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Advice for Prius in winter

Discussion in 'Gen 3 Prius Main Forum' started by PriusHead05, Nov 10, 2022.

  1. PriusHead05

    PriusHead05 Member

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    This Florida boy is going to be moving to northern Indiana in about 6 months and wanted advice on winter weather vs the Prius. I've already started a thread about all weather tires for the Prius. Now I'm starting this thread about Prius vs winter. Anything I should do maintenance wise before the winter? Any tips or tricks for winter in a Prius? Also, I think I know what a block heater is used for, but is it necessary? It's a 2012 Prius Two with 215k mi. on it. The only great thing about it is that it has leather with heated seats. Thanks in advance.
     
  2. Siward

    Siward Active Member

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    I live in Ontario, Canada and I get winters with plenty of snow.

    My recommendation is to get a set of winter tires as it could make a difference of whether or not you get in an accident. It may make the difference whether or not you get stuck or make it past a steep snowy hill. It gets slippery as snow accumulates. Snowfall is unpredictable and it is not always cleared by the shovel crews. Sometimes there is ice. Over here, there some folks who live in the city that still drive with all-season tires in the winter. I see plenty of winter accidents, so it is a game of risk vs cost of winter tires. In the end, you will need to learn to drive slower and keep a farther distance. Winter tires only give you extra grip, but they still slip in the snow/ice. Sometimes you learn the hard way, as I know of two drivers who bought their winter tires after an accident.

    Next get your self a good snow brush to clear the snow.

    Then drain all your summer windshield wiper fluid and replace it with a low enough winter windshield wiper fluid. Snow and mud kick up a lot and you will be using it a lot. Don't get the stuff that can freeze. I have had it freeze once when I was driving on the highway.

    Your 12V battery is most likely going to die in the colder temps. So if you don't want to get stranded, ensure it is in good condition.

    The Prius has a small engine so, it is slow to heat up. It is optional, but some people use a remote starter to start warming up the car before getting in. Others use a block heater, but it is annoying to keep having to plug it in. For me, I just wait a bit longer to let it heat up. My Prius is also parked in a warm garage.

    Other option features is road side assistance plan in case you get stuck in the snow. Or maybe have an optional emergency roadside kit with a blanket in your trunk.

    In my opinion, the Prius isn't as a great of a car in the winter. It's small engine makes it long to warm up, so I can't defog my windows quickly. It has low ground clearance so it drags any deep snow. Its hybrid battery drains very quickly in the cold.

    Good luck with your winter driving.
     
    #2 Siward, Nov 10, 2022
    Last edited: Nov 10, 2022
  3. Mendel Leisk

    Mendel Leisk Senior Member

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    It’s an unfortunate but almost mandatory to ask: has the EGR and intake ever been cleaned?
    The real annoyance is installing. I’d say it’s worthwhile. I have it, use year round before cold starts, say a couple of hours, or what you can manage.

    Rust proofing the underside, suspension?
     
    #3 Mendel Leisk, Nov 10, 2022
    Last edited: Nov 10, 2022
  4. PriusHead05

    PriusHead05 Member

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    I am not sure, but she runs great and hardly any oil burning. Maybe a half a quart every 5k mi. I'll have to take a look at the EGR and see what it looks like. The only thing is that everything on the car is original...HG, HV battery, ABS pump, and suspension. It was mainly driven highway miles. It spent it's first 4 years in Wisconsin, so it's seen snow and salt, but it hardly has any rust on it. It is going through my mind that what will start to fail when I bring it into the cold climate after it has been in warm Florida for the past 6-7 years...
     
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  5. Mendel Leisk

    Mendel Leisk Senior Member

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    See first two links in my signature. Take pics. (y)
     
  6. PriusHead05

    PriusHead05 Member

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    (y)
     
  7. Tombukt2

    Tombukt2 Senior Member

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    A gen two fairs better in rust states . The 3 and up seem to rust away pretty quickly unless minimal driving and a garage. Religious rinsing off after before garaging . A real pita too did this 23 years in Western Mass
     
  8. Siward

    Siward Active Member

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    Oh yes. I forgot about rustproofing. I used to get the Prius sprayed when the car was fairly new. Now, I just spray the wheel wheels myself with some Corrosion-Free spray. My rear brakes did not like the rust. I had one rear caliper pin seized due to rust after one winter.

