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New to Gen 2

Discussion in 'Gen 2 Prius Main Forum' started by John Dadmun, May 29, 2021.

  1. John Dadmun

    John Dadmun Junior Member

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    Vehicle:
    2009 Prius
    Model:
    II
    bought a gen 2 Prius from my girlfriend, yes I do feel guilty now, it is a 2009 in just great condition. 144K on the car. I knew nothing of the depth of engineering revealed in the Prius, honestly living here in New Hampshire in wooded hills it has always seemed to me that electric vehicles were doomed to drag their heavy battery weight up all of these inclines, that the deep cold winters would severely shorten battery life. I hadn't considered Hybrid cars, because I never understood how they worked in the first place. What a revelation the Prius is, & it has been around for so long. I never knew what I was missing. They like it cold as compared to hot. Regenerative braking can pull back a considerable amount of useable energy. Maintaining momentum with electric motor energy, is incredibly efficient.

    I am getting 42.3 on my first 400 miles of driving. I am a driver that loves taking on distraction while driving, and the Prius really delivers.

    If you more seasoned Prius pilots remember your first times encountering the control surfaces and driving concept of the Prius, well for me personally it was quite striking. You plug in the fob. You push the starter button while footing the brake. You shift with a keg dispenser knob. Looking at the display, it is like an arcade game; there is text to read at 5 different distances from the eye so hunting around this display area wearing progressive lenses, you wouldn't think it to be a big deal - it is though something to get used to.

    I am always watching the clock, for instance as part of my driving form. The car display clock is easier to see than my phone, but it is at a different point to focus on than the speed display which is a different distance by far than the energy display which I am on like a cat on a laser dot, all of the time. Oh & then there's the road.

    Tailgaters are a constant annoyance and threat. In 400 miles driving, thus far I've had a truck that I had been monitoring in the rearview (if they are tailgating, there's really not much you can do but accelerate to increase distance) lock up its brakes, & my brake lights work just fine by the way, if there's someone in front of you, you can't run from the guy behind you.

    When driving in my F-250, I reach up to the rearview mirror and turn it 90 degrees which is clearly visible to the tailgater, they see my signalling to them that they are on their own, but the Prius has a tinted rear hatch so they can't see me.

    Remember wondering what is "B" gear? ( I know now, somewhat ) I went through so many amazing, fun newbie discoveries in the previous 400 miles, and the overall experience has me wondering at the fact that the car was ever approved for driving in the United States in the first place. It is cool though, and I am quickly becoming used to it.

    I've had dozens of vehicles & 400 miles into it, the Prius gen 2 is my favorite ever, hands down no contest. I am on the lookout for a second Prius to put a lift kit on so that I can stance kit this one. Maybe put a Prius powerplant into a houseboat.

    If New Hampshire Prius people (or anybody) want to shout out it would be great to say hello. I will be doing a battery swap some time this summer, perhaps we could do a battery swap-fest with steamed clams. We just need to celebrate the brilliance that is the Toyota Prius, the quality and depth of engineering, the comeradery and we need to use it as a platform to explore new solutions both to its form & function. Long Live & Preserve The Prii !!
     
    #1 John Dadmun, May 29, 2021
    Last edited: May 29, 2021
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  2. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

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    Plug-in Base
    congrats and welcome, all the best!(y)
     
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  3. John Dadmun

    John Dadmun Junior Member

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    Vehicle:
    2009 Prius
    Model:
    II
    Thanks Bisco! Headlamp lens swap-out this afternoon! Hoping to inspect the HV battery fan soon as well, make sure that's okay. First oil change this weekend if possible. Lots to learn but, digging in :)
     
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  4. John Dadmun

    John Dadmun Junior Member

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    2009 Prius
    Model:
    II
    Headlamp swap no-go. The two phillips head screws heads are gone, will have to be replaced. I don't suppose anybody knows what kind of screws these are? Not the greatest day for it anyhow. ...edit I found in the forum that I can try rotating the whole rubber part. These will need replacing, with hope I can come up with a stainless steel equivalent. IMG_3651.JPG
     
    #4 John Dadmun, May 31, 2021
    Last edited: May 31, 2021
  5. The Lizard King

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    Touring
    Vice grips will remove those two screws with rubber surrounds.
     
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  6. John Dadmun

    John Dadmun Junior Member

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    Vehicle:
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    Model:
    II
    IMG_3684.jpg IMG_3676.jpg IMG_3656.JPG IMG_3657.JPG Screen Shot 2021-05-30 at 6.10.57 PM.png
    Yes, they did! Very good advice. They will be replaced - as will the bumper trim, now. The screw was misaligned due to a bent bracket making things worse. Not my proudest moment. Hey, I got it done. Learned a lot in the process. The new lamp housings look great, the car is dirty from mud & rain but everything seems to work. The bulb boot on the drivers side was missing.

