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I'm so cornfused....Trying to replace ATF fluid.. Prius v (lowercase v)

Discussion in 'Prius v Care, Maintenance and Troubleshooting' started by G Man v5, Jan 15, 2016.

  1. G Man v5

    G Man v5 Member

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    Watched many videos, read lots of stuff. Seems very simple. Yesterday I spent lots of time trying to locate correct drain and fill areas. I have a 2012 v (lowercase v for the Prius v wagon).

    I'm finding out that more than the service panel needs to be removed? (the panel for oil change).... Here are some pictures....If any of these are correct, yippee! And please let me know....

    pic 3.jpg pic 2.jpg pic 1.jpg pic 4.jpg
     
  2. xliderider

    xliderider Senior Member

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    Your pictures are all too close up to get a sense of surrounding areas, but I believe that your last picture shows the fill bolt near the passenger side half shaft that connects to the CV boot/joint, and the other, lower bolt is the drain bolt. Both with 10 mm hex holes in them.

    Did you also buy the aluminum crush washers?

    Make sure you loosen/remove the top, fill bolt first, before removing the bottom, drain bolt. You don't want to dump your transaxle fluid and find that you can't remove the fill bolt. ;)

    Using a short extension on the 10mm hex will allow you to get your wrench on the fill bolt easier because it's so close to the half shaft.
     
    #2 xliderider, Jan 15, 2016
    Last edited: Jan 15, 2016
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  3. xliderider

    xliderider Senior Member

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    The other bolt with the 10mm hex hole in it with the 2-1 next to it is probably the inverter coolant loop drain bolt. Leave that alone, unless you are changing the inverter coolant as well.
     
  4. Indy John

    Indy John Member

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    Using a longer extension on the 10mm hex will allow you to reach the plugs from the oil drain flap without removing the entire cover. A breaker bar or similar long handle will probably be required because the factory over-torques the plugs. Leave the fill plug loosened but in place so that the fluid doesn't splash everywhere. A small cheap funnel can be squeezed into the opening to catch most of the fluid as it drains. A piece of clear tubing pushed onto a funnel will let you refill from above. Go slowly as you near 3.5 quarts of WS ATF and just stop when it starts to run out the fill hole. New washers, a reasonable snugging of the plugs, and you're good to go for 60k miles or so.
     
  5. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

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    there's nothing worse than cornfusion when changing your oil.:p
     
  6. Mendel Leisk

    Mendel Leisk Senior Member

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    It's best to remove the whole underpanel. I actually do that with every oil change, it gets easy. Wash the fasteners whenever you take them off, they'll last longer. I've marked up your last pic, showing the fill and drain bolts:

    Capture.JPG

    If you haven't got it, I've attached a pdf of the process. Also shows those bolt locations, torque specs, etc. It's from regular Prius Repair Manual, but I believe applicable to the v as well.

    BTW: Toyota's bolt spec is shameful: look at the rust bloom on all those fasteners! :mad:
     
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  7. sfv41901

    sfv41901 Masta S

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    As mentioned, remove the under panel is best to make it easier on urself
     
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  8. G Man v5

    G Man v5 Member

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    Great info guys.....

    As to the panel, I removed about half of it. Is it really even needed? I spose you can buy those funny plastic clip bolts, (what are they called) at an auto parts store?

    At least I finally located what I was looking for...flat on the back, looking up and at angles can be very confusing when trying to locate some bolts. I guess at one point either the fill or drain was a regular hex bolt? (I saw that in readings) which also led to the confusion. From all the pictures I've seen I had no idea how close the unit is to the black thingy!!

    I have new crush washers, 10mm hex socket with extensions...and of course the Toyota WS ATF Fluid, clear tubing, (hopefully the 1/2 inside diameter tubing is not to big for the fill hole..that is what fit the funnels.)

    Thanks again for the suggestions and ideas.
     
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  9. xliderider

    xliderider Senior Member

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    The half inch inside diameter tubing might be too fat to fit into the fill hole. I think I went with 3/8 inch tubing, what you do is use a short piece of the 1/2 inside diameter tubing on the funnel, then fit the 3/8 inch tubing into the 1/2 inch tubing.
     
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