    I just take the day off and stay home when it snows 15cm or more. The worst is when snowfalls overnight as it accumulates just before rush hour traffic.
     
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  9. Bill Norton

    Bill Norton Senior Member

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    Dang.
    This reminds me, I need to get after servicing my caliper sliding pins on my recently purchased Gen 3, before it's too late....

    What is this 'Corrosion-Free spray' product? Can you get it on the discs?
     
  10. Mendel Leisk

    Mendel Leisk Senior Member

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    Fluid Film has a good rep.

    FWIW: I used boiled linseed oil, very inexpensive. Just painted it on, with foam brushes, tooth brushes, rags. Took off a fair number of plastic panels, for access. For some ot them, the fastener bolts were almost seized, so applied oil to them before reinstalling.

    My strategy was do just the front or back in one session, space them out, at least a week apart, just to take a brake. Raise one end, take the wheels off, take off plastic panels as needed.

    The worst area I found was the rear suspension, guess a lot of salt spray kicks up in there. I suspect it's almost better to do this after rust starts, because you can see what's problematic. The boiled linseed oil has held up well: my canary-in-coal-mine is the lower bolts on the rear shocks. They were solid rust bloom before I dealt with it, still looking good, 4~5 years on.
     
    #10 Mendel Leisk, Nov 10, 2022
    Last edited: Nov 10, 2022
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  11. PriusHead05

    PriusHead05 Member

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    Hey @Mendel Leisk I looked in the Toyota records and at 94k mi. (May 2016) the dealership completed an induction and injector service. I'm thinking that's when they last did the EGR and intake from what I can figure out what was part of the induction service. I will still have to take a look at it myself... The coolant was also last changed then, so that is on my list to do, as well as replacing that o ring seal on the elbow/thermostat housing behind the water pump as it is still leaking. I'm alo planning on doing spark plugs and transmission fluid exchange soon as well. Any more recommendations?
     
  12. Mendel Leisk

    Mendel Leisk Senior Member

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    I don't think they would have cleaned the EGR, or even removed the intake manifold and cleaned. What they did likely involves hooking up a bottle of some solvent if I'm not mistaken, running the engine and feeding it in, just to the point of stalling.

    With EGR/intake cleaning, basically they don't; all they'll do is replace parts, to the tune of a grand, for the parts alone. And they wouldn't do it without being asked.
     
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  13. Grit

    Grit Senior Member

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    o_O
     
  14. qdllc

    qdllc Senior Member

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    I’m in Virginia. All season tires. If it’s bad enough, I don’t go out in the Prius. I can manage in moderate snow/ice with all season tires.
     
  15. Leadfoot J. McCoalroller

    Leadfoot J. McCoalroller Senior Member

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    Nowhere near necessary.

    But think of it this way: Every cold morning, your engine will work its tail off to get the coolant up above 140°F, and by working its tail off I mean "burn lots of gas."

    Maybe you can get it up to temperature for less money by using some electricity instead.

    Side benefits include rapid defog & cabin comfort.

    It's a hassle getting the heater installed and then plugging it in and managing that every day. Not always worth the trouble, but think it through.

    In any case, not necessary by a long shot.
     
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  16. Mendel Leisk

    Mendel Leisk Senior Member

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    May be good for engine longevity too, softens the blow of cold starts.
     
  17. Grit

    Grit Senior Member

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    No info provided where car will be park during morning start ups. If warm garage then the money spent installating the warm doo daa plug Wouldn’t be beneficial. Love threads like these were not enough info is provided and tangents are created
     
  18. PriusHead05

    PriusHead05 Member

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    That was my fault..... Sorry. It will be parked outside and won't be started up until about 2pm. I'll have college in the morning and work in the afternoon/evening. So not really the ideal spot to have an extension cord ran from the building across the parking lot to the car. :eek:
     
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  19. PriusHead05

    PriusHead05 Member

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    It's a Two with leather upholstery and aftermarket heated seats that were installed at 12 miles.
     
  20. Mendel Leisk

    Mendel Leisk Senior Member

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    Yeah that nixes block heater, still something to keep in mind, if situation changes. It can be hard to procure from US dealerships. Smuggle in from Canada lol. Part cost about $80~90 CDN, so not a big outlay if you DIY install.

    more info in link in my signature btw.

    and depending on your priorities, OCD level, tools etc, aforementioned DIY rust proofing the underside is something to consider.