    The lamp lens assemblies are almost entirely of plastic whereas the stock lens assemblies have a metal bracket at the bottom so it seems the aftermarket assemblies are a little bit lighter. Everything lined up 100%. The fenders released from the clips without damage. Next time I'll try hammering a torx socket on top of the top bumper screws with the rubber stop, something like that, to avoid digging up that fragile plastic bumper cover. Next time I'll have LED bulbs on hand to swap out for the original types. Next time I'll have spare body trim buttons and 10mm body screws.

    The spring clip for the headlight bulb is included with the new lenses. New boots for the headlight bulb, are not. There aren't any gaskets with the new lenses. The drivers side running light plug did not fit as snugly as I would have liked, the other side was fine.

    Swapping out lamp housings with new, it really makes the body design of a car stand out in a way that demands respect of the original form and function, I think. To say nothing of getting more light out of those lenses.
     

    Attached Files:

    #6 John Dadmun, May 31, 2021
    Last edited: May 31, 2021
  7. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

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    looking good!(y)
     
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  8. John Dadmun

    John Dadmun Junior Member

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    Pretty psyched to have knocked this one out! Probably rear lenses next.
     
  9. ydpplqbd

    ydpplqbd Active Member

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    Part is called "Radiator Protector" (P/N: 53119-47010). I just bought this same part for my Gen2. I also applied Anti-Seize to the threads of each Radiator Protector before reinstallation (in order to prevent this problem in the future).
     
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  10. John Dadmun

    John Dadmun Junior Member

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    Thank you!! :)
     
  11. John Dadmun

    John Dadmun Junior Member

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    Rear lens swap out - with a 1/4" impact driver & 10mm socket it took < 20 minutes from opening the boxes to finished & cleaned up. Just saying! :D

    IMG_3729.JPG IMG_3732.jpg Screen Shot 2021-06-07 at 6.13.10 PM.png
     
  12. ski.dive

    ski.dive Active Member

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    2008 Prius
    Is there a video on the tail light replacement?
     
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  13. John Dadmun

    John Dadmun Junior Member

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    Yeah there's a lot of videos.

    I set up a plastic table to line up bolts & parts that I took out, set the back plastic bin on the ground & put more stuff into that as it came out, with a 1/4" impact driver & 10mm deep socket it went fast. Maybe that & a phillips screwdriver were the only tools used. Need to be mindful of 12v battery which is near where you will be working on the passenger side.

    I wiped the body down where the gaskets seat, after taking the old lenses off. The seals of the new housings are really good, and tough. Interestingly all of the lamps come already built into these lamp housings - you are replacing the whole situation so no time spent unscrewing bulbs, just one plug on each side that you squeeze near the back where the wires come in which levers a clip at the front to release the two connector parts.

    Here's the video I watched - This guy is pretty good. He works on part of it from the passenger door position, I did it all from the back hatch just leaning in which was faster. I cheated as well, removed the passenger side panel but didn't completely remove the driver side which saved time, just worked behind the panel.

     
    #13 John Dadmun, Jun 19, 2021
    Last edited: Jun 19, 2021
  14. John Dadmun

    John Dadmun Junior Member

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    Location:
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    Vehicle:
    2009 Prius
    Model:
    II
    These logo projecting door lamps at 32 grams are heavier than the impressively engineered originals at 23 grams.

    Easy to install - gently pry off existing lamp at door hinge edge of fixture, squeeze catch to release electrical connector, replace. 1 minute per side. It might take a few tries to properly align the new lamp to seat back into the cavity.

    It is a whiter light, maybe less bright overall but the logo painted on the ground, does illuminate the ground plane
    somewhat.

    Interesting that persistence of vision makes the projected image crisper if the door with light is opening or closing.

    Unnecessary, but an inexpensive, super-easy & cute customization with no evident functional downside apart from the yellow incandescent light's possibly illuminating snow better than the white light.

    The picture is in daylight, obviously the lamp functions more visibly at night. Probably every person on this board has already done this cheezy mod. If not, perhaps the time has come! I have no affiliation with the Amazon vendors btw apart from being one.
     

    Attached Files:

    #14 John Dadmun, Jun 22, 2021
    Last edited: Jun 22, 2021
  15. Priusjames

    Priusjames Member

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    Neato projector door lights!
     
    #15 Priusjames, Jun 23, 2021
    Last edited: Jun 23, 2021
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