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Got a 2012 Prius C

Discussion in 'Prius c Main Forum' started by Lukey51, Jan 11, 2020.

  1. Lukey51

    Lukey51 Active Member

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    Traded my Ford Fiesta for a very well maintained 2012 Prius C with 108k miles. The car was serviced every 5k at a Toyota dealership. I just heard about the head gasket issues some of these get at around 180k miles and I'm concerned tho I only drive 4-5k miles per year and at that rate it would be at least 2034 I'd reach 180k miles. I'm the type of guy who wouldn't take the car to the dealer like the previous owner did because of cost. I do my own oil and filter changes and other general upkeep like coolant, fluids,etc.

    Please tell me what I can do to help prevent a head gasket failure later on. I like to run BP gas because it seems to clean the whole fuel system. Thank you.
     
  2. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

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    congrats and welcome!

    i'm not sure about the c. the lift back egr circuit clogs, so you need to clean it, and add an oil catch can.
    have you read about the c having a head gasket issue?
     
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  3. Leadfoot J. McCoalroller

    Leadfoot J. McCoalroller Senior Member

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    Head gasket failure is not commonly encountered on this version of the Prius. The 2010-2015 liftback model does have that problem.

    If your car didn't come with an owners' manual you can get a free PDF from techinfo.toyota.com

    Keep the battery cooling vent clear. It's just under the left rear seat.

    Congrats on finding your new car!
     
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  4. dig4dirt

    dig4dirt MoonGlow

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    I am not sure on the head gasket issues for the "c"

    I think that may be only for the Gen3, which has a different engine and parts.
    But I could be proven wrong :unsure:

    Since you are used to compacts, I sure hope you enjoy your "c"
    As I love mine!

    Read a bit on here...brakes, oil, filters etc. about all you need until 100k or more!

    Maybe read up on the trans fluid and get that changed in the mean time
     
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  5. Lukey51

    Lukey51 Active Member

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    Thank you.

    I'm not sure which model of Prius are the most known to get HG issues.
    Are those things I could get an imported car person to do for me?
    I know of one near here that I plan to talk to soon about this.
    Unless it's not too involved. I don't think I'd want to go as far as taking off the intake manifold.
     
  6. Lukey51

    Lukey51 Active Member

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    Thank you Leadfoot. This information is a relief to hear. I hope you're right. I was starting to feel bad about parting with my Ford Fiesta but now I feel a little better.
    I'll keep that battery vent clear for sure. I have the owner manual. :)
     
  7. Lukey51

    Lukey51 Active Member

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    I thought my car was a Gen Prius C but I'm new to Prius and a bit confused.
    I'm going to read the CARFAX over now and see if it tells what was done to the car.
    It sounds to me that, with good upkeep the car will never see a HG issue as long as I plan to own it.

    My car has the door lock issues. I was anxious and agreed to buy the car without checking the locks. The salesman plans to call me back soon and see if they can get it in to look at but I probably know what the problem is. The door lock activator costs about $40 but you have to take the door panel off and I don't think I'd want to play around with that. Maybe I can get a local person to fix it for $150 if he's sure it will last. But it doesn't matter to me that much. The key fob unlocks and rear hatch and rear driver side door but that's all. The driver door lock wiggles but that's it with the fob. The passenger side doors don't react to the fob at all, they have to be locked manually. I have been locking the driver door with the key.
     
  8. Leadfoot J. McCoalroller

    Leadfoot J. McCoalroller Senior Member

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    Now, if you are planning to keep this car a long time you will be putting batteries in it, no question about it. The traction battery is the big expensive one. The linked page is just one random dealer in New York who happens to sell parts on the internet. I've never done business with them and this is not an endorsement. There may be better deals available. But I've linked it to show the example- that's what every Prius c owner is saving up for because it absolutely will be necessary every 10-ish years. Toyota puts a good warranty on it for the first 8 years.
     
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  9. dubit

    dubit Senior Member

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    Leadfoot is correct up there. When that time comes go with the OEM replacement. Don't go the "refurbished" route or you'll be doing it again in a matter of months and you'll end up hating your vehicle. Refurbished is just swapping out bad cells with other used cells. Works for awhile, but they don't seem to be all that reliable. He also mentioned keeping that fan clean. Can't stress that enough. It's a very simple task and if you want to look it up on youtube you can. But it's as simple as pulling 2 plastic tabs off and removing the cover. My 6 year old grandaughter removed the panel for me last time - no joke. (she likes to help) :)

    The C is considered to be extremely reliable. Even more so than the regular Prius and it's a top seller in it's home country with a ton of aftermarket add on's. There is a user here from Hawaii (though his name ID escapes me) who imports all sorts of trinkets. Might browse around a few threads. I'm sure you'll run across his posts if your interested in that sort of stuff.
     
