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Dealership "recommendations" :)

Discussion in 'Gen 3 Prius Care, Maintenance & Troubleshooting' started by calvinty, Apr 20, 2022.

  1. calvinty

    calvinty Junior Member

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    As I am mentioning in my other thread, my 2013 Toyota Prius Three threw up several warning indicators on my dashboard and it was the C1391 code. So that led me to going to my local dealership (Phoenix, AZ) which is being addressed.

    Aside from that, they did have 7 other recommendations for me (knowing full well how a typical dealership will throw every service in the book as necessary but at same time knowing some of them may indeed be necessary sooner than later). As a deaf person & I never had an interest in cars other than the fact I'm on my 3rd Prius since 2004, I already am mindful that they may take advantage of me. I asked the advisor to rank based on necessity. He was nice enough to do this.

    Notes: My car is currently at 117,400 miles or so in case you need that info and that I do live in the desert.. not really, I'm inside the city.. but I do gig work in delivering food & packages so a lot of stops -- if that helps, too (yes I do see the "hybrid cooling fan is low" message... for ahem, several months already. I did see a local service shop that would do this for $100's -- not sure what the current price is -- think $149 now -- and did set up an appointment but had to cancel due to conflict and hadn't gotten to return back yet.)

    So, without further ado, here's the suggested recommendations (feel free to correct what's required first and what can be done cheaper and possibly do myself -- I can follow a YouTube video if I need to.. for example, cleaning the fan in right back passenger seat for that hybrid fan service, for example):

    upload_2022-4-20_16-6-26.png

    What do you think, everyone?

    Cheers,

    * CalvinTy
     
    #1 calvinty, Apr 20, 2022
    Last edited: Apr 20, 2022
  2. rjparker

    rjparker Tu Humilde Sirviente

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    I think you should get the brake booster fixed free and then go back to a trusted independent hybrid mechanic. The dealer should give you new brake fluid as part of that repair.

    First, are there problems you notice with the ac? If not, scratch that off. You are due for spark plugs and you want genuine Toyota/Denso. There are counterfeit which will fail in 50k miles while your originals and genuine replacements easily make 150k miles.

    The fuel induction service is unnecessary and nearly worthless on these cars. Fuel injectors stay clean due to standard gas additives.

    Carbon is a big problem especially if the car burns oil but even without excessive oil consumption. It is necessary to remove the intake and egr components to do a good job cleaning those parts. You need an independent with hybrid experience as Toyota won't clean these parts; the dealer will only replace.

    Replacing the transaxle fluids and coolants is a good idea but both are easy for an independent sometime in the next 10k-20k miles.

    Overall you could save 1/3 or more with an independent.

    F0C76C5A-2DB6-41D1-AA14-CDB3F2F61031.jpeg
     
    #2 rjparker, Apr 20, 2022
    Last edited: Apr 20, 2022
    jerrymildred likes this.
  3. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

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    looks like mostly a reasonable list, since 120k is the first major service. but you may fall into the heavy use category, which shortens the service intervals. do you have a maintenance schedule?

    some prices are a bit high. i would shop around since any competent mech can do them.

    ask what the tune up includes. you need plugs, and throttle body cleaning is a good idea.

    not sure what the 3 way induction service is, wallet flush?

    tranny fluid shouldn't be more than $150.

    you will need inverter coolant at some point, check the schedule.

    is the 12v original? how are the air and cabin filters?

    all the best!
     
  4. cowgurlprius

    cowgurlprius Junior Member

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    I cleaned my throttle body a month ago for the first time after getting the same recommendation from the dealership. Took maybe 30 minutes after watching the videos and saved me $280. It's pretty easy, and not that daunting. I don't know much about hybrids or cars other than the true basic of what's what and what it does. Watched a couple of Youtube's. Changing the spark plugs/coils (for me) is a little more work only since you have to remove the wiper blade assembly.
     
    wheelz1980 likes this.
  5. calvinty

    calvinty Junior Member

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    To answer your questions/comments:

    1.) No problems with the AC so far. Yep, am going to scratch that off.

    2.) Thanks for strongly suggesting Toyota/Denso spark plugs.

    3.) Understood about fuel induction service.

