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Dealership transaxle fluid change nightmare

Discussion in 'Gen 3 Prius Care, Maintenance & Troubleshooting' started by liquidtenmillion, Feb 17, 2017.

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  1. liquidtenmillion

    liquidtenmillion Active Member

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    The only way I could be completely satisfied would be a preemptive transaxle and inverter replacement under warranty, or a credit to trade in a new vehicle. Since it shows up on my vehicle history report, including the we over filled by 3 quarts part, I am sure that it greatly lowered the resale value of my vehicle. I'd rather have a credit to trade in for a brand-new 2015 Prius, but they simply don't make those anymore.

    I sent an email to Toyota corporate with the information I told you guys and will let you know if they ever respond. Does anybody know how long it typically takes for Toyota corporate to respond? I don't even really feel comfortable driving the vehicle in the meantime.
     
    #41 liquidtenmillion, Feb 18, 2017
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  2. Raytheeagle

    Raytheeagle Senior Member

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    The local dealer in my neck of the woods still has about 6 brand new Prii. They still have 2016's and still do not have any 2017's on the lot. So they are out there, but probably not worth the trip out to rainy CA:(.

    Sorry to hear about your situation. As someone who has done the drain and fill several times and fit about 4 quarts in each time, I would be curious to hear the "how" from the mechanic.
    I agree with the advice that if the scorched fluid was just "drained to the correct level", it should be changed out to avoid any lingering issues.

    Good luck and keep us posted(y).
     
    #42 Raytheeagle, Feb 18, 2017
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  3. Mendel Leisk

    Mendel Leisk Senior Member

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    Toyota's insistance that Prius transaxle fluid change is not needed is leaving dealership mechanics completely uneducated. If they (Toyota) could at least acknowledge the procedure, perhaps in the optional severe service category, then maybe nonsense like this could be prevented. It's in the Repair Manual, very simple.
     
    #43 Mendel Leisk, Feb 18, 2017
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  4. mjoo

    mjoo Senior Member

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    I would be just as mad for them not changing the fluid right and shocked. But I'm not convinced it damaged your vehicle. The tranny was lubricated and the car did it's job preventing the transmission from overheating. However, I would have them fix the transmission if it leaks with the right amount of fluid or it overheats again.

    Posted via the PriusChat mobile app.
     
    #44 mjoo, Feb 18, 2017
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  5. Jerry Liebler

    Jerry Liebler Member

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    Toyota has more than the necessary power to make you feel comfortable! Your "feel comfortable" zone is right on. Realize that Toyota is in no way at fault! This mess is owned by and should be paid for by the dealer! Toyota however does have great economic power over the dealer and is very interested in keeping it's customers happy, and can help get you comfortable. FWIW Mg1 and Mg2 are integral parts of the transaxle. Again I recommend you talk to/retain an attorney. BTW your damages, from the dealer's actions, are probably much greater than the value of the car.
     
    #45 Jerry Liebler, Feb 18, 2017
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  6. JC91006

    JC91006 Senior Member

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    Can you post the pictures you took of the engine compartment? When it over heated?
     
    #46 JC91006, Feb 18, 2017
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  7. El Dobro

    El Dobro A Member

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    Just another example of why I try and learn to do these things myself. Not everyone else has the ability to, but if you can, learn.
    For me, I just picked up a TPMS reset tool so I can do my own tire rotations on the Volt.
     
    #47 El Dobro, Feb 18, 2017
  8. Jerry Liebler

    Jerry Liebler Member

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    Toyota has more than the necessary power to make you feel comfortable! Your "feel comfortable" zone is right on. Realize that Toyota is in no way at fault! This mess is owned by and should be paid for by the dealer. Toyota however does have great economic power over the dealer and is very interested in keeping it's customers happy, and can help get you comfortable. FWIW Mg1 and Mg2 are integral parts of the transaxle. Again I recommend you talk to/retain an attorney. BTW your damages, from the dealer's actions, are probably much greater that the value of the car.
     
    #48 Jerry Liebler, Feb 18, 2017
  9. liquidtenmillion

    liquidtenmillion Active Member

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    Yes I have pictures and a video and will upload shortly.

    The thing is I know how to do it but I recently injured my right shoulder and back. I figured if anyone f'd it up at least the dealership would have the most capabilities to make it right...

