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Contaminated A/C System - Dealer: $6600 Cheaper Options?

Discussion in 'Gen 2 Prius Care, Maintenance and Troubleshooting' started by comatoes, Jun 16, 2016.

  1. comatoes

    comatoes #GreenLife

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    My car has 148k miles. I like the car and want to keep the car for another 80k+ miles. I got the Red Triangle w/ Exclamation, ((!)) and VSC warning light last week. It was weird because it happened after I hooked up my trailer (with lights probably shorted) to my wiring harness in my Prius's trunk. I unhooked the trailer wiring and this problem remained.

    Let me preface this by saying about a year ago I had a local mechanic top up the A/C fluid with most likely oil that is universal old style (non hybrid) stuff which I know now can screw up so many things.

    I was able to drive the car by unhooking the negative battery terminal but after driving for about an hour the warning lights came on at a stop light. I continued driving until I got to my destination (an hour and a half).

    I tried to turn on the car and got the warning lights. I took it to the shop they called and asked me if I added anything to the A/c system I said yes. They gave me the sheets in the attachments where they did some tests. I asked if they could check the fluid and they said NO.

    I have been driving it the past 3 days with multiple stop starts with no problem but I have not been using the A/C system. At night I noticed my headlights sometimes *blink*. (Could be a coincidence but I haven't seen this either).

    I attached a picture of my dash with the warning lights. I also included pictures of the sheets with parts labor quotes I got from Toyota.


    1. Do you all believe the problem really is a contaminated A/C system?

    2. Is there a cheaper way to fix this? I found used parts on ebay for about $600 and if I could get someone with a good a/c flusher I think they could do it for less than Toyota wants. I don't think Toyota will install parts I get, but I had Midas install an exhaust manifold I bought used.

    3. Will I do additional harm if I drive by using the A/C minimally?

    4. Could I pull a fuse to disable the A/C system completely but still use the air/heat?

    5. I asked the Service Desk guy about the Carb Battery warning if that could help with the cost and he said no. I am in Maryland which follows the CA standards so battery warranty should be 10 year 150k mileage which I'm under but close too. I did buy the car from a used car dealer, though.


    Thank you all so much for your help. This forum is truly amazing!

    I was told pictures aren't showing up that I uploaded to Priuschat I uploaded and linked them here:
    Dash:
    Toyota Sheet1:
    Toyota Sheet2:
    Write up:
     

    Attached Files:

    #1 comatoes, Jun 16, 2016
    Last edited: Jun 16, 2016
  2. ericbecky

    ericbecky Hybrid Battery Hero

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    First, your photos won't show up right now. Currently here is an issue with PriusChat and some images.

    I think you may have several unrelated things going on.
    (Like the blinking lights)

    Only way to really tell is if you had access to the error codes and then I could go over them with you.
    Are there any error codes shown on the dealer paperwork that you could type in a post?
    Although often the descriptions are somewhat self explanatory.
     
  3. S Keith

    S Keith Senior Member

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    There is no issue adding plain r134a to a prius a/c system. Best results are obtained if dedicated hoses/gages are used to prevent contamination of the OIL.

    It's the oil that's magical.

    Per Eric need codes to be able to provide any meaningful input. Code reading options in my sig.
     
  4. comatoes

    comatoes #GreenLife

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    Thanks for the heads up on the pictures. I uploaded to imgur and edited my OP for the links. There are no current codes that I can see with my odbIII reader and Torque app on my phone.
     
  5. comatoes

    comatoes #GreenLife

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    Will someone please let me know if the pictures are visible now? I uploaded the write up from toyota.
     
    #5 comatoes, Jun 16, 2016
    Last edited: Jun 16, 2016
  6. comatoes

    comatoes #GreenLife

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    My post may have been confusing. He didn't add r134a to the best of my knowledge. He added the universal old style (non hybrid) stuff you can get at Walmart.
     
  7. comatoes

    comatoes #GreenLife

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    What about this link: High Voltage A/C Compressor Oil Issues | Automotive Career Development Center

    "The ACDC Prius now has 143,000 (was 94K when we tried to break it). The A/C is running fine, with the PAG oil flushed out and ND-11 inside (Now Supercool oil), still no codes. The experiment is over. It is possible to fix a contaminated system without replacing everything, but only if you have the right equipment." I could get a used compressor off of Ebay for $100.
     
