130k and mostly only oil changes so far. now what maintence

I would replace the serpentine drive belt (vs. checking it). That part is inexpensive and there is no doubt that the inside is full of cracks after 130K miles.

I would pass on the fuel injector cleaning unless the engine has driveability issues.

If the front struts and rear shocks are original equipment, they very likely need to be replaced now.

The front brake pad and rotor condition also should be inspected.

 

No brake flush.

No thermostat replace.

Combo spark plugs+air filter with MAF and throttle body cleaning.

 

The engine thermostat in my car leads a sedentary life. I wonder if that means longer or shorter lifespan ?

 

Our maintenance schedule booklet ends at 120k miles. I put together a document that extends all the way to 300k miles. This way, you won't need to remember what to do when. Just look it up!

http://priuschat.com/forums/gen-ii-...-2004-2009-extended-maintenance-schedule.html

 

I replaced the thermostat preemptively at 150k miles when I did the second coolant change (along with replacing both water pumps and the serpentine belt). I guess I'm just an old fashion guy.

JeffD

 

Hi Jeff,
That is my plan too, if the pump or thermostat does not break first.

 

Just thinking: we had a coolant thermostat go bad on a previous Honda Accord. The tip off for me was seeing the coolant temperature gauge down at the bottom after an extended freeway drive: started thinking why that should be happening, researched it, found reports of stuck open thermostats being the cause.

They're mechanical components, with a rubber gasket that can harden and/or fray. When changing it I tried suspending both the old and new one in a pot of water on the heat, and watched their performance.

The old one was never fully shut, even when cold(due to fraying of the gasket). This meant there was always some coolant flowing into the radiator, even when the car was cold. It also opened sooner and closed later, again leading to over-cooling.

Now with the Prius, if you have a thermostat failure of this sort I guess you're SOL unless you have a ScanGauge (or similar): no coolant temp gauge. Unless maybe the computer will notice overcooling anomolies and light up a warning.

 

Thanks for the extended maint schedule. I don't find any mention of struts in it. Anyone have a recommended interval for replacement? Has anyone replaced them other than to modify the suspension?
Jerry

 

If you want to maintain the suspension in top condition, I would say that the front struts and rear shocks should be replaced at ~60K mile intervals. However this is a costly job and I doubt that many owners will be willing to have that work done so frequently.

I have posted on how to replace both the front struts and rear shocks in this forum.