    I've never contacted an attorney before in my life. I have contacted Corporate, and I will go to the dealership today with both service records and with my offer of either

    1. Trade it in for a 2017 Prius 3 Touring even though I still owe 17k on the current prius for about theh same payment. or
    2. Transaxle(which I think includes mg1 and mg2) and inverter preemptively replaced.

    My car has 30000 miles on it, I should not be stranded on the side of the highway, a dangerous highway where I could feel cars kicking rocks at my car and the wind blowing it around(since I couldn't move it far since it shut off...), miss a day of work and a day of pay, and go through hell and back dealing with what is supposed to be a professional dealership. If they don't agree to those two I will tell them that I am going to escalate the case with corporate toyota.

    The way I see it is they can't say that this reduced the value of my vehicle since they would be contradicting their own service department, or if they said t his reduced the value then I could have grounds to demand the service department replace the components.
     
    #49 liquidtenmillion, Feb 18, 2017
  10. JC91006

    JC91006 Senior Member

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    You can't make any demands if the car is working properly now
     
    #50 JC91006, Feb 18, 2017
  11. Mendel Leisk

    Mendel Leisk Senior Member

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    I've been a somewhat similar case, where we basically lost all faith in a car. It had been in a bad side-swipe during shipping, had been repainted, sold to us "new", and the paint was just peeling off. We ended up trading prematurely, and got a good trade-in value. Not that great though.

    If it's working properly is debatable though. The dealership is not that forthcoming, and there could be longterm damage. If they do take the car back in a trade-in, they'll turn around and sell it to some other poor sap.
     
    #51 Mendel Leisk, Feb 18, 2017
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  12. liquidtenmillion

    liquidtenmillion Active Member

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    This is precisely what I am afraid of and why I hope they would at least go for a trade in type offer.
     
    #52 liquidtenmillion, Feb 18, 2017
  13. mjoo

    mjoo Senior Member

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    My question is - where did the smoke come from? Was the inverter smoking or was it just oil on the exhaust?

    If the latter, smoke from exhaust, I wouldn't worry. Then it seems like things were handled quickly and probably no damage resulted from the overfill.
    Posted via the PriusChat mobile app.
     
    #53 mjoo, Feb 18, 2017
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  14. liquidtenmillion

    liquidtenmillion Active Member

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    The dealership claims it was coming from ATF on the exhaust, as if they could know as they weren't there. I WAS there and I saw smoke pouring off the inverter and absolutely no ATF on it. Believe it or not(not to you but the dealer) I know what smoking ATF looks and smells like. This was definitely electronic smell. There was also no residue left behind on the inverter.

    Not only that but since it only has 30000 on it they can turn around and sell it as Certified Pre-Owned!!
     
    #54 liquidtenmillion, Feb 18, 2017
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  15. JC91006

    JC91006 Senior Member

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    If the inverter is a concern, there's an extended warranty on it from Toyota, so that'll be a non issue if brought up
     
    #55 JC91006, Feb 18, 2017
  16. El Dobro

    El Dobro A Member

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    If there's one close enough, have another Toyota look it over and see what they find.
     
    #56 El Dobro, Feb 18, 2017
  17. mjoo

    mjoo Senior Member

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    Well the inverter - that's one more thing to monitor with a scantool or techstream

    Posted via the PriusChat mobile app.
     
    #57 mjoo, Feb 18, 2017
  18. liquidtenmillion

    liquidtenmillion Active Member

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    I didn't think to check the temperatures until about two minutes after I pulled over and popped the hood.

    At that point inverter was 180f mg1 was 260f and mg2 was 285f. I am sure that the temperatures were much higher than that when the error popped up. I wonder if getting into that high of a temperature just one time would cause any damage. In the 2 drives I've done since I got the car back temps were normal.
     
    #58 liquidtenmillion, Feb 18, 2017
  19. mjoo

    mjoo Senior Member

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    The flash point of WS ATF is 347 degrees F. If your inverter got that hot wouldn't that cause the inverter coolant to boil out?

    Posted via the PriusChat mobile app.
     
    #59 mjoo, Feb 18, 2017
  20. liquidtenmillion

    liquidtenmillion Active Member

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    It did look like there was abnormal steam looking stuff in the reservoir now that you mention it, and lots of condensation.
     
    #60 liquidtenmillion, Feb 18, 2017
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