15,000 mile service - What should I pay?

in my searching i find this thread you might find interesting about the 15,000 mile checkup. there's probably more recent ones, but this one has some great comments:

http://priuschat.com/forums/gen-ii-...troubleshooting/8609-15-000-mile-service.html

 

Here is a recent thread. People in general don't think it's worth the money that the dealer quoted. In the post I copy and pasted the items in the manual. Good luck!

http://priuschat.com/forums/gen-ii-...-serviced-need-your-advice-2.html#post1033757

 

Per Toyota...



Replace engine oil and oil filter 1


I bring my own Synthetic Oil and Filter and Gasket.....

Rotate tires.... I do that myself
Visually inspect brake linings/drums and brake pads/discs Inspect the following:


　Ball joints and dust covers
　　Brake lines and hoses
　　Drive shaft boots
　　Engine/inverter coolant 3
　　Exhaust pipes and mountings
　　Radiator, condenser and/or intercooler
　　Steering gear box
　　
Steering linkage and boots

You can do all the above yourself...
　
Note: Driving in heavy traffic, on dirt roads or in urban, dusty or desert areas may shorten the life of the cabin air filter. Replacement may be needed if you notice reduced airflow from the air conditioner and heater or if the windows fog easily when you use the "Fresh" mode. Consult your dealer if any of these conditions occur.


You can do this yourself, it takes 10 minutes

So my 15K cost less than $39.95...

 

KK6PD (or anyone),

If and when you have the time and will, can you briefly describe what's involved in inspecting each of the listed items (how to do it/what to look for)? It would be greatly appreciated.

 

Yes and if someone could even post pictures of the parts listed that would be great! For example I have heard of "ball joint" a lot but am clueless where it is or what it looks like. Also do the inspections require removal of some of the plastic panels under the car?

 

Dear friends who wish to perform this inspection:

1. Buy a pair of jackstands and a hydraulic floor jack. You need to raise up the car to do a decent inspection job. It is not necessary to remove panels under the car.

2. Brake linings/drums: Raise up the rear of the car and remove the rear tires. Release the parking brake. Pull off the drum with your hands. If the drum is stuck, use two 8 mm bolts inserted into the threaded holes in the drum, and rotate clockwise to force the drum off.

Look at the drum interior to see if it looks burnt. Look at the linings. 4 mm thickness is new, replace at 1 mm. Look at the brake cylinders. If wet, this means brake fluid is leaking, the cylinder has to be rebuilt or replaced.

3. Brake pads/discs. Raise up the front of the car and remove the front tires. New pad thickness is 11 mm, replace at 1 mm. Use a micrometer to measure disc thickness. New disc thickness is 22 mm, replace at 20 mm. The caliper should be dry, if wet this means brake fluid is leaking and the caliper has to be rebuilt or replaced. Especially in parts of the country where road salt is used, look at the inside of the disc for rust.

4. Ball joints and dust covers. These are located at the front suspension and allow the suspension to pivot and the front wheels to point left/right. While the front tires are removed, look for these pivot points. You should not see grease leaking out. If you do then the ball joint must be replaced.

5. Brake lines and hoses. While the tires are removed, look for the flexible rubber hoses that lead from the rigid steel brake lines to the brake calipers (in front) and the brake cylinders (in rear). The hoses should not have any bulging or leaks. If they do then they must be replaced. Look at the steel brake lines, which should not have any damage to them.

6. Driveshaft boots. While the front tires are removed, look at the axleshafts that come out of the transaxle and connect with each front wheel hub. Each axleshaft has two constant velocity joints, one on either end. The CV joint is hidden by a black rubber pleated cover. The cover should be intact, no grease leaking out. If you see any grease, the CV joint must be immediately serviced.

7. Engine/inverter coolant. Look for the engine radiator overflow tank behind the radiator and the inverter coolant reservoir next to the inverter. Both should be at the full mark when the car is cold. If not, replenish with pink Toyota Super Long Life Coolant.

8. Exhaust pipes/mountings. Get under the car after it is raised up and find the exhaust system leading from the engine and running down to the back of the car. You will see the catalytic converter, a resonator, a muffler, etc. Look at each component for holes, leaks, etc. Look at the rubber hangers for damage. Any fault must be immediately repaired.

9. Radiator, condenser, and/or intercooler. Look through the front grille at the radiator, inspecting for leaks or other damage. The condenser is integrated with the radiator. There is no intercooler as Prius does not have a supercharger.

10. Steering gear box, linkage and boots. While the front of the car is raised up, look for damage to the electric steering gear, the linkage or the rubber boots.

This takes more than 10 minutes if you are doing a thorough job.

 

15k service should be about $40.

Tom

 

Read the previous threads and posts I recently made. I had my 15k done over the weekend.

In summary, all I paid for was a tire rotation ($39.95) and oil change (free w/coupon). The rest of the visual inspections are covered under the 27-point inspection that is free as part of the service.

I can live with paying for the tire rotation because I don't have the tools, nor want to buy them, nor would feel comfortable doing it myself. Although I may get them rotated at a tire place next time, and not the dealer. It may be cheaper.

 

Hey Tom, How ya doing, and Happy New Year to ya.

As far as the inspection part of the process,

I wash the "Baby" every Sunday morning, and every 4th Sunday, I have a set of ramps I pull out and I drive up on.