    Yes, based on that ZJB program, I saw how they would replace brake booster pump. I see what you mean that they should provide the new brake fluid in that situation.

    Thanks for all the info,

    * CalvinTy
     
  6. calvinty

    calvinty Junior Member

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    I did figure that 120K is a major service and that it's basically my first major service since I got the car in May 2019 when it was uhh 79K miles, I think. Since then, I think the only major thing was replacing tires. No, I don't use a maintenance schedule; I should.

    Yeah, I figured I would need spark plugs and will ask those questions to the dealership in our next conversation.

    Thanks about the tranny estimate price.

    Yes, the 12v is original. I buy the air and cabin filters myself and installed them. I also put a date and odometer reading on those, too, so I know how long ago I had replaced them. :)

    I also buy the high mileage OW20 5 quart oil, and then just have a Walmart tech do the oil change for me. Other than paying for parts, it was free until the last time where they said they had to tack on a $20 labor charge, ha. I tend to push the oil change interval between 10K-15K each time. If that's too extreme, I'll dial down to every 10K.

    * CalvinTy
     
    bisco likes this.
  7. calvinty

    calvinty Junior Member

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    Thanks for that info! I'll check into this as well, most appreciated!

    * CalvinTy
     
  8. calvinty

    calvinty Junior Member

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    It took me a pretty minute to realize and understand why Toyota is charging literally double from the other quotes for the hybrid fan service... Toyota will only *replace*, not *clean*... got it. Since cleaning is key and seeing how "after cleaning", they are like new

    (see local link here: How to make your Prius Hybrid Battery last longer)

    With that in mind, I can see that it's not worth Toyota's price to simply replace those parts.

    * CalvinTy
     
  9. rjparker

    rjparker Tu Humilde Sirviente

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    The air conditioning "refresh" may be a spray foam cleaning of the ac evaporator in the dash. It is intended to make the air smell better. The evaporator cleaner is injected into the condensate water drain under the car. Then it drains out. The can of foam cleaner is about $35 if needed. The cabin filter is far more important.

    The hybrid fan is not the carbon issue. It is simply an air cooling fan that blows over the battery to keep it cool. It does not have a filter so the blower "can" get dirty. Usually you are ok if the battery overheat warning does not come up. An independent hybrid mechanic would know about this; normal mechanics may not.

    Clean versus replace is to resolve carbon buildup in the engine egr, intake manifold and head. The egr cooler and the egr valves are a problem in these cars where the dealer replaces rather than cleans. Your dealer was offering a chemical cleaning of the intake which does not clean or replace the carbon in the egr system or in the valves. To do it right requires removal and cleaning or replacement of the egr cooler, egr valve and intake manifold. Plus an attempt to clean the carbon off the valves while the intake is off. This is the clean vs replace scenario where dealers replace. Primarily because it is a four to eight hour job that can be done in half the time by replacing high profit parts. As a result diy or independents are more likely to tackle the remove and clean option.

    Of all the issues, this is the biggest. 5k mile oil changes are essential on this car. Head gasket failures and excessive oil burning are the typical results of 10k-15k oil changes. The engine is deeply flawed in this regard. Spend extra in this area by changing the oil like your wallet depends on it. Head gaskets are $2,000-$3,500 if the engine is not ruined first. Change the oil every 5k or get rid of the car.

    AC Evap Coil Cleaner
    Toyota A/C Heater Box Foam Evaporator Cleaner/Ventilation Refresher 00289-ARCKT | eBay

    Battery fan video


    Egr system valve and cooler
    84622BE6-CDBF-4B88-8E80-9D6C3C10A3D3.jpeg
     
    #9 rjparker, Apr 21, 2022
    Last edited: Apr 21, 2022
  10. Mendel Leisk

    Mendel Leisk Senior Member

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    One caveat regarding the battery fan video from @NutzAboutBolts : you don't need to pull off the rear seat bottom (as they do in the video). There's one bolt you need to remove, below the battery fan intake grill. You can push a gap between the seat bottom and back, reach a ratchet extension (with 12 mm socket IIRC) through, back out the bolt. Reach a hand through and hold the bolt; don't let it drop.