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Need maintenance recommendation for 2014 Prius v with less than 20,000 miles

Discussion in 'Gen 3 Prius Care, Maintenance & Troubleshooting' started by Deb Studer, Jan 11, 2019.

  1. Deb Studer

    Deb Studer Junior Member

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    I bought my new 2014 Prius v in January 2015 and have had it 3 years but only 17,500 miles. The last time I took it to the dealer for its final free oil change service, and tire rotation, etc. at 12,000 miles, they brought out a list of THEIR additional recommended maintenance to the tune of over $1,200. I was so shocked I asked the poor guy what the heck was he smoking! I declined all except for an alignment since I had tagged a curb recently. What is the general recommended maintenance and anticipated cost? And is using the dealer necessary or can a good mechanic elsewhere handle it? I just took it to a local mechanic for an oil change (synthetic of course) after the dash light indicated it was time. I just love this car. Obviously I don't drive it much and take great joy in heading to nearby shopping areas totally in battery mode! :) Thanks in advance for your recommendations.
     
  2. JC91006

    JC91006 Senior Member

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    I think with the low miles that you drive, you should avoid dealer service ripoffs and just get oil changes until your car is over 60000. You should then have your brakes inspected, transaxle fluid changed. Then continue with oil changes until 100000 miles

    What was the dealer's answer to what he was smoking? To recommend over $1000 in maintenance is predatory tactics
     
    #2 JC91006, Jan 11, 2019
    Last edited: Jan 11, 2019
  3. ardashev

    ardashev Junior Member

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    Spark plugs, change those as required. I did not - egr valve got clogged at 150k.
     
  4. Mendel Leisk

    Mendel Leisk Senior Member

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    It's tricky what to say, with miles so low. Have a look at your warranty and maintenance booklet: the maintenance is spelled out in there, event by event. Which is is a poor presentation, if you're trying to discern the patterns.

    I'm just thumbing on a phone right now, but could post a chart translation of that schedule tomorrow.

    One catch: the service intervals are miles OR months, whichever comes first. Bear in mind then, the maintenance alert in US Prius is just a miles counter, and with your low miles is technically overridden by months.

    Still, with your extremely low miles, some compromise is good. I would suggest:

    1. Rotate the tires per the miles, ignore months. This should be around $15~20 if incorporated with an oil change, $30 if stand-alone.

    2. Change the engine oil and filter yearly. This should be around $50~60.

    3. Inspect engine and cabin air filters yearly, and ONLY replace as warranted. This should be $10~20 at most, plus parts IF needed.

    4. Inspect brakes tri-yearly, regardless of miles. (a full inspection, not just visual look-over. This should cost about $250~300, if a thorough job is done.

    5. Change transaxle fluid as soon as practical, that should do it for life. This should not cost over $100, $80 would be more reasonable. Note this is not on the US schedule.

    You might also consider occasional brake fluid change, shouldn't cost more than $100~125. This is not on the US schedule either.
     
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  5. Deb Studer

    Deb Studer Junior Member

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    He smirked. He had walked in looking like a funeral director with his official Toyota clipboard of multi-ply carbon copies (who uses those anymore?) and knelt down by my chair in their luxurious AutoNation lobby before giving me the bad news. I was so glad I declined most of what they suggested. My hubby said I probably didn't even need the realignment either. I just went there for the free final oil change. My concern was that maybe hybrids really do require additional maintenance that your average Toyota doesn't. But I only heard of Lexus and such having such high dollar maintenance requirements. We have always been Toyota truck and minivan drivers and basically drive them until the wheels fall off, so I am a hybrid novice. Toyota's killing the Prius v may come back to bite me someday but it is just a terrific vehicle so far. Thanks so much for the excellent coaching.
     
  6. Grit

    Grit Senior Member

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    What I do when they try to get smirky, after each item they recommend, "is that free? is that free also? I'll take it, but is it free?" When they reply, "no don't provide any free service" or "it's not free." I reply, "Oh don't buy services I don't need." They usually just end with what payment you will be making haha.
     
  7. Mendel Leisk

    Mendel Leisk Senior Member

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    These are graph format translations of the event-by-event maintenance, all the maintenance proscribed by Toyota, in the Warranty and Maintenance Booklet*. It's the slim booklet, should have come with the car.

    * I worked this up from the regular Prius, 2010 model year, but I believe it to be identical to the 2012 Prius v maintenance. Compare with your booklet if unsure.

    2010 Prius Maintenance Schedule (US).jpg
     

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  8. Prodigyplace

    Prodigyplace Senior Member

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    It should apply to the 2014 Prius v too. :D
    (check the thread title)
     
  9. Deb Studer

    Deb Studer Junior Member

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    Great approach! Will give that a try if they pull it on me again but I probably won't be seeing them again unless I absolutely have to for a recall or part that can't be found anywhere else. Thanks
     
  10. Mendel Leisk

    Mendel Leisk Senior Member

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    Not sure I understand. I know the threads about Prius v; was that your point?
     
  11. Deb Studer

    Deb Studer Junior Member

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    Good. I had seen this in my maintenance booklet but wasn't sure if this was what the dealer going by verbatim. Unfortunately they didn't give me a copy of the maint items I delined to compare. Your list is almost identical to the pages in my booklet. I suspect my being an older female made me a target... Thanks

    Ok. What symptoms should I be alert to in order to avoid such or do you recommend getting them replaced after a certain mileage?

    Thanks again!
     
    #11 Deb Studer, Jan 12, 2019
    Last edited by a moderator: Jan 12, 2019
  12. Prodigyplace

    Prodigyplace Senior Member

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    You said you thought your chart would work for a 2012 Prius v. The OP has a 2014 Prius v .
     
  13. Mendel Leisk

    Mendel Leisk Senior Member

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    Yeah that was my next guess. I've got a habit of referring to a vehicle of a generation by the first year of that generation. Just in case there's some variation in the maintenance schedule between 2012 and 2014: abject apologies...
     
  14. Mendel Leisk

    Mendel Leisk Senior Member

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    @Deb Studer do you guys use a battery maintainer for the 12 volt? Good idea, with such low usage.
     
  15. Deb Studer

    Deb Studer Junior Member

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    We have not but it gets driven pretty much every day around town, with highway mileage occasionally. Is there a way to monitor it?
     
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  16. Prodigyplace

    Prodigyplace Senior Member

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    Understood.
    The Prius v debuted in 2012 along with the PiP. The Prius v body was refreshed with better crash test results in 2015. My son bought a 2015 Prius v replacing his 2005 Prius.
     
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  17. Grit

    Grit Senior Member

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    You did say “obviously I don’t drive it much” so that’s why it was recommend with trickle charger in original post so that doesn’t compute.
     
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  18. Mendel Leisk

    Mendel Leisk Senior Member

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    Digital volt meter check, engine off, first thing in the morning is good first step. Anything 12.6 or better you're in good shape. 12.5 is "ok". 12.4 and lower it's likely not going to last much longer.

    For more in-depth assesment Dealerships will have electronic load tester, check's voltage plus Cold Cranking Amps (or Cranking Amps, various similar), and will give a verdict on it's health. Or DIY you can get something like Solar BA5.

    Smart chargers, 3~4 amp range, are designed so you can even leave them on indefinitely.