Prius 3rd gen common issues before buying

The biggest 3rd gen issue before buying is that you don't own it yet, so people get snitty if you drive it places.

 

not just that you need too find one that was maintained propetly and that has normal price

 

transmission = prius ecvt

 

not much in that article. some people get lucky, some don't.

no ego clogging? brake actuator? a/c compressor? original struts and shocks?

replaced a few modules? no balancing?

not afraid to drive it over 100 mph?

and he's had 3 in a row like that or better? good for him!

he should be playing the lottery instead of driving uber

 

this topic gonna scare some potential gen 3 buyers even i have doubts now after i come to relisation it would be better if i buy gen 3 instead of leasing gen 4

 

I'm thinking the same thing. Funny though, it's what I like to call "3 am" thinking. In the light of day the issues look much smaller.

The main remedies are to deal with the piece-of-crap EGR before it bites you. And get an Oil Catch Can.

Oh, and screen off the air intakes, for the mice, lol.

And check the hybrid fan for dust.

And do something about that rear bumper that keeps threatening to fall off.

 

^^would installing Oil Catch Can help at all if Prius spend years driving without its not like its expensive most i saw cost bellow 30USD, but damage might be done.

So you are saying if at service they do not find anything wrong just check and clean EGR plus get this oil catch can?

 

If you've cleaned the EGR and intake manifold, OCC will definitely keep the intake manifold cleaner from there on, and I suspect will reduce the EGR clogging, since you're no longer dumping that swill into the combustion chamber, it's being waylaid at the OCC.

I use the Moroso 85474 air-oil separator, but they are a little pricey. There's another one, RX Permormance, that bests it, in side-by-side test:

I'm fine with the Moroso though, like it's bottom drain pipe too, I can sync with oil changes.

 

FWIW: On that video above is a comment from teamrxp.com, in which they state that the OCC the man is comparing is an rXp can, and that the RX Performance can is actually a Chinese copy. Moroso may be pricey, but according to the rXp website, their cans are custom made and run upwards of $400.00. I could not find a source with a quick search for the Chinese copies.

 

If you don’t fiddle with it, it doesn’t sag.

Our 2010 was rock solid and no gap there.

Looked great upon sale.

 

The right end of mine was droopy before I fiddled with it. After I did, the left end droops, too.

Later, I successfully corrected the right end, using a stainless steel eyebolt and high-strength string from a bicycle tire bead.

 

Since i did not get answers is it worth installing Oil Catch Can on a car whitch spend 4 years minimum driving without it we could consider damage would be done so only cleaning EGR if its clogged?

i asked on my country car forum and they said its not worth it considering that on used car damage is already done

 

It’s never too late to add it.

This wasn’t a “thing” until 2017, so we’ll into the lives of all Gen3 Prii.

I added an oil catch can to our 2010 at the tail end of 2017 and had it on their for 30k miles before selling it at 200k miles.

As long as you don’t buy the gold plated @Mendel Leisk model, cost is low and gives you piece of mind.

 

Is it Rose Gold????????????????

 

Either that or potentially Rhodium lined .

$150 for a small metal can: I can find a better way to spend $120 of that for the same functionality.

Potentially on my CFO to keep the peace.

 

I’m amazed what people are getting for catch cans these days. The first one I ever fitted was a reused food can with $8 worth of plumbing fittings on it.

 

I have a spare one laying around...

 

Known head gasket issues
Known brake accumulator issues
Known air conditioning issues

These are big ticket items

This isn’t a 130 dollar pump or 150 dollar headlight

This is thousands of dollars... for any one of those issues listed

You can choose to ignore the risk because you want to camp in your car a few months and run an electric cook top (have no idea where all that’s going to fit)

And that is fine

All the Prius community can do is relay information and experiences to you

It’s your choice ultimately

 

At the same time, it's ok to remember that the Prius community (this Prius community, anyway) has 153,482 members (as of today, shown on the main Forums page); we are a small fraction of all Prius owners, many of whom came here because of issues with the car, and so issues are overrepresented here, for basic statistical reasons.

I just looked for my April 2019 Consumer Reports without laying hands on it, but then I saw that the "most reliable passenger car of the decade" part was already linked to in post #20. They have a different perspective, because their surveys go out to people who are and aren't having issues with the car.

And it keeps you warm and cool when camping.