Can someone help?

can't find her thread bob, or anything on her home page.

 

As far as the brake fluid is concerned, my standard pitch is the following:
Me: what color is brand new brake fluid?
Vehicle owner: I don't know.
Me: It is clear, no color.

If you look at the brake fluid reservoir and notice that the brake fluid is black (most likely if it hasn't been changed in about 3 years or so) it needs to be changed. The black color indicates that it has absorbed lots of moisture and contaminants. This can/will lead to rusted parts (then they have to be replaced $$$$) and reduced braking effectiveness.

This is something I do every 3 years for my and friends/family vehicles.

 

All those could be done very very cheap. Watch all of my YouTube videos for all of those services. You can do all of that for less than 100$ in parts.

 

Yeah for me that link brings me here.

Regarding the items:

1. Hybrid Battery Cooling Fan Filter (if Equipped) $ 199.95

I agree, reasonably easy DIY. You need a ratchet wrench, a 3" and 6" extension, 10 and 12 mm sockets IIRC, some pry tools, longish reach needlenose pliers, I think that should do. @NutzAboutBolts has a video here:

Nutz About Bolts Prius Maintenance Videos | PriusChat
(#21)

Comment on the above: don't bother pulling off the rear seat cushion. There's one bolt you need to remove, right below the fan intake grill. Just push apart the seat and back at junction, reach through with 12 mm socket on 6" extension. You'll need a light to find it probably. Don't drop it...

2. Coolant Flush $159.95

Assume that's an Engine flush, yes, it's time: 100K miles (or 120 months, aka 10 years, whichever comes first).

3.Flush Hybrid Inverter $159.95

According to the US schedule, the inverter coolant (assume this is what's meant) does NOT require replacement until 150K miles (or 180 months, aka 15 years). The schedule is confusing, but read carefully, this is what it's saying:

First this:


And then:



4.Brake Flush $159.95

If it's never been done, my 2 cents: it's worth doing. Toyota Canada recommends to do this every 30K miles (or 36 months). But if you want to save money, you're call.

 

Hello, I went to get my 97,000 mile check up for my Generation 3 Prius, knowing that it has almost reached it's 100,000 miles they told me I need several things:

1. Hybrid Battery Cooling Fan Filter (if Equipped) $ 199.95
2. Coolant Flush $159.95
3.Flush Hybrid Inverter $159.95
4.Brake Flush $159.95

If Im only the second owner and I do everything I'm suppose this far does all this really need to be done or is Toyota just trying to get money??

 

is that canadian tide? i thought all the fluids were at 120k, plus spark plugs.

edit: never mind, i see mendel is quoting u.s.

 

cheryl,

welcome to priuschat.

how many miles did the car have when you purchased it?

what do you know about service prior to your ownership?

do you regularly carry pets in your car?

how many more miles do you plan on keeping it?

i would look in your owners manual maintenance schedule and follow that. do not take the dealerships word for anything. toyota has set out the proper maintenance for the car.

 

Hi Cheryl!
I don’t think the hybrid cooling fan filter needs to be serviced unless the car has transported cars or dogs. I cleaned mine after 110,000 miles and it was perfectly clean.

 

I had the brake flush done by the dealer a couple of years ago. Price was $110 (their regular price) minus $25 service coupon they send every month or so. I probably could've done it myself, if I'd been brave, and had had an accomplice available to press the pedal as needed.

 

I managed it, more-or-less following the @NutzAboutBolts video. My wife helped, pushing the brake pedal, and that's really all you need, to keep the fluid flowing in the right direction: a vacuum source is maybe nice, but not essential. The only time you need some sort of suction is to get what you can out of the reservoir at the outset, so you can replace it with fresh, avoid pumping all that stuff through the system. I just used a large syringe, with a tube extension, and very skinny spigot on the end: there's a basket in the reservoir, with just a little slit, for reaching down further, so a slim spiggot is needed.

The one variation from the video I did was to follow the Repair Manual sequence: F/R, F/L, R/L and R/R. I used to pints of DOT3 Toyota brake fluid, and tried to end up with a little in reserve, and the reservoir level as it was at the outset. It took about an hour, plus some time getting the car raised and wheels off.

The video by @NutzAboutBolts is invaluable. Little things like the picture-in-picture showing the front brake bleeding, opening/closing the bleed bolt while pushing the brake pedal. Also the demo of how to put in "invalid" mode, step-by-step. Most importantly, demonstrating how doable it is.

 

Thank you so very much. Can you tell me if my car is a generation 3 if its a 2010 Prius? What filter are you referring to, when you say yours doesn't have a filter? The cooling Fan filter?

 

Thank you for your help.

 

Thank you

 

yes, gen 3.