2008 Prius used car questions (tail light, air vent, climate button)

1. I believe you would have to replace the entire MFD (multifunction display) assembly.
2. The taillight bulb is a standard incandescent size which you should be able to purchase at any discount auto parts store.
3. Pull the driver's side vent out of the dashboard by exerting a horizontal pull at the top and bottom of the vent. Once you have the vent out, look for an obstruction in the tubing that feeds the vent.

 

You may want to check your cabin air filter to make sure it's clean and not clogging up your system. The cabin air filter can also be purchased at any discount auto shop. The filter is located right behind your lower glove box.

 

Welcome to Prius Chat!

#2 item - use this bulb for best longevity. Change left and right side at the same time. Typical wedge type bulb. Bulb simply plugs into harness. Same bulb is used in the front "marker lamp" also.

Sylvania "Longlife" 2825LL available at most auto parts stores. 13.5 Volts 5 Watts (Known as a 5 Watt Wedge Bulb in owner's manual).

Patrick Wong is one of the best sources of info here. When he post's, his info is always spot on. I agree with all three fixes he mentioned. You can get a replacement MFD from Steve in Indiana. Google "Auto Be Yours".

Best of luck to you,
Ron (dorunron)

 

I hate how the car's bladder does this. The average mpg will work out when you fill up, doesn't matter what the gas gauge says. Sometimes from only 2 blips remaing, I only have to put 6 gallons in and it's full again. Very strange. The only time I worry is when I'm on a road trip, where I have to fill up more times than I have to. Overall mpg average will be the same if you do the math when you fill up.

 

Agree with everything JC said above. Gen II is cursed with that bladder. You will get used to it.

Try this when you are filling the bladder. Follows these instructions verbatim. It might help, it might not.

1. When preparing to fill up loosen gas cap 1/2 turn.
2. Wait at least one minute before removing cap.
3. Insert gas nozzle into the filler neck as far as it will go, then let the nozzle rest on its own.
4. Fill the tank using the auto shut lever on the gas nozzle. Make certain you use the slowest speed on the pump. Usually that is the first notch or catch on the nozzle.
5. When the pump clicks off, remove the nozzle and hang it up on the pump.
6. Replace gas cap and tighten until you hear the click.
7. Close fuel door and go on your way.

Get into the habit of refueling at two pips. Anything below that might give you trouble until you become comfortable with the Prius, the guess gage, and the bladder. Understand that the "volume" of the bladder will change depending on ambient temperature and other factors. Always try to add fuel when the car is sitting on a level surface. Avoid filling up on islands where the surface is radically sloped up or down hill. This will cause problems with either over fill or under fill of the bladder.

Do NOT top off the bladder. Continual topping off of the bladder will damage the fuel system. You don't want to mess it up. A lot of the system is inside the tank that holds the bladder. The US models are NOT serviceable, so understand that you really don't want to muck up the works inside. Fuel filter, fuel pump, and several other components are all inside the tank where the bladder is. During the colder parts of the year, the volume of the bladder will be reduced a minimum of 1 to 2 gallons with a maximum of 3. During the hottest part of the year is when you can get the most fuel into the bladder. As long as you understand that, the bladder will pretty much do what it is supposed to.

Also remember that not all gas pumps and nozzles work the same, nor shut off the same way. When you find the right gas and the right nozzle, try to use that as much as possible. Depending on your style of driving and your type of trips, you can expect anywhere from 35 to 40 before 1st pip is gone, however if you drive "conservatively" you can easily get 60 to 80 miles or higher before the first pip goes away.

In my signature below is tip and tricks on the Gen II. I suggest you study all four of them. Pay close attention to the S4 mode information AND "How to hyper mile". Once you learn how to "operate" your Prius for maximum comfort, safety and efficiency you should begin to easily beat the EPA ratings. It is not uncommon to get well over 55 MPG during the summer time. During the winter time, with conservative driving you should still be able to pull off anywhere from 35 to 45 or a little higher MPG.

Remember the climate changes everything. Moisture in the air, water on the road, temperature of the air outside (ambient), plus many other factors.

One last tip. Check your air pressure in all four tires. Read the maximum amount of air stamped on the side of your tires. Run the air pressure up to at least 40 Front and 38 Rear. Maintain two pounds more air in the front tires than the back. If you go by the placard on the car, it says 35F 33R. Toyota wants you to have a nice smooth cushy ride. By doing that you loose out on some MPG. (Pips go faster...) Do not at anytime run more air pressure than the maximum amount. Also check your tires when they are cold. Adjust them as needed. Keep your front end aligned. Check the air filter in the ICE. If it is dirty, replace it. You can buy a new one at Toyota. I recommend OEM parts (Toyota stuff). You can go aftermarket if you so choose. It's your car and your money.

