2009, Two weeks in and lots of questions/issues!

Hi all,

New to the forum, new to Prius ownership. You all have a load of info, and I appreciate your taking the time to read a newbie post.

We bought our 2009 with 74K two weeks ago, and while we are overall very pleased (and getting close to 50 MPG with all the in town driving I do to cart kids around--awesome), but a few issues are coming up and I am leery to call the dealership and get screwed since we just paid cash for this new to us car and would rather avoid giving them the rest of our loot. Here is what is up:

1. Headlight condensation. Why the first and only other owner did not take it in when it was free to be repaired, I have no clue, but it is definitely happening every day in Southern Indiana spring. My husband and I are considering sealing them off with silicone gel as we saw on another post here, but fear doing more harm than good. Thoughts?

2. CEL came on yesterday. Needless to say, I was PISSED, since we just paid $12K for the car two weeks ago. Two WEEKS. Anyway, took it to Autozone and it is reading the P1121 code, which from reading here I can see is common. I gather there is a TSB for this, but is it still going to cost us? The 96 month/100K mile hybrid warranty is still active, and we are under the 80K mark for Fed Emission Control Warranty; we also have a 30 day power train/engine warranty through the dealer who sold us this car. Do we have a leg to stand on trying to get one of these warranties to pick up the tag on the valve replacement we obviously need? The light was off after Autozone read it, but came back on the second time I started it. Coolant levels *appear* fine.

3. I think this is unrelated, but a few things have been leaving me uneasy...one, when I first start the car, the gas engine kicks on within about 15-30 seconds, even if we are in park. Is this normal or might it be related to the coolant valve? Second, when I come to a stop at a light, the car really does some...complaining? shimmying? before switching to the electric motor. Normal? Lastly, when I park the car, there is a distinct clicking/whirring under the hood, driver's side. This morning when I went out I just opened the car and closed it, same noise. Normal?

We are coming into this car from a 97 Subaru that we had driven for over 10 years, many of which saw the CEL on all the time. But that car is now 17 years old and not worth much. Would like to see our 09 Prius through 10 years/100K miles as well, but this first two weeks has me really questioning our purchase!

Thanks for reading, I know a lot of this is old news to those who have been driving them a while.

Best
Jen

 

Thanks for the replies, both of you. I think we will go for it with the headlights, $4 vs. $750+ makes a lot more sense. We have some strategies to dry them out once removed, and still have our old car in case it takes an extra day.

The warranty from our dealer will cover 1/2 of the valve replacement, but I will get at the radiator itself tomorrow and check the fluid. The reservoir was not low (but not full) this morning when I checked.

All the noises are just a lot to get used to! I am loving it overall, so quiet and getting great mileage. Glad to have found this forum, we are hoping to get a good 10 years out of this car and like to know the ins and outs of our cars.

Thanks again!

 

Thank you, and thanks for the link to the thread above-by far the most useful one and I have been lurking on this forum compulsively since that damn CEL came on!

We have a stash of those little moisture sucking desiccant packets, I think we will let them sit in there overnight after drying with a heat gun. Fingers crossed. It is not garaged, and every morning there is more. Just wish the first owner had done it when it would have been FREE!

 

Hair dryer it is!

When we bought it, we felt like we were signing off on knowing how to care for our car because it is so much more high tech than our very basic old car. I mean, crank windows. But I found this and quickly realized that of COURSE there are loads of people who want to drive these green machines who also don't want to rely on the dealership for every.little.thing. Though we had hoped to have a longer grace period, I also look forward to getting our hands on the innards of the new car!

 

Oh my goodness I can't even remember how long the cel has been on my 97 legacy. At least five years. We have loved that car, and i still love to drive it, but she has 172K and no AC. I have two kids and was getting terrible mpg for the grocery getting and preschool chauffeuring.

I think we got a screaming deal, it is the deluxe trim for the Gen II, leather seats and all. If the seller will pay for half I think we will take it, as the next two months are very busy for my farmer husband, who has the tools and confidence. I mostly have the curiosity and frugality.

 

Was thinking this morning-do they take regular antifreeze in the reservoir? I see the inverter coolant is pink, but does the engine coolant not need to be the old fashioned green stuff?

 

So just to be clear, as long as the coolant levels look good, it is not going to do any harm to drive it to the mechanic?