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  10. Lukey51

    Lukey51 Active Member

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    Thank you Leadfoot.

    I've seen some people say the batteries last up to 180k to 200k miles but maybe they were talking about some other models pf Prius, maybe the one prone to HG issues.

    That said, I love the car and am getting awesome MPGs. I like the firm ride and firm seats. It reminds me of a Honda. I love the sounds the doors make when they close. I love the build quality and so much more. And I'm glad to hear my car shouldn't be affected by a head gasket issue.
     
  11. Lukey51

    Lukey51 Active Member

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    How do I find out which model of Prius C mine is?
     
  12. Leadfoot J. McCoalroller

    Leadfoot J. McCoalroller Senior Member

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    Put your VIN into Toyota's service website. It'll tell you what you have.

    Door lock actuators are a common bug on older cs. Expensive at the dealer, but not too bad elsewhere.
     
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  13. Lukey51

    Lukey51 Active Member

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    Thanks. Mine is the Habanero Prius c Two.
     
  14. Leadfoot J. McCoalroller

    Leadfoot J. McCoalroller Senior Member

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    Right on, glad you got that squared away.

    From what I've seen, the battery's overall service life is limited much more by age than use. Battery temperature is another factor, less heat is better.

    You can heap the miles onto these cars. You'll find plenty of accounts of them running 200k+ with little more than oil & coolant changes and tire upkeep.

    Keeping one for a long time is a different battle, I don't think these cars will be so good on that front.
     
  15. Lukey51

    Lukey51 Active Member

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    The salesman was misleading. He said the batteries "never need to be replaced" then mentioned some inexpensive options for a new battery if I did need one, such as batteries from wrecked cars. I could need a new battery in about 2 years. I could go back to the dealership and complain and ask to swap the car in for another. I'd like a good Corolla.
     
  16. Lukey51

    Lukey51 Active Member

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    "Keeping one for a long time is a different battle, I don't think these cars will be so good on that front."

    Why do you say that?
     
  17. Lukey51

    Lukey51 Active Member

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    I can get a new lifetime guaranteed battery from Green Bean Battery for $1549 installed. It's an expense but with this company, a one time expense and then the car should be very low cost to operate for many years. The gas mileage is phenomenal and Toyota reliability should be good. Correct me if I'm wrong.
     
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  18. Eddie25

    Eddie25 Active Member

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    It'd be nice to have some money set aside in case it does go bad, but I wouldn't worry about it that much. Definitely don't change it unless you have evidence it's going bad. There's a good chance it'll last a while. You need to crunch some numbers to look at the gas mileage savings and if a new battery down the road kills it, then maybe look into a standard car.
     
    #18 Eddie25, Jan 12, 2020
    Last edited: Jan 12, 2020
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  19. Leadfoot J. McCoalroller

    Leadfoot J. McCoalroller Senior Member

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    Mostly because these are complex cars. The complexity is great, don't get me wrong. It's the main event, it unlocks the MPG and allows the ultra-smooth transitions from gas to electric and back. But complexity requires management and support to succeed. That tends to be uneconomical and less available after the 15 year mark.

    The hybrid battery is tough to guess around. If you keep the car long enough the battery will need to be replaced. The larger version of the Prius proved that; it's been around longer.

    Nobody really knows how long the c battery will last. Some have already died for one reason or another. We do know that the c battery is a little smaller and thus worked harder than others. We've seen older models gather many battery failures as they age past 12 years. I can't tell you how long yours will go, but you should at least be aware that you may need a new one in your planned course of ownership. I'm just hoping to bring you up to speed.
     
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  20. dig4dirt

    dig4dirt MoonGlow

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    15 year, yeah some Corollas are still on the road, some not.

    Same with Prius, I still see a few 1st Gen out there, and that is past the 15 year mark.

    I have absolute no clue on Green Beans warranty, but I thought I have read that you
    will still need to pay for labor to switch it out. Also not sure about shipping if any or any other "fees"

    @Lukey51 since it looks like you batts oem warranty may be up,
    if you care to take extra care of it, you may look into Prolong Battery Systems. Extending the life of your hybrid. — Hybrid Automotive Prolong charger.

    I think around the $700 range with get you set up to a complete starter charging kit.
    There are some monster threads on the unit, and other can chime in about it.

    I would like to buy one, as with myself owning 2 Prius, the cost is much more reasonable.
    I just have not pulled the trigger on a purchase since I am still under warranty for 3 more years.
     
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