  8. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

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    3003? is that the code?
     
  9. comatoes

    comatoes #GreenLife

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    I'm not really sure I could call and ask the dealership.
     
  10. ericbecky

    ericbecky Hybrid Battery Hero

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    I can see the pics now.

    So are you saying the lights are on and there are no codes? Usually Torque should find something.
    That would be unusual.

    134a is a refrigerant
    134a is not specific to hybrids.
    It is in many cars.
    As long as he put in JUST refrigerant, and no oil, it would be fine.

    But usually the cans contain refrigerant + A/C oil.

    Why is this a problem?
    You see, the Prius takes a special kind of A/C oil
    The A/C oil is not the same as normal cars.
    The problem arises when people put in a can that contains both 134a refrigerant + regular A/C oil.
    As opposed to 134a refrigerant + special hybrid oil.

    edit: I see now that he added ONLY A/C oil. And it was non-hybrid A/C oil Yeah... that's not good.
     
    Mendel Leisk likes this.
  11. comatoes

    comatoes #GreenLife

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    Currently no warning lights. However, I haven't used the A/C at all since I got it back from the Dealer. The dealer likely cleared the codes. I did run the fan this morning on the way to work since it was raining. I can probably get it to show lights by running the A/C.
     
  12. JC91006

    JC91006 Senior Member

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    If this were my car, I'd drive naked without AC. The cost to repair is insane.
     
  13. comatoes

    comatoes #GreenLife

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    I definitely thought about that. I can probably do without the cooling aspect even though Maryland summers get hot and humid and the winters are quite cold. I don't know if this system not working would affect the heat in the winter which I would want. I haven't put much money into the car so far and I've saved ~$5k in the past 5 years so if I could repair for $1000 or less I may do that to have A/C for the next 50k+ miles.
     
  14. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

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    maybe you can find an a/c shop that understands prius, and would install salvage parts.
     
  15. ChapmanF

    ChapmanF Senior Member

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    I was just looking at this ... the cost to repair is insane. :)

    The first line item in their quote ("RADIATOR PACKEAGE") is the entire interior heat/evap assembly at its magnificent $3643.06 list price. Even if you had to replace that whole thing, you could get it for $2600.

    But the only parts in it that could be in any way contaminated are the evap itself (how does $215 grab you?), expansion valve ($114), and tube assembly ($52.25), totaling under $400 (just for the first line of the quote, mind, but still that's about $3200 off the price).

    -Chap
     
    #15 ChapmanF, Jun 25, 2016
    Last edited: Jun 25, 2016
  16. comatoes

    comatoes #GreenLife

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    UPDATE POST


    Hi all. I figured I would update. I made the decision to buy a used compressor off of ebay (2009 77k miles, $100). I found a Toyota dealer that would install a used part. I had them install flush, install the new compressor, fill (I'm not exactly sure the order they did it yet).

    Turns out one of the high voltage wires was chewed through!!!!!!! So I'm not 100% sure that the problem was the contamination of the a/c fluid at all.

    This makes me optimistic on this fix lasting. Toyota charged $450 to install the new compressor and flush and fill. I couldn't find another shop that would flush and fill the high voltage system in Md/PA.



    Here's a link to my new post: Need Electric A/C Compressor replaced with A/C flush, Help finding Cheaper Shops? | PriusChat
     
    #16 comatoes, Jul 16, 2016
    Last edited: Jul 16, 2016
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  17. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

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    congrats, all the best!(y)
     
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  18. andrewclaus

    andrewclaus Active Member

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    So it looks like you saved about $6000 (roughly the current value of my '07 Prius). If I were you, I'd be feeling pretty good about your decision. A little luck helps, too, finding that chewed wire, which probably was the problem all along.
     
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  19. comatoes

    comatoes #GreenLife

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    Yep I do. My car has 150,000 miles so my car is only worth about $4500 so that fix cost was ridiculous!