these search words: "toyota prius rear brake shoe replacement book hours" produced this as a search result.
    Disclaimer: I do NOT work for them, and do NOT have any vested financial interest in their success. I stumbled upon them by accident.
    This company seems to be the Uber/Lyft of auto repairs; they COME to you and guarantee their work, if they supply the parts. Not quite nationwide, but the site says they are growing. I can see the appeal of mobile, at home or at work repair; who wants to wait at a repair shop.

    I did like the fact the site listed dealer vs non-dealer rate for a rear brake shoe replacement, and an itemized breakdown is listed upon clicking the appropriate link. You also have the option of supplying your own parts, but must supply ALL parts that they list as required for the indicated repair; supplying your own parts negates their warranty.
    yourmechanic-rear brakes w.o. flush.jpg yourmechanic-rear brakes w. flush.jpg

    The one thing I disagree with them is too little brake fluid is used if you want a brake system flush. They list one quart. Former active member and the former resident Toyota Master Tech (Galaxee) says the Prius brake system has close to one Gallon of brake fluid.
    What services you need and what you don't | PriusChat
     
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  20. Danny3xd

    Danny3xd Active Member

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    258449 miles! And still running like a Champ! Still not burning oil after battery replacement.

    I am now very underemployed driving for Lyft and soon to be Uber. Doing mega miles for little reward but the Prius is doing well!

    Oh! I wanna replace my brake shoes but can't find proper directions. Any handy links? (rear)

    Installing rear brake shoes.....
    No one admonish me. I done wrong and now knows it. (but do understand the "small bus" jokes coming my way)

    I do my due diligence and find the right shoes with good reviews. Watch 3 vids and read at least as many how to's. Remove both rear wheels so as to use one as a before shoe removal. (think that was also advised here, so TY!)

    Fight to get shoes off the RT, passenger side. Then fight to get the new ones on. Looks good but then cannot get the drum back on. Lots of cursing later and running out of sunlight, I admit defeat, tear it back down and put the old shoes back on. as the sun sets over the Advance auto parts parking lot. I am beaten but tomorrow is another day.

    I pack up my toys and am on my way to have a libation with friends down the street.

    The brake and ABS warning light are on! I am panicked! Not only are the keys/fob in my pocket, I had turned on the radio... (I can almost hear the face-palms from here)
    I know, knew and now really know. The car is in the south end of Hartford. So leaving over night is out. I honestly thought of sleeping in the car over night to try and give it another go in the morning but didn't have a watch. In that neighborhood you need a watch. "Cause night time ain't no time to be where I was.

    So, being close to where I was going, I braved it and drove the car. Aside from the ABS warning & brake lights, drove fine and just like normal.

    I go to a local dealership and tell them my tale of woe-es me. They do the scan thing (for free!) and reset it. Chip at Hartford Toyota tells me it's all good and no problems! Life is good!
    ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    Went to local Mobil gas station/repair to ask for a price to install my new, provided by me brake shoes. They wanted $280. out the door. (and would not use my parts)

    The only dealer I have asked wanted $300. I think both are outlandish for installing shoes. But then again, After 4 hrs of struggling, I have yet to get even one set on and done.

    Right now, I am considering giving it another shot (without the radio or key fob in my pocket!) And/or find a more qualified than I, installer.