What services you need and what you don't

A/C: the traditional advice is to run the system monthly to redistribute the compressor lubricant. That should be enough until/unless some coolant escapes.

Valve adj: Intake and exhaust valves, nearly immortal in the Prius engine. Unless you hear something clattery there is no advantage to 'letting them go in' and actually there may be disadvantages. I would not be comfortable using shops that press to hard for moneymaker services like this.

 

Re: What services you need and what you don't

If you don't notice any driveability issues or symptoms then you can leave the throttle body and MAF sensor alone.

Regarding the cabin air filter, you can buy the filter from your dealer's parts dept and DIY replacement to avoid the dealer's labor charge; or else you can pay the dealer to do that very simple job for you. That filter is supposed to be replaced no later than 30K mile intervals.

 

Re: What services you need and what you don't

Thank you Patrick. I don't notice any type of driveability issues however, when the car is done warming up the ICE shuts off (normal opperation) however it shuts off very forcfully. Could the throttle body or MAF be causing that?

I have already ordered the cabin air filter from Kragin.

 

I'm sorry if this was covered, but my connection at work is a little slow so it would probably take all day to load up and read the 25 pages in this thread.

Why is it considered necessary to re-align when new tires are installed?

The reason I ask is that the alignment is independent of the tires. This would be the same as saying an alignment is needed everytime the tires are rotated, imo.

Or was it implied that it should just be checked?

 

Re: What services you need and what you don't

Seems like the appropriate thread for this:

So my 2005 Prius is almost at 90,000 Miles and the extended warranty will be up at 100,000. I have done regular oil changes and routine maintenance but is there anything that I should have checked before my warranty ends?

Thus far, my oil analysis' have come back normal and I haven't noticed anything odd with routine maintenance or operation of the vehicle.

Thanks!

 

Re: What services you need and what you don't

As the old saw says, let sleeping dogs lie. Don't go looking for trouble or asking a service writer to invent warrantee repairs.

Enjoy your Prius and look forward to buying one that plugs in when Toyota starts selling them.

Is there an apocryphal message about the usefulness of expensive warrantee premiums in this question?

 

Re: What services you need and what you don't

Your question includes a relative assessment; one man's forcefully is another man's normal.
The ICE and electric motors are balanced against each other by the computer while the ICE is running at idle. When the ICE stops after heating to normal temperature, that balance is stopped. What you are perceiving is the motor and mounts reacting to the unbalance created when they both stop "fighting" each other.

It's in the programming which can not always match every tick in individual systems because it is a single program without advanced AI learning ability around ICE idle shut-down.

 

My 2005 Prius just passed 100K. the dealer recommended changing the inverter fluid at $289.00 and spark plugs at $150.00 plus. I drive freeway early in the am an late at night 90% of the time. Are these repairs necessary?

 

Re: What services you need and what you don't

The good Doctor has correctly diagnosed the situation.

If you can change a spark plug you can inspect yours and see if they need replacement, ie. eroded electrodes, open gap that is uncorrectable, etc. If your Prius has not been stumbling or knocking then odds are you do not need new plugs just yet. Guaranteed, time detectors are not one of the parts put into modern heavy duty spark plugs.

As to the inverter fluid, find a more wallet friendly site for that job; fluids wear out far more than parts in this vehicle. Even so, consider getting high mileage propylene glycol coolant; ask your local OTR owner/driver about which has the longest life and strongest additive package which is easily available where you are. When using high quality fluid in this application, plan on a minimum of 150K service life over what a diesel traction engine gets.

You can also do some web searching for the good stuff.

 

Thanks for the information. I have a question about extended warranties. My Prius will be out of the dealer warranty pretty soon, so I started looking at prices for extended warranties through companies like Warranty Direct. I have 31,000 miles and am nervous about being without a warranty. What are your thoughts? Are there companies offering this service that are more reputable than others? Should I look at purchasing from the dealer? Is there a rule of thumb about the cost/benefit? Or, is it a bad idea as a whole?

thanks,
Kate

 

Re: What services you need and what you don't

So, you have somewhere over three years on this car. Have you needed anything fixed so far? Would that thing be covered in the normal 60 months or eight year part of the Toyota warranty?

Extended warranties start from the first use date when the car was first purchased so if you buy the eight year extended you will really have four or five years to go on it when you first buy it.

Think about the cost-benefit ratios involved in now paying something between $1,000 and $3,000 for a few extra years coverage. Better to put that grand or three into a savings account or a CD or such.

IF you need to pay for some repair that isn't part of the sixty month 60,000 mile drive train and rust through warranties or the eight year 100,000 mile emissions warranty you will have enough to cover it.

After the repair just refill the pot. Remember, your regular car insurance can cover a whole host of things you might think of as "warranty" stuff.

Toyota Warranty and Coverage

Instances of things not covered in a Prius extended warranty: the main battery, the multi-display unit, non-emissions controllers and most electronics. As with most modern insurance, the exclusions are pricey stuff you really need covered.

Now you have announced your contemplation you will be harassed by "really good deals" from any number of warranty sellers; lots of money in that warranty game. There's an extensive list of non-covered items available at the Toyota Finance site on the web.

Needing repair is always a crap shoot even with a brand new car.

 

Re: What services you need and what you don't

When I brought my 06 prius in for the 45k service, the advisor recommended doing a parking brake tightening (I think that's what he called it). When I asked what happens if I don't do that he said that the parking brake may not engage properly and/or wear (something along those lines). I declined and said that I would look into it for next time.

Is this a commonly done service or just something that he's just trying to sell me on?

Thanks!

 

I suggest that you see whether the parking brake will hold your car stationary, on the steepest hill in your area (while the gear selector is in N). If yes, then no worries.

If the parking brake does not hold your car, then you would have reason to have the rear drum brakes adjusted.

 

Re: What services you need and what you don't

Yes, be very careful and leery of 'dealer recommended' extra service. They are notorious for padding. After all, they do have a financial interest in their recommendations.

 

Re: What services you need and what you don't

The Bentley manual indicates that the rear brakes are 'auto-adjusting' along with the front breaks. The manual also has instructions to adjust the parking break but it is by removing the center console.

 

The parking brake is a separate cable-operated system. 'Auto-adjustment' refers only to how the shoes respond to the hydraulic brakes (they automatically advance to reduce the shoe-to-drum travel).

Cables stretch in use. That's why they need manual adjustment. And yes, you do have to remove the centre console to get at the adjuster.

Service manual section PB, Parking Brake.

Anecdotal reports are that it's common to adjust the parking brake in North America so that it just barely stops the car rolling. Shifting into gear is enough to make the car pull away with the brake still on. In the UK, at least, it's more common to adjust it so that the car cannot move unless a significant amount of power is applied - the handbrake is used as part of the hill start procedure to prevent the car rolling back.

With my previous car, a 2001 Ford Focus, adjusting the handbrake was a standard part of every yearly service. On the European service plan for the Prius, it's down as 'inspect' every two years/18,000 miles.

 

Re: What services you need and what you don't

The self adjusters on the rear brakes are very reliable. The parking brake cable, although subject to stretch like all cables, stops it's initial stretch early and maintains length for a very long time; that is one large, heavy duty cable.

Regular services do not include parking brake adjustments. There are regular brake inspections for pad and lining wear. Even the "big" services do not include parking brake adjustment. Pretty much, if you don't need rear brake replacement you don't need parking brake cable adjustments.

If the parking brake pedal feels the same as always and has not gone to the "floor", or if it goes low a time or two and then comes back up, you are good to go for a long time.

The time or two low thing is just the rear brake adjusters finally working after a long time of very light application of the normal brakes. You know, those times when you glide to a stop or lightly apply the pedal and don't stomp the brakes. Ain't regenerative braking great?

And don't be tempted to press extra hard on the parking brake. This is probably a sales ploy. You don't need extra stress on that cable to get the parking brake to hold. Easy does it, that's the ticket.

 

Re: What services you need and what you don't

Thanks for the service manual pages, saved to hard drive
As Rusty indicated, and that is all I was trying to say is that the rear breaks adjust automatically for shoe wear; another post indicated it is only a manual adjustment. Manual adjusted breaks went out a long time ago

Yes, cables do stretch, to a point though.