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Almost 120k with no maintenance. Am I missing anything?

Discussion in 'Gen 2 Prius Care, Maintenance and Troubleshooting' started by White Gold Prius, Jan 12, 2011.

  1. cwerdna

    cwerdna Senior Member

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    06 HyHi inverter problems

    On that note, also see posts by mellors at http://priuschat.com/forums/gen-ii-...r-shoppe-in-florida-fix-less.html#post1268706.

    It seems likely that NHTSA probing 44,000 Toyota Highlander Hybrid crossovers over stall risk — Autoblog Green is due to failing inverters.
     
  2. White Gold Prius

    White Gold Prius Junior Member

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    Jeff, is there a reason why there no Toyota hybdrids there?

    Also, is there a good forum for HiHY maintenance. It is next on my list and the only thing I've done so far is changed the spark plugs. It's been running great and getting 26-27mpg on average.
     
  3. White Gold Prius

    White Gold Prius Junior Member

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    Here's my updated list of maintenance at 120K:

    Toyota:
    Replaced "hybrid water pump" (per Toyota receipt), ltd service recal (LSC A0N), I assume the coolant was replaced as well.


    Independent mechanic maintenance:
    ATF fluid exchange, $75
    Engine Coolant Replacement, $97
    Spark Plugs Replacement, $108
    PCV valve, $20
    Throttle body cleaning, 59
    PCV valve Replacement, $15
    Shifter replacement (my part, $50 from ebay), labor $150, works smooth now
    Inspection, $30
    Fog Lights (included)
    Total quoted, $550, paid $500 cash

    WHAT IS NEXT?

    I don't have any problems. Everything works great. My average mpg is 48-50 depending on the temperature and on how fast I drive (and roughly $460-500miles per tank).

    I hear a lot about the 12V battery. Should I just go ahead and replace it given it's already 6 years old? Or should I test it first. What are the consequences of doing nothing with it if everything works fine? Thanks again.
     
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  4. jdenenberg

    jdenenberg EE Professor

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    GH is a dying site due to their mismanagement. PC, Yahoo, and MyHybridCar have taken away the Prius enthusiasts. GH does have Toyota discussions if you go to the top page of their site and their history archive has some useful information.
    You'll have to look around. Ask questions At MyHybridCar and GH in the HiHy section. See if there is a relevant Yahoo Group. Otherwise use what you learn about the Prius and apply it to your HiHy as they have similar drive trains and electronics.

    JeffD
     
  5. White Gold Prius

    White Gold Prius Junior Member

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    I just checked my 12V battery using the "hidden buttons" method and here's what I got:

    Engine ON - 14.1V (charging)
    Engine OFF (accessory) - 12.6 to 12.4 to 12.5 (checked 3 times)

    I have the smart entry model (premium, whatever) and no records that my 12V battery was ever replaced. The car was in Houston all its life (6yrs of service now).

    How is it possible that the battery is in sucha good shape?
     
  6. Patrick Wong

    Patrick Wong DIY Enthusiast

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    Your car has a relatively high odometer reading and your daily commute is relatively long. Both factors help 12V battery life because it received lots of charging time when the Prius is READY.

    The ACC-ON battery voltage measurements are accurate only if you do them first thing in the morning when the car has been idle overnight. This is because battery voltage will be inflated by "surface charge" if the battery had been charged immediately prior to your measurements.
     
  7. White Gold Prius

    White Gold Prius Junior Member

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    Ok, thanks ... will try it again in the morning, before and after 30min of driving.
     
  8. don_chuwish

    don_chuwish Well Seasoned Member

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    I always feel like it's easier to just pop the hood and measure off the "jump" point. And yes, I'm concerned with the reading on mine!
     

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  9. White Gold Prius

    White Gold Prius Junior Member

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    I looked at it early in the morning before going to work and it's still 12.4-12.5-12.4 (IGN-OFF).

    By the way, is there anything else useful I can check on that hidden screen?

    I also saw an option (greyed out) for a camera. What kind was it? Rear view? I didn't even knwo they had this option back then.
     
  10. Patrick Wong

    Patrick Wong DIY Enthusiast

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    Then it sounds like your 12V battery is in good condition.

    US models did not have the rear camera option until 2006 but it may have been available in other regions.
     
  11. seftonde

    seftonde New Member

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    120K miles? ...might want to refill the gas tank...:)
     
  12. White Gold Prius

    White Gold Prius Junior Member

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    I wish I didn't have to do it at all. At $35 a tank, I'm contemplating doing a plug-in conversion. :wub:
     
  13. ilusnforc

    ilusnforc Member

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    Usually the electronics will start acting strange when the battery is reaching the end of it's useful life. Twice this week I got in my car just to use the bluetooth so turned it on to accessory mode and talked for 10 minutes. Pressed the power button twice more to turn the car off (using smart key) and the car was beeping like the fob had been left in the slot when I opened the door to get out. Last night when leaving work I turned the car on to accessory mode to get music started while I got situated, stepped on the brake and hit power a second time and the entire car shut completely off then turned itself back on to 'ready' mode. Finally I got the hint that the battery is on it's way out and giving all these strange symptoms. Did a little reading online today and found the hidden diagnostic menu and in accessory mode it started at 11.6V and dropped as low as 9.8V within about 5 minutes. I immediately placed an order for the Optima from eLearnAid about 20 minutes after their same-day shipping cutoff time and got an email about an hour later with shipping confirmation! They are awesome! Now that I realize how dangerously dead the battery is (original battery) I'm going to be babying it (turn off smart key, etc) for the next few days until the replacement arrives and keeping a set of jumper cables in the car.

    I've also heard that you may see an error message on the MFD saying something about being unable to engage park and to park on a level surface and set the parking brake. I have seen that error a few years ago when I had my Prius on display at an event and didn't have a flathead screwdriver with me to pop the lenses off to take the light bulbs out from the bottom of the front doors so as the doors remained open the lights drained the battery. I was able to borrow a battery and cables from a friend showing his ZW2-C to jump my car with and it took a while of driving and turning the car off/on before finally all the lights/errors returned to normal.