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2010 PRIUS BRAKES STRUTS SWAYBAR LINKS 126,000 MILES

Discussion in 'Gen 3 Prius Main Forum' started by Anonymous!!, Nov 18, 2022.

  1. Anonymous!!

    Anonymous!! New Member

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    At 126,000 miles, being told I need a complete brake job (new pads and rotors), new front struts, new swaybar links, and 3 TPMS modules.

    Brakes are $1,000 