Planning on extensive Maintenance for used prius

First there are cheap test strips to detect if there is any reason to bleed the brake fluid.
amazon.com/Phoenix-Systems-3003-B-Package-Condition/dp/B00E6TXWA6
If there is no water in the fluid, there is no worry.
Due to regenerative braking, you can only bleed the brakes with Toyota's Techstream software to open all the brake lines. If you try without the right software, expect a tow to the dealer.

The same Amazon page lists coolant test strips as well. The Prius has two coolant systems, one for the engine, one for the inverter. getting air out of the system is reportedly very difficult.

I would only mess with the A/C if you had symptoms of failure.

To my knowledge, Toyota does not recommend plug changes until 120,000 miles.

Not on your list (nor mentioned in Toyota's recommended maintenance) is a drain and refill of the ATF WS. 45,000 miles is a fine time for this service.

Here is the recommended schedule: http://www.toyota.com/t3Portal/document/omms-s/T-MMS-14Prius/pdf/2014_Toyota_Prius_WMG_lr.pdf (page 44 of the PDF is 45,000 miles)

(I will resist mentioning royal purple and snake oil in the same sentence)

 

Your car does not need any additives -- if it did, Toyota would add them. Porsche does not use coolant additive - Your Prius certainly does not need them -- don't put anything in the coolant.

I stick fuel additive in my old MB's -- no modern car needs a fuel additive at 39k

Our oldest Prius (2011) -- has 130k on it and we just did a simple coolant exchange and Plugs - At 110k

I believe Toyota says 10 years and 100k for the coolant -- ours looked new at 110k. The procedure is a simple refresh -- drain what comes out and refill. No flush.

The DOT 3 fluid is normally fine up to 5 years -- Some change at three (not me). German cars use dot 4e or 4+ -- they need to be changed at 2 years.

The plugs on ours at 110k -- looked amazing. The plugs are a bit of a pain as the wipers need to come off. Yours are fine.

You have no maintenance records -- what kind of dealer? At 39k it would be due for it's every 10k oil change. I would look to see if the air filter has been changed. The most your car is going to need is both filters and an oil/filter change. I did the trans oil at 100k -- but even that is overkill IMO.

Don't touch the AC. I have AC in some cars for 15 years without ever touching them -- In fact i can't think of any Japanese car I have ever had to fix an AC system. The Prius has an electric compressor ... it needs no regular maintenance.

Do no harm ... Leave it alone.

 

congrats! i would do the engine oil, filters and tranny fluid. don't forget to rotate your tyres and keep the pressure up, no need to overdo it. all the best, and thank you for your service!

 

Royal Purple is selling reputation, not product. all you need is product.

A/C may need freon (r143a) in 15 years, but not now unless you break the seal on the A/C.
As to how it works, here is a video on the electrics, the A/C motor is mentioned at 15;15 to 17:00.

You seem eager to blow a grand to save $5 in tests, I question the wisdom of that.

 

You mention you have transaxle fluid. Is it Toyota ATF-WS? I would not use anything else. Just drain and fill. I find a funnel and 3' of hose is a simple alternative to the pump mentioned in the linked video.

Coolant, two circuits, should be fine for some time, no need to change now, even less to flush.

Brake fluid should be changed tri-yearly, according to Toyo Canada, but proceed cautiously, follow the video in the link.

Oil and filter change is doable, but you want to get a decent oil filter socket, and get familiar with the engine underpanel removal. Toyota 0W20 is fine, and cheap.

Nutz About Bolts Prius Maintenance Videos | PriusChat

If you're seriously interested I'll post some PDFs tomorrow, with details, torque values.

 

I agree with most of the others.

Dude, just do an oil/filter change every10K (or 12 months)

rotate your tires once a year

put in a new air filter every couple years

and you'll enjoy driving the heck out of it for the next 20 years or whatever. (Taxi Cab companies abuse the hell out of 'em and they keep running fine.)

Toyota calls their trans fluid "lifetime" fluid. Listen to yeldogt, above, and don't even worry about it.

Save your money.

And who put it in your head that you need "fuel treatment"? Just buy Top Tier gas like Chevron, Mobil, or Shell etc, and you'll be good. (If it really bugs you, just pour in a small cheap bottle of Chevron Techron once a year.)

Just the opinion of an old guy (who wasted WAY TOO MUCH money on unnecessary/unneeded maintenance the last 40 years.)

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I would stick with DOT3 fluid.

Just back away from "improving" the fluids, concentrate on basic maintenance as spec'd, for the most part, and you'll be fine.

The one exception imho would be the transaxle fluid: an early change is cheap insurance, then you can increase the interval. Say right away, then every 60,000 miles or so. The drain and fill bolts require a (male) 10mm hex head driver, Stanley for one makes a set. Remove the fill bolt first, then the drain, just in case. As mentioned above, a funnel with hose extension is dead-simple way to fill. You just raise and level the car, and fill till it starts coming back out. Torque specs are in one of the attachments.

 

hmmm, the guy in the video thinks there is a D/C to AirConditioning converter.....
no need for me to watch more of this video//

 

And he is right, it is solely for the A/C. In fact he points out that it is the same as the DC to AC inverters for M/G1 and M/G2, just in a smaller power level. It is also an DC to AC inverter, but this one is dedicated to the A/C. (the next part, that you seem to have skipped, was a DC to DC converter for the 12 volt battery)

 

just because it's purple or red, doesn't mean it's better. in some amsoil studies (if you can trust them), purple or red was below the average or even the worst. unlike the regular products on the shelf, they are not even API certified, so they shouldn't be used. don't be brainwashed by the hype.

 

5.1 is better than 3, by 2.1.

Seriously, I don't know the first thing about it, just know they're not compatible, and once a system has 3, it will surely mess it up switching.

 

So this is the information I got from Wikipedia,

Boiling point ranges
DOT 3 205 °C (401 °F) 140 °C (284 °F)
DOT 5.1 260 °C (500 °F) 180 °C (356 °F)

Maximum viscosity ranges
DOT 3 -40°C°F 1500cst
DOT 5.1 -40°C°F 900cst

Dot 5.1 is compatible with Dot 3, they are both polyethylene glycol-based fluid unlike the Dot 5, which is silicone-based. Dot 5.1 is less than 70% silicone, if its any more than that, it would be considered a Dot 5. So you are safe in using Dot 5.1 in replacement of Dot 3, but you still flush the brake system every 2-3 years since its hygroscopic. The only difference I see here is the boiling point ranges and maximum viscosity ranges. I'm not sure about performance wise since I haven't used it before.

 

Well the Prius brake system is really responsive and sensitive, a slight tap on the brake pedal will cause the caliper piston to depress on the rotors and engage real quick. I have a Honda Accord and I use a little more pressure to apply the brakes than the Prius. I don't like the Prius brakes so much since its different, but it does save your brake pads and rotors in the long run due to the regenerative braking system.