Final note: If your 12 volt battery is weak, that can drag down the MPG at times. Go ahead and get a new one. Expect to pay $150 to $200 for the battery. The battery is a "AGM" type battery with the special JIS posts. You can't buy this battery at Wal Mart. I recommend the OEM Toyota Battery. Others will recommend the "Yellow Top" and the "Exide" brand batteries. FWIW, recently folks have been having trouble with the Yellow Top. It seems since the manufacturer moved to Mexico that the quality of the batteries have gone down hill. So take heed if you are considering the Yellow Top. Below is a picture of the OEM Toyota Battery for your car. It also come with a 84 month warranty. It also has the highest rating for the amp/hours which is 45.

Ron



How do you replace the 12v battery? | PriusChat

 

Does a weak battery affect other things besides the start up of the Prius?

Well, yes and no.

First of all the 12 volt does NOT start the engine. The TRACTION battery (big battery) starts the ICE. What the 12 volt does is power all of the computers and accessories "until" the Prius is in "Ready Mode". Once you are in Ready Mode the 12 volt is just sitting there and probably being recharged by the inverter which is part of the hybrid system.

When the 12 volt gets weak, the Prius can go nuts/bonkers/insane to say the least. Sometimes nothing happens when you push the power button on the dash. Other times you will see messages on the MFD saying something about shifting to Park and being on a level surface. Other times the guess gage will act weird. Other times the gear position display will get stupid, might start flashing or blinking. The lists goes on and on. You might even experience warning lights coming on at different times and "false" codes due to the computers being starved for juice.

Depending on your car you might have to put in a battery every three or four years. Others have gotten six years or better. Base model Prius without the SKS system usually gets the longest lifespan on the 12 volt.

Depending on how you maintain your 12 volt and not abuse it by constantly draining it due to leaving lights on inside the car or forgetting to turn off stuff before you go in for the night it should last you a pretty good while. I changed ours when the voltage started dropping off and I was seeing the red triangle during start up.

With a digital volt meter if you measure the voltage either at the jump post or directly at the battery you will get a figure. Use the chart below for reference. It is a good idea to recharge your battery fully once a month with a good "smart" charger. The charging system on the Prius is not the best to keep that little battery fully charged. Anyway, check the voltage and go by the chart. If you are around 50% SOC, you should be thinking about a new one. Less than that, well I think it is time to replace it then...

When you charge your 12 volt with that "smart" charger limit the amps to no more than four (4) amps. Don't forget to set the charger on AGM. Do not use the flooded setting or the Gel setting. If you don't have those settings on your charger, then you are not using the right kind of charger. CTEK makes some real good chargers. I like the Battery Minder 12248 but it is NOT cheap. Look around and invest in a good smart charger. It will pay for itself. Also pick up a portable jump start pack. Much better to use one of those to jump a Prius rather than hooking it up with jumper cables to another car.

Make CERTAIN you NEVER reverse the polarity, even for a SPLIT second. If you ever do that, you will more than likely cause major damage to your Prius. I am talking repair costs of at least $500 to a max of $4000. Please be real careful if you jump start your Prius. It is NOT a good idea to jump start others with your Prius.

Rule of thumb. If you ever have to jump start a Prius, buy a new battery then. Just because you drove the car all day does not mean tomorrow the car will startup. It might, or it might not.

But remember what I said about jump starting. Very RISKY business. Avoid it at all times if possible. Use a jump starting pack for best results. Read the owner's manual on how to jump start a Prius. Follow those instructions verbatim.

Ron

 

beezer,

Just for the record, which brand of battery are you going with? Also, does your car have SKS on it? What is the source of supply for your new battery and what is it going to cost you? Finally, are you putting in the battery yourself, or are you paying someone else to do it for you?

Ron

 

It depends on the weather, I've found. In the winter I might get 30 or 40 miles before the first one disappears. In the summer I can get 100 miles or sometimes even better. (This is above what you would expect simply from the mpg change). I fill to the second click of the pump.

I had to change my battery last year, after 7 years. I have the base model, no SKS. Do you know of the way to get into the diagnostic screen on the MFD to check battery levels?