Changing Spark Plugs at 170k

Discussion in 'Gen 2 Prius Main Forum' started by rogerthat, Mar 3, 2026.

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  1. rogerthat

    rogerthat Active Member

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    You definitely qualify. I've been buying parts from my local Toyota dealer for years. Same two old Georgia boys in the parts department for that span. They've helped me out numerous times and I think they'd be able to verify if parts are fake as well as anyone on the planet. If you're saying that the counterfeits are so good that its impossible to tell, then surely the only place to buy parts would be through the dealer?

    Since you're lingering in this thread since that is what you do... is your advice that I just buy coils from Rockauto (looks like $231 for 4)? Or should I just risk banking on the original 170k coils being fine? As mentioned, my worry is that if they're damaged in any way, I don't want to be stuck with a $400+ dealer bill or to be without a car for a few days. Seems like a reasonable concern.
     
    #21 rogerthat, Mar 6, 2026
  2. ski.dive

    ski.dive Active Member

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    My 2008 PRIUS still has the original 'spark plug & coils'- It's running great- I'm not changing them;)
     
    #22 ski.dive, Mar 7, 2026 at 9:06 AM
  3. rjparker

    rjparker Tu Humilde Sirviente

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    Salvage yard oem coils are better than ebay.

    Why? Because oem almost never go bad. I have had about a million miles of Toyota coils over the years and never need a new one.

    Meanwhile we have had people blow a head gasket, replace their coils first with no results, replace their head gasket, only to find their cheap coils replaced for no reason added another problem.

    In the amount of time spent asking for advice you could have pulled the coils, inspected them for cracks or carbon tracking (which won't be there on a good running engine) and reinstalled them - three or four times.
     
    #23 rjparker, Mar 7, 2026 at 9:55 AM
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  4. rogerthat

    rogerthat Active Member

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    I'm waiting on the Spark plug socket which should arrive today. So it seems that the probability of the coils being bad is miniscule, even on a car with 170k miles with plugs that have never been changed. I'll likely just plan on re-using the original coils. Hopefully, you're right and I don't get stranded or need to buy them from the dealer.
     
    #24 rogerthat, Mar 7, 2026 at 10:47 AM
  5. rogerthat

    rogerthat Active Member

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    How many miles on yours?
     
    #25 rogerthat, Mar 7, 2026 at 10:48 AM
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  6. dolj

    dolj Senior Member

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    If the car is not maintained on the proper schedule, coils can go bad; they also can take a hit using the wrong spark plugs, poor quality after-market or outright counterfeit plus, that really are just no-name copper plugs branded to look like iridium or platinum plugs.
     
    #26 dolj, Mar 7, 2026 at 11:49 PM
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