Ball joints and dust covers
Brake lines and hoses
Drive shaft boots
Steering linkage and boots

Look under the front wheels, you can access the Boots, brake lines and brake hoses. Look for OIL, rips, drips, and or leaks or anything that looks wrong. If you get into the routine its a simple routine to follow.

Engine/inverter coolant 3
Exhaust pipes and mountings
Radiator, condenser and/or intercooler
Steering gear box

Once again on that 4th week I detail the engine compartment compartment. I pull the shrouds and covers and again look for OIL. you should not see ANY! If you do, a trip to the dealer is in order. Fluid levels are all marked on the containers, if you keep the containes clean, it's easy to spot a low level. If low, add more! Simple

The cleaner you keep the engine compartment, the easier it is to spot trouble. Get a service manual, I went to TIS and also have the Haynes manual..

Go here.. Toyota Prius Haynes Repair Manual (2001-2008) - HAY92081

It's a good book to show you where your Pius parts are located.

I would rather spend some quality time with "Baby" keeping her "Looking Good" than parking my butt in front of the tube. Saves about $200.00 with my labor! I let the dealer do the oil. but I supply the oil and filter/gasket. Let the dealer dispose of the oil. Besides it's nice to stop by and say get the oil done in about 30 minute and relax!!!

If folks are uncomfortable doing this kind of simple work, by all means bring your Baby to the dealer. That's why they are there

 

Hey Tom, How ya doing, and Happy New Year to ya.

As far as the inspection part of the process,

I wash the "Baby" every Sunday morning, and every 4th Sunday, I have a set of ramps I pull out and I drive up on.

Ball joints and dust covers
Brake lines and hoses
Drive shaft boots
Steering linkage and boots

Look under the front wheels, you can access the Boots, brake lines and brake hoses. Look for OIL, rips, drips, and or leaks or anything that looks wrong. If you get into the routine its a simple routine to follow.

Exhaust pipes and mountings

I back the car up the ramps, gab the muffer pipe and shake it. If it moves to much, tighten it up.

Engine/inverter coolant 3
Radiator, condenser and/or intercooler
Steering gear box

Once again on that 4th week I detail the engine compartment compartment. I pull the shrouds and covers and again look for OIL. you should not see ANY! If you do, a trip to the dealer is in order. Fluid levels are all marked on the containers, if you keep the containes clean, it's easy to spot a low level. If low, add more! Simple

The cleaner you keep the engine compartment, the easier it is to spot trouble. Get a service manual, I went to TIS and also have the Haynes manual..

Go here.. Toyota Prius Haynes Repair Manual (2001-2008) - HAY92081

It's a good book to show you where your Prius parts are located.

I would rather spend some quality time with "Baby" keeping her "Looking Good" than parking my butt in front of the tube. Saves about $200.00 with my labor! I let the dealer do the oil change, but I supply the synthetic oil and filter/gasket. Let the dealer dispose of the oil. Besides it's nice to stop by and say get the oil done in about 30 minute and relax!!!

If folks are uncomfortable doing this kind of simple work, by all means bring your Baby to the dealer. That's why they are there

 

Neither one. Along with all the excellent advice above, note that when a *dealer* says "X miles service" it means something far different than what the manufacturer means by "X miles/ Y months service". To the manufacturer it means "what the car needs to stay in warranty condition"; to a dealer it means "boat payment".

To see what routine maintenance Toyota thinks that the car needs consult the Scheduled Maintenance Guide (2004-2009) or the Warranty and Maintenance Guide (2010), or look here:
Toyota Parts and Service
Show the appropriate page to the service writer and tell them to do only that, nothing more.

And you don't really need to rotate the tires (rotating just means you will be buying four at a time less often instead of two at a time more often). And it's really easy and cheap to change the engine air filter yourself, and to inspect and vacuum or replace the cabin air filter yourself.

And, as always, no matter who performs an oil change, always check the oil level yourself before you drive away. Everybody makes mistakes sometimes.

 

All this talk about DIY maintenance and DIY instructions is ridiculous. You can pay $30 max for the entire 15k mile service and not have to worry about a thing - that your warranty will be void or you didn't adequately check something. The dealer service is great. Just be sure you know what you're buying and don't fall for those "recommended" services such as engine air and cabin air filters. I'm telling you, all those required visual inspections listed in the guide ARE FREE. YOU DO NOT NEED TO DO IT YOURSELF IF YOU DON'T WANT TO. I was asking these same questions myself 5 days ago, and now that I know the answer, I am trying to share my advice with you!!

Again, $30-40 max and you'll walk out happy. Easier and less stressful than doing it yourself, and your car will run better. My car has driven noticeably smoother this week.

 

For "free", your car is going to be inspected by the same junior tech who (based upon many reports in this forum) has trouble overfilling engine oil past the top dimple on the dipstick. Suggest you hang around while the service is being done to see what inspection actually happens.

If you are lucky, then in the 5 minutes while the old oil is draining out, the tech will take a flashlight out and shine it around, looking for an obvious leak. That's about it.

Perhaps you might say that the same inspection will happen even if you pay an explicit amount for the inspection, so what's the point. That's why I prefer to DIY.

 

MANY thanks Patrick and KK6PD.

As always, I, and I'm sure many others, greatly appreciate your taking the time and care to answer questions like these.