1. Attachments are working again! Check out this thread for more details and to report any other bugs.

150k Checklist (and NYC Service Recommendation?)

Discussion in 'Gen 3 Prius Care, Maintenance & Troubleshooting' started by 134HP Bard Womyn Magnet, Jun 4, 2022.

  1. 134HP Bard Womyn Magnet

    Joined:
    Oct 14, 2021
    103
    28
    0
    Location:
    NYC
    Vehicle:
    2014 Prius
    Model:
    Five
    Hi. My Prius passed 150k and is due for an oil change and brake service at the least. I've spent the last week cruising threads like this one (which is great) trying to find out what I should ask the shop to do.

    Since these threads are 2-3+ years old and I'm wondering if anyone who has done a 150k service has any additional words of advice or warning in terms of what to do, and also (important in NYC) and tips for verifying afterwards that the shop actually did the tasks.

    Car is seems to be running well aside from creaking noises on slow/stop, or further brake pedal depress when stopped. Can hear this with windows open only. I am guessing caliper pins need lube?

    Anyway, my plan:
    1) Oil change/filter
    2) Inspect brakes and do front brake service
    3) Rotate wheels/tires
    4) Inspection of whatever they can inspect - fuel system, radiator system
    5) Replace inverter coolant?
    6) Replace engine air filter?
    7) Replace Toyota long life engine coolant? (Both reservoir levels look OK and nice and pink)
    8) I'm not sure I trust many mechanics will sign up to clean EGR (would rather ignore or replace?) but - clean EGR?
    9) Spark plugs?

    I also can desperately use a recommendation for a good NYC mechanic for 3G Prius if anyone knows one.
    Thanks.
     
  2. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

    Joined:
    May 11, 2005
    107,571
    48,861
    0
    Location:
    boston
    Vehicle:
    2012 Prius Plug-in
    Model:
    Plug-in Base
    don't guess, follow the maintenance schedule. add tranny fluid change and complete egr circuit cleaning. take a video to your mech, or find one that will do it before you blow the head gasket.
     
  3. 134HP Bard Womyn Magnet

    Joined:
    Oct 14, 2021
    103
    28
    0
    Location:
    NYC
    Vehicle:
    2014 Prius
    Model:
    Five
    Brainfart: transaxle fluid change (not flush) is in my list but I forgot to type it. Thanks.

    The question is: IS there an official 150k schedule? This link at Toyota yields nothing for my mileage and model. Otherwise I wouldn't have asked. And the manual I was given with the car has nothing for 150k and above.

    EGR is something I was thinking to do myself but I need to find the right locale e.g. a driveway or garage in the burbs. Too old to do it in a NYC street the way I used to work on my cars/bikes, it'll stress me out!
     
    #3 134HP Bard Womyn Magnet, Jun 4, 2022
    Last edited: Jun 4, 2022
    bisco likes this.
  4. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

    Joined:
    May 11, 2005
    107,571
    48,861
    0
    Location:
    boston
    Vehicle:
    2012 Prius Plug-in
    Model:
    Plug-in Base
    1) every 10k, some recommend every 5k to delay oil burning

    2) continue brake inspection/service at the same intervals as the first 120k

    3) rotate every 5k

    4) inspect everything at same intervals as during the first 120k

    5) i think the schedule tells you how often to replace the inverter coolant for the life of the car

    6) air filter every 30k. inspect/clean or replace

    7) i think the schedule tells you how often to replace the engine coolant for the life of the car

    8) yeah, you'd have to search for someone willing, and probably have to show them how

    9) sparks every 120k, use dealer purchased oem only

    10) cabin filter, inspect/clean replace every 15k

    11) hybrid battery cooling fan intake filter, inspect/clean every 15k

    12) hubrid battery cooling fan, clean as needed
     
  5. 134HP Bard Womyn Magnet

    Joined:
    Oct 14, 2021
    103
    28
    0
    Location:
    NYC
    Vehicle:
    2014 Prius
    Model:
    Five
  6. Mendel Leisk

    Mendel Leisk Senior Member

    Joined:
    Oct 17, 2010
    54,463
    38,101
    80
    Location:
    Greater Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
    Vehicle:
    2010 Prius
    Model:
    Touring
    The US schedule (and CDN now too, sadly, though for a few years they did have a table format) is event-by-event. This format makes it basically impossible to discern "patterns", the frequencies of the various services.

    I made this spreadsheet which transcribes the US schedule into graph format, months/miles along the top, and services down the left side. And then, just extended it, to 240k miles or 24 years IIRC.

    Attached are the 120K orignial schedule, and extended to 240K version.

    BTW, do get on the EGR cleaning, ASAP, you're overdue, and risking a blown head gasket. Pros that will do this, thoroughly, and without just replacing parts, and for a reasonable price, are few and far between. Tampa Bay Hybrids (in Florida offer the service for $600, but they are a rarity I think. DIY is the simplest and most effective route. More info in my signature, first link.
     

    Attached Files:

    #6 Mendel Leisk, Jun 5, 2022
    Last edited: Jun 5, 2022
  7. rjparker

    rjparker Tu Humilde Sirviente

    Joined:
    Jun 6, 2008
    7,470
    4,372
    7
    Location:
    Texas Hill Country
    Vehicle:
    2012 Prius v wagon
    Model:
    Three
    You start over on the maintenance manual once you are past 120,000 miles. Coolants at 100,000; plugs at 120,000. 415C7B17-58BA-47D5-8204-0B181A278BC3.jpeg
     
  8. 134HP Bard Womyn Magnet

    Joined:
    Oct 14, 2021
    103
    28
    0
    Location:
    NYC
    Vehicle:
    2014 Prius
    Model:
    Five
    Thanks a lot for this. Just checked all fluids and everything is clean (oil actually looks super clean) and proper level except engine coolant which is on the bottom border of the "low" line. Maintenance records (private and Carfax) look good with all schedules followed except I don't trust dealers to do what they claim they've done.

    @Mendel Leisk Thanks for the spreadsheet! I started making my own, this will help. I've read a lot of your threads on here and appreciate your contributions.

    I admit I have this one bit of cognitive dissonance with EGR. I am fortunate to know a respected Prius/hybrid service/used dealer (sadly far from local) and he said for a '14 I could wait until 170k on the EGR. I told him about all the stories on here and he was like "Yes, I know" but didn't change his tune. His is a very thorough and well-reviewed shop who has had hundreds of Prii, maybe thousands at this point, through the bay doors. Don't shoot the messenger; indeed, with my personality, I'm going to still get on it ASAP. But this advice confused me coming from an experienced tech whom I trust. Nothing on here seems to echo it.

    Now, tune in tomorrow for my next post, "blown head gasket." (n). I've just jinxed it.
     
    #8 134HP Bard Womyn Magnet, Jun 5, 2022
    Last edited: Jun 5, 2022
    Mendel Leisk likes this.
  9. Mendel Leisk

    Mendel Leisk Senior Member

    Joined:
    Oct 17, 2010
    54,463
    38,101
    80
    Location:
    Greater Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
    Vehicle:
    2010 Prius
    Model:
    Touring
    Yeah 170k is in the thick of “head gasket season”, from testimonials here. A not excessive EGR cleaning schedule would be synced with engine coolant change, ie: 100k miles, then 50k thereafter. Even better: just every every 50k.
     
  10. 134HP Bard Womyn Magnet

    Joined:
    Oct 14, 2021
    103
    28
    0
    Location:
    NYC
    Vehicle:
    2014 Prius
    Model:
    Five
    Cool. I've been doing a load of Googling and like you said, no one is gonna want to do this aside from a dealership (or private shop) just replacing the whole thing. So I guess I'll keep fingers crossed and hope I can get access to a place I can park it for the weekend and work on it soon. That Nutz About Boltz video is rather intimidating but going slowly and wearing gloves to protect knuckles, seems doable..
     
  11. Mendel Leisk

    Mendel Leisk Senior Member

    Joined:
    Oct 17, 2010
    54,463
    38,101
    80
    Location:
    Greater Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
    Vehicle:
    2010 Prius
    Model:
    Touring
    Take the lower cooler nut off first, anytime you want. It doesn’t disable the car in any way, and you can get to it without needing to take anything else off. It’s a pain to get at, best done first. My 2 cents: leave it off permanently.

    For cleaning the cooler, I found a series of soaks with a concentrated solution of Oxi-Clean Versatile Stain Remover (powdered laundry additive) was good for slow-but-sure break down of the carbon. Others have used oven cleaner, and power washer. For everything else I would stick to brake cleaner, brushes and rags.
     
  12. rjparker

    rjparker Tu Humilde Sirviente

    Joined:
    Jun 6, 2008
    7,470
    4,372
    7
    Location:
    Texas Hill Country
    Vehicle:
    2012 Prius v wagon
    Model:
    Three
    Actually read my posts. I agree with your dealer and have for years.

    Not saying cleaning the egr cooler when plugged is not warranted. It will code and should be dealt with. But the gunked up head and intake is more important. Clearing the egr is actually ensuring more blowby makes it through. The root cause is the cylinder blowby and Toyota knows it.
     
  13. Mendel Leisk

    Mendel Leisk Senior Member

    Joined:
    Oct 17, 2010
    54,463
    38,101
    80
    Location:
    Greater Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
    Vehicle:
    2010 Prius
    Model:
    Touring
    The EGR circuit should be cleaned from end to end, including the intake, which has intake passages. I would not wait for code indicating reduced EGR flow before doing the cleaning, for a couple of reasons:

    1. It'll likely show a code when the head gasket is already failing.
    2. The EGR passages in the intake manifold clog unevenly, commencing with cylinder one being the first to fully clog, even though there's still "sufficent flow", and no code. The head gaskets have been usually failing at the common zone between cyl's one and two.
     
  14. CR94

    CR94 Senior Member

    Joined:
    Dec 2, 2014
    2,642
    1,133
    0
    Location:
    Northwestern S.C.
    Vehicle:
    2011 Prius
    Model:
    Two
    "Impossible" is an exaggeration, but they certainly waste a lot of paper to make discerning maintenance intervals inconvenient with their clumsy, inefficient, needlessly confusing format.
     
  15. Mendel Leisk

    Mendel Leisk Senior Member

    Joined:
    Oct 17, 2010
    54,463
    38,101
    80
    Location:
    Greater Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
    Vehicle:
    2010 Prius
    Model:
    Touring
    Yeah, if you go through it page by page and produce a spreadsheet, the frequencies and intersections of the various services become clear. Funny thing: I'm SURE they started with a table format, then dumbed it down to event by event.

    Oh one thing too, when I created the spreadsheet I noticed a few omissions. Can't recall specifically, but say it was a service that's typically every 30K miles, but they (likely inadvertantly) omitted it from one of the regular intervals. In the spreadsheet I did fill in those gaps.
     
  16. 134HP Bard Womyn Magnet

    Joined:
    Oct 14, 2021
    103
    28
    0
    Location:
    NYC
    Vehicle:
    2014 Prius
    Model:
    Five
    Started searching and s-load of threads on EGR and a lot of individual replies from you generally - pls. point me to salient posts if you have time.

    I started reading about blowby and I need to understand the system more holistically to really get what you're saying in the 2nd paragraph, but will revisit once I do.
     
  17. rjparker

    rjparker Tu Humilde Sirviente

    Joined:
    Jun 6, 2008
    7,470
    4,372
    7
    Location:
    Texas Hill Country
    Vehicle:
    2012 Prius v wagon
    Model:
    Three
    The best thing is to change oil twice as often than Toyota recommends and hope for the best. Often people then clean everything frequently and add oil catch cans. Still there is little evidence that these things help a higher mileage engine, eg over 100k miles.

    If the piston rings are not sealing, combustion gasses get into the crankcase and oil gets into the combustion chamber. The oil gets burned and creates more carbon when it is dumped into the exhaust and picked up by the egr system. Increased crankcase pressure forces more vapors and even oil into the pcv system. This ends up in the intake as a pool of liquid and can easily slug the cylinders. Oil burning can also plug up the catalytic converter. To add issues, the egr is picked up before the cat and the pcv valve is low on the side of the engine.

    A solution is to avoid ring and cylinder wall wear but Toyota used low tension rings. So frequent oil changes from day one saves some engines with this flaw. Repairs require replacing piston and rings. On some engines you resurface the engine block cylinder walls but these engines can't be resurfaced beyond a cosmetic hone and cleaning. Often people change engines - hoping to get a low mile replacement. Lately others have substituted reengineered gen4 engines.
     
    #17 rjparker, Jun 5, 2022
    Last edited: Jun 6, 2022
  18. Leadfoot J. McCoalroller

    Leadfoot J. McCoalroller Senior Member

    Joined:
    May 12, 2018
    6,686
    6,375
    1
    Location:
    Pennsylvania
    Vehicle:
    2018 Prius c
    Model:
    Two
    I know there's one up in LIC and there used to be a cluster of taxi (meaning prius) repair shops around Middle Village Qns, but it has been a while since I lived in NYC, wish I could offer something more detailed or current!

    Good luck!
     
  19. 134HP Bard Womyn Magnet

    Joined:
    Oct 14, 2021
    103
    28
    0
    Location:
    NYC
    Vehicle:
    2014 Prius
    Model:
    Five
    Damn so close, I'm right near there - but no great recommendations, I feel like the taxi places are really hit or miss.
    So far I think most of the service looks like a normal wrench could handle it aside from the EGR.

    Props on your name @Leadfoot J. McCoalroller - I feel like our forum names have some sort of symmetry. ;)
     
  20. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

    Joined:
    May 11, 2005
    107,571
    48,861
    0
    Location:
    boston
    Vehicle:
    2012 Prius Plug-in
    Model:
    Plug-in Base
    a normal wrench could do the egr as well, it's not complicated, but one must be conscientious
     
    Mendel Leisk likes this.