Thinking about doing my own maintenence

I'd get the tires rotated at Discount Tire: http://www.tires.com for nearest location.

One other reason to do it yourself is sometimes they overfill the oil!

 

I slowly got into DIY when I wasn't much older than you. I would take it one thing at a time, see how it goes. Things you'll need, and you can get them as you need them:

1. Floor jack, minimum 2 ton, but 3 ton much preferable. There's a lot of talk of the need for special low-profile jack, mine is a cheapo, decidedly not low profile, just fits under the front end, no problem.
2. Wheel chocks, heavy rubber, set of four.
3. Safety stands, 3 ton minimum, 3 AND 6 ton better, depending on your needs. Start with 3 ton I suppose. For an oil change, 2 is all you need. For tire rotations, 4 will allow you to raise the whole car.
4. Ratchet wrenches. Maybe start with a regular 3/8" drive, then a heavy-duty long handle 1/2" is handy, makes life a lot easier. Swivel head helps too. Get a 1/2" to 3/8" adapter for the 1/2", for your smaller sockets.
5. Sockets, stick to 6 face, 10mm, 12mm and 14mm will likely be ok in regular length, 17 and 19 your call but deep sockets are good. 3/8" drive fine for all of those. Basically get them as you need them, the expensive way, lol. Also spark plug sockets, with rubber inserts to grab the plug.
6. Torque wrench: heavier duty 1/2" drive, then maybe a 3/8" drive lighter duty later.
7. Oil filter socket. I use a regular Honda automotive oil filter socket, exactly the same size as the Toyota.
8. Drain oil pan, and maybe another for coolant. I have an oldish galvanized steel one. Also, and mainly now, use a combined waste oil container with an oversized funnel atop it.

Writers cramp, better knock off, lol.

 

If you are set on changing your own oil and filter. I recommend getting a fumoto drain valve that replaces the drain bolt. Screw it in once and no chance of potentially stripping your threads during future oil changes.


2006 gen2
2014 gen3 v wagon

 

see nutzaboutbolts.com for any video tutorial you could want.

 

Your engine takes exactly 3.5 quarts oil with a new filter.

Pick up some Koolit on amazon too that's to service the ac system. Get 3 cans. Thats to clean the AC evaporator under the dashboard. Go to Lowes and get 3 cans of Coil Cleaner in the AC section thats to clean the ac condenser in front of the rad. These days AC is the most important thing in the car no ac the car is basically undrivable.

Your doing the hard part getting it up on jackstands once its up you can do anything. Change the trans fluid change the Inverter coolant change the engine coolant clean the ac system. It will run and smell like a new car.

 

The 60K service event is the big one. It is a simple drain and fill of both coolant loops and the transaxle fluid. Buy coolant and transaxle fluid at dealer parts department. There are bleed screws for the coolant loops to help get the air out. Need a hose on the end of a funnel to fill transaxle fluid. Save a lot of money by doing your self. You have found the correct place to get the information you need.

When time to change air filter remove bottom of air cleaner housing and then remove the MAS air flow sensor and clean it with a cleaner spray made for MAS air flow sensors. Then get some long swabs like medical supply or electronics repair and use throttle body spray cleaner to clean the throttle plate and area around it. I do cabin air at the same time.

If you need to change the electric water pump behind the head light get the locking clamp pliers. They are expensive but worth it even if you only use them once.

 

Cleaning the throttle body is much easier and much more thorough by cutting up long 2 inch wide strips of cotton like from an old t shirt and open the butterfly and stuff them down the throat and soak with carb cleaner then use those soaked strips to scrub the walls of the throttle body. Pull the filthy strips out and repeat with fresh strips. Do not use paper towels.
Pull out the big black pcv hose from the back side of the throttle body and flush out that joint. That's where all the gunk comes from.
When done lubricant the throttle plate spring.
Removing the air cleaner body there is a sneaky 10 mm throat clamp under that cleaner body. Loosen to take off.
Don't forget to tighten that clamp when reinstalling the body or unmetered air will sneak by and engine will not run good.

 

Fumoto drain valve tends to stick out too much and too low. I used to have it on my Prius. However, it can be easily damaged by road debris, especially on a Prius with potential of oil loss.

 

Also recommend buying tools at Harbor Freight at a reasonable price.

 

Removing a drain bolt every once in a while is no big deal.

 

I use regular cradle safety stands, at alternate bearing points:



The points described in the Owner's Manual work ok with the scissor jack, for flat tire by the roadside situation, but I find them too weak and skittish for maintenance use. The scissor jack actually just "cups" around the pinch welded seam, and bears on the body, just inboard of the seam. And even so it overtaxes the metal: I used the scissor jack in the rear once, which is lighter, and noted after the bearing point had pushed in slightly. The points I marked above are heavier gauge, double-layer, work good.

 

Nope. Get a good set of basic hand tools (wrenches, ratchets/sockets, screwdrivers, etc) from a reputable company; they will last you a lifetime. Get those "I just need it once or rarely" type tools from HF. Heavy duty versions of scissors, wire cutter/strippers, and razor (box) cutters are quite handy and used in repairs more than one might think. Box-in ratchet wrenches in common sizes (8,10,12,& 14mm) are a solid bet too (not made to break a super tight bolt/nut tho').

Don't forget to get a decent tool chest that can keep everything organized and room for future additions. Train family/friends to think tools/gift cards when needing to get you something for holidays, birthdays, etc.

 

HF has good hydraulic floor jacks. Regarding frequently used hand tools, buy Craftsman. Home Depot and Lowes have decent tools also.

Avoid the use of cheap 12-point sockets, especially if you have to exert more than 20 ft.-lb torque on a fastener.

 

i thought it was 120k? and no tranny fluid change.

 

You could get some RhinoRamps.

 

I've got some actual pics of my jack stands, will dig them up. You can see these points too, just looking, even without the car raised. The rear points are an area around shipping slots: heavy gauge. The front points are just at front end of a long body "rail" section, just past a plastic cover.

 

Front jack stand location, I've marked the rail in red:



Slightly different angle:



Rear is anywhere on the heavy gauge hump that has the oblong slot (capped). I find it best to orient the rear cradles longitudinally, ie: parellel to the car body.