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Warning when braking hard or going around sharp curve

Discussion in 'Gen 2 Prius Care, Maintenance and Troubleshooting' started by cattail722, Sep 8, 2016.

  1. Frank06

    Frank06 Junior Member

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    It's doubtful that 2 seconds sucking air hurt anything.. it's not good but modern oils are pretty amazing in how they protect.
     
  2. dolj

    dolj Senior Member

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    It is not necessarily the one-off 2 second air sucking event that is the problem (although to let it get to even one event is woeful), it is the fact that by the time the average non-mechanic car owner realises there is a problem, then gets over the procrastination (hoping it will miraculously self-heal) and finally does something about it, it has been many 2 second air sucking events and the permanent damage is done. To hope that you have good enough oil in the car in the first place to mitigate the negligence is also wishful thinking.
     
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  3. Frank06

    Frank06 Junior Member

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    Good point.
     
  4. strawbrad

    strawbrad http://minnesotahybridbatteries.com

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    These engines seem to be able to last a for a long time after they start burning oil. Most of my cars were oil burners before I bought them. Used engines are cheap and plentiful in the junk yards. This means that few are being sold because they rarely break down. The OP's engine could go another 100K as long as they start checking their oil now.

    Brad
     
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  5. Frank06

    Frank06 Junior Member

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    To that point, our '06 started using oil around 120k, took me by surprise because it was very, very good up until that point. It now has 215k and still going strong.
     
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  6. goldfinger

    goldfinger Active Member

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    You have a rear wheel bearing that's starting to fail. The speed sensor is part of the bearing hub assembly and gets destroyed with the bearing.

    You need a dealer or techstream to pull the codes. Alternatively you could drive it until the bearing starts to scream, but the first approach is better.
     
  7. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

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    ah, the o/p, i remember now. still waiting for daylight, i suppose.
     
  8. cattail722

    cattail722 cattail722

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    Checked the oil and it was super low. Put almost 3 quarts of oil in. My car is to be serviced at the dealer where I always take my car for service every 5,000 miles because they take good care of my car and don't rip me off. I've never had a major repair to this car and I don't think it's because they aren't checking things. They give me a 40 point checklist every time indicating what needs replacement and what they changed/filled etc. I'm sure they will check the brake fluid that andrewclaus seems concerned about. It's not really honey colored now that I look at it again. It's slightly yellow like diluted urine to be more accurate. I see they checked it last time and didn't seem concerned. Perhaps they will say it needs changing next time.

    My friend who was a mechanic for 25 years took a look at it last night. He thinks ex-students assumptions that my car won't last 200,000 miles are wrong. There's no smoke, no knocking. He does think I should check the oil more frequently and change it more often because of the age of the car. I'll buy some oil filters and he will change it for me at 2500 miles and I'll bring it for service 2500 miles later.

    What puzzles both of us is why it would use that much oil. He says his 91 Nissan truck with over 200,000 miles on it uses no oil between changes. I know my car is not leaking oil as I would see it in my driveway if it were. He thinks maybe they didn't replace all of the oil when I had it in for service last time and only maybe put a quart in. I did go to Tahoe a few weekends ago with a a full car of camping gear which is miles of uphill driving which my car has never loved even when it was new. My friend still cannot see how it could have used 3 quarts of oil in less than 5,000 miles, especially if there is no smoke. He had me run the car for a while with the lid off where the oil goes and there was no smoke. He also followed me home one night last week and said he would have noticed if the car was smoking and it was not.

    I will mention all of this when I bring it in next week and will be sure to check the oil after I pick it up from service to make sure it is full at the outset.

    I will now check the oil at fill ups but I'm convinced that the car did not use all of that oil but that it was not filled as it should have been which is disappointing but I guess I'll know for sure when I check the oil again whether it is using it or not.
     
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  9. cattail722

    cattail722 cattail722

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    And actually it's 117,000 miles not 112,00.
     
  10. cattail722

    cattail722 cattail722

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    I think most people don't have much of an interest in cars other than getting from point a to b.

    I'm going to continue to take it to the dealer. I don't think things are as bad as you assume with my car. They do a thorough 40 point check every time. I take it in at the recommended intervals. My mechanic friend who looked at it last night thinks it's fine for a 10 year old car with 117,000 miles. I was concerned but I now think it's ok. I will check the oil from now on. Like one of the other poster said, their car started suddenly using oil at 120,000 miles. This is the first time this has ever happened. I think it will be fine. If I have to replace the catalytic converter in the near future that would be far less expensive than a new car so I'm prepared for that. It's a good car and I'll bet you it will last well over 200,000 miles.
     

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  11. Coast Cruiser

    Coast Cruiser Senior Member

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    Did the dealer put in a new air filter cattail? I see on your work order it says "dirty." If not, ask your mechanic friend to throw one in there. You're good to go.:D And since your car is burning some oil, maybe ask your mechanic or dealer if a thicker oil would be better? Maybe a 5W-30 if you're not using it already. Hope you get 100,000 more miles! :)
     
  12. fotomoto

    fotomoto Senior Member

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    Previously, I had two Toyotas that started using oil at around that mileage. One, I gave to some family members in need with the strong instructions to closely monitor the oil. A few months later during a visit by them to our home, I took it for an oil change and the dipstick was dry. That was ten years ago and although it isn't used much anymore it's still running!
     
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  13. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

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    maybe the last oil change place didn't fill it, and you're not burning much at all.
     
  14. fuzzy1

    fuzzy1 Senior Member

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    That is another reason to check oil yourself, including immediately after each oil change. That is how I once found the oil filler cap not replaced, and a spare wrench left atop my engine.

    In retrospect, I should have kept the 'free' wrench. I did give that shop one more chance to do a job right, before putting them on my forever boycott list.
     
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  15. edthefox5

    edthefox5 Senior Member

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    Having the oil changed at the dealer is a death sentence for a G2 Prius. And no they don't take good care of your car.
    That's your responsibility. They could really care less. In fact they care so little they hire people that will change oil all day for peanuts and use the crappiest vat oil you could find. They don't make there $20 an hour techs change oil. Its foolish to think they give a crap about your car.

    You just happen to own a Prius that has the toughest little motor ever made but will not tolerate running with no oil.
    As Cattail said start saving up for a new motor.
     
  16. cattail722

    cattail722 cattail722

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    Yes, air filter was replaced. Thank you! I will ask about the oil they use.
     
  17. Coast Cruiser

    Coast Cruiser Senior Member

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    That's a little harsh, Ed. EVERY dealer can't be that bad.

    And where do you recommend people go for an oil change? Ladies, older folks, the handicapped? I'd trust the dealer before any other "lube" place. However, I'd like to find a good private small shop mechanic that knows the Prius.

    (And I wish some of the "backyard mechanics" here, on PriusChat, would offer to do oil changes. I'd gladly pay them what I do the dealer... and I'd bring the oil & filter.)
     
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  18. cattail722

    cattail722 cattail722

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    I happen to trust my dealership in Berkeley, CA. I've been taking my car there for 9 of the 10 years I've owned the car and I've never had a problem with my car. They get great ratings and have a very efficient operation. I also don't just get the oil changed. As posted earlier, there's a 40 point inspection that is done each time. I'm not worried about it. I will, however, check the oil level when I leave there next time.
     
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  19. Coast Cruiser

    Coast Cruiser Senior Member

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    I've bought 3 Toyota's from the same dealer. Have been getting service at that same dealer for 26 years?
    Sometimes I bring my own oil, so I know exactly what's being poured in; and the exact correct amount to pour in. (I drain a little off the 5th bottle--so I have 4.4 qts.)

    If I don't bring my own oil, occasionally they will overfill it with an even 5 qts, and I can see it is high on the dipstick. That makes me mad.
     
  20. Mendel Leisk

    Mendel Leisk Senior Member

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    Our dealership (well, we bought there, and I've only brought it in for warranty items and recalls) had graduated pitchers of oil sitting on a table, carefully filled, waiting for pending oil changes. This is when we went to a new owners night. It was bulk Toyota oil, I'd assume.

    I'm all over that: eliminates oil-contaminated bottles in the recycle stream, and stops the "rounding up" nonsense.

    They're welling to sell me bulk oil for my DIY oil changes, reasonably priced too.