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90K Maintenance for a 2013 Prius V?

Discussion in 'Prius v Care, Maintenance and Troubleshooting' started by gromittoo, Apr 7, 2021.

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  1. gromittoo

    gromittoo Active Member

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    2013 Prius v wagon
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    I bought my 2013 Prius V (trim 2) 4 years ago with just 23k miles on it. It had the dealer 25K service done on it when I bought it. A week ago it turned over 90k Miles. Before the pandemic, I was driving Uber with the car, and basically only did Oil Changes, Headlamp Replacement, Cabin filter, and Tires. I have had my second Jab, so I will start Ubering again in two weeks.

    Tomorrow, I am getting the PA state inspection done, and last year I was told I might need brakes soon. It is a Prius, so I don't know if my mechanic realizes that those are the original pads. I have only driven 8k during the pandemic, but I assume the brakes are almost due.

    This got me thinking. I really should do some real service on this car. I don't have the patience to go through that Maintenance log book with all of its excessive repetition about checking the drivers side floor mat, rotating tires and stuff. I am just looking for things that really need doing, and if I can do them myself, great!

    Here is the punch list so far:
    1) Front Brakes (I may let my mechanic do these, even though I have always done pad brakes on my cars. I hate the thought of messing up the antilock sensors)
    2) Plugs (I have not been able to find them under the hood, even after removing the plastic cover on the engine head)
    3) Wires (I can't find them, and I can't find anybody that sells them. Does the spark get to the plugs without wires?)
    4) Flush Coolant (where is the radiator cap? Thermostat, Bleed valve?)
    5) Engine Air Filter (I found that, easy)
    6) I have read in here that EGR Cleaning is a good idea (I think I found the EGR)
    7) Transaxle fluid (I don't know where to find that plug or filler hole either, I need a good manual).
    8) Brake fluid flush? (looks unbelievably clear for 90K. I'll ask my mechanic since he has a flush machine).
    9) I read something about the Inverter has separate coolant that should be replaced?​

    Anything missing? Anything that should wait?

    Thanks in advance.
     
  2. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

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    1) make sure they measure the pads and get the minimum spec from the service manual

    2) 120k

    3) unnecessary

    4) cooland is 100 or 120k, worth looking.

    6) clean the whole circuit

    7) good idea, see youtube @NutzAboutBolts

    8) check the manual, probably not necessary

    9) inverter coolant when engine coolant

    good that you're doing research now, plenty of time before you have to do the work

    don't forget the cabin filter and 12v load test. do you know where the jump point is under the hood, tested the mechanical key on the door lock, opened the hatch from inside, checked the spare tire pressure?
     
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  3. rjparker

    rjparker Tu Humilde Sirviente

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    I would say your list is good, the manual says plugs and coolant by 120k, there are no plug wires anymore (last few decades) but the plugs are a job that requires complete removal of the wiper motor and mounting sheet metal. Back brakes requires a special abs flush mode. The radiator cap is the plastic reservoir on the left, the inverter's reservoir is center right and is separate. The Egr cooler is the bad guy, behind the egr valve and clearly the hardest thing as proper cleaning involves removal of the intake manifold, all the egr system and some hoses. Egr is sometimes brought in for questioning after the head gasket causes the engine to blow. The brake fluid flush properly done might save you a $2500 brake master cylinder and pump. I would find a good independent mechanic for all of this.
     
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  4. gromittoo

    gromittoo Active Member

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    Hey thanks for the quick feedback!

    - Cabin filter I did at about 80k
    - Not sure what a 12 volt load test would be, unless that is what Sears does when they check your battery. I guess is is more that just turning on the headlights on a non-hybrid.
    - Not sure what you mean by: "the jump point is under the hood"
    - mechanical keys worked when I bought the car as certified pre-owned from a dealer.
    - Can you open the hatch from the inside?
     
  5. gromittoo

    gromittoo Active Member

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    Two

    Hey thanks a lot, it really helps.

    I watched the you tube videos about replacing the plugs. It seems crazy that you have to do that much work just to access the plugs. Toyota could have made it easier if they had put in some access panels in the wiper motor housing. Well it seems that the EGR cooler cleaning and Plug change will happen together.

    I do have a question about: "Back brakes requires a special abs flush mode" . Does that mean that you need to do something special just to flush the fluid, even if you are not doing the rear brakes? I do have techstream software, if that is required.

    I guess that the two coolant changes are just a drain and refill. I always drain the old fluid into a bucket, and then properly dispose of the old fluid. Then I do the garden hose into the heater hose back flush (engine running), with the water pouring out of the radiator cap till clear for a full flush. Then I drain that water out, and fill with the correct amount of undiluted antifreeze, and top off with water.

    BTW: I have noticed that I don't get the same mileage as I did when the car had less than 50k on it. I assumed it was different tires. Now I am wondering if plugged EGR and intake could have something to do with it. I used to get 43 to even 47 average mpg, now I rarely top 40 mpg. I notice I see single digit instantaneous mpg on hills, that used to be like 17 to 20 mpg.
     
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  6. rjparker

    rjparker Tu Humilde Sirviente

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    In order to flush the abs properly, there is a special Techstream procedure or an alternate "Invalid Mode" manual access to the brake pump control. Important not for the brake pad change but for the abs/brake booster itself.

    You should not run tap water in these coolant systems as you are risking chemical reactions and corrosion. The drain will only get close to 2/3 out so you normally just refill with premixed fluid. Or you repeat the process two or three times to further dilute any original fluids.

    You want to know the 12v jump points under the hood because you are unlikely to get the rear hatch open with a dead 12v battery. There is a hard to access manual way from inside no one ever uses.

    Jump point gen3 Prius.JPG

    "Reports that say that something hasn't happened are always interesting to me, because as we know, there are known knowns; there are things we know we know. We also know there are known unknowns; that is to say we know there are some things we do not know. But there are also unknown unknowns—the ones we don't know we don't know. And if one looks throughout the history of our country and other free countries, it is the latter category that tends to be the difficult one."
    Donald Rumsfeld 2002


    Same goes for Prii in some cases...
     
    #6 rjparker, Apr 8, 2021
    Last edited: Apr 8, 2021
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