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Inverter coolant at 150K?

Discussion in 'Gen 4 Prius Main Forum' started by ATHiker, Oct 12, 2022.

  1. ATHiker

    ATHiker Senior Member

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    Can I ignore this service recommendation? My annual miles are way down and hover at about 12k a year now.

    And then there is the regular engine coolant — which I last changed at 100k three years ago.
     
  2. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

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    I would follow the maintenance schedule that came with the car.
    That being said, I haven’t changed any of the fluids in my ten year old 80,000 mile gen 3
     
  3. ATHiker

    ATHiker Senior Member

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  4. ATHiker

    ATHiker Senior Member

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    Gen 3s are tough!

    Our 2010 is going still strong with very little loving.

    I had been super conscientious about following the service manual recommendations on my 2016, but hate going to my local Toyota dealerships.

    Last trip they wouldn’t sell me a windshield wiper insert (wanted to sell me the entire arm) because “Toyota only has them for sale in bags of 10”. If I can avoid giving them any money without doing much damage, I will.

    And that one is much better than the next closest!
     
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  5. Mendel Leisk

    Mendel Leisk Senior Member

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    Canadian schedule told me to change both* coolant circuits at 10 years or 160k kms, whichever comes first. Honoured that a couple of years back, at 10 years, around 85k kms.

    Maybe overkill, who knows. DIY’ing, only cost about $50 for two bottles of the Toyota coolant.

    * Even verified with Toyota Canada. What they say is at odds with this decal:

    405D4DEC-3154-412B-92D5-35378410A32B.jpeg

    ^ Try Amayama, better price, less BS. Consolidating purchases avoids multiple shipping charges, and try to keep it from just one country (it’s either Japan or UAE).
     
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  6. Mendel Leisk

    Mendel Leisk Senior Member

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    Editorial comment on the above pic: I believe it’s a Canada-only bilingual label, English text states miles, and French is kilometres lol.
     
  7. Doug McC

    Doug McC Active Member

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    The additives (to prevent corrosion) degrade over time and with temperatures (of the system). Failure to change out the coolant could result in failure of the inverter assembly due to corrosion, which is terribly expensive. I wouldn’t risk it.
     
  8. Mendel Leisk

    Mendel Leisk Senior Member

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    Inverter coolant change looks sim to 3rd gen, and is relatively easy. I'd guesstimate dealership charge should be around $150, it's easier than engine coolant change. For curiousity, or if you're open to DIY, see attached:
     

    Attached Files:

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  9. Doug McC

    Doug McC Active Member

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    I believe the inverter coolant system also cools the transaxle so it would be doubly more important to change it.
     
  10. Mendel Leisk

    Mendel Leisk Senior Member

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    Yeah drain bolt is in underside of transaxle. IIRC it's socket-head cap-screw style, takes a 10 mm hex driver IIRC.
     
    #10 Mendel Leisk, Oct 13, 2022
    Last edited: Oct 13, 2022
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  11. Jburner

    Jburner Member

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    Changing inverter is as easy as changing oil. Do the job yourself. Follow Mendel’s link for instructions. I just did both of these in less than 30 min at 100k. Coolant out of both was super clean, I know I could have gone way longer. But your vehicle’s coolant may be/look/breakdown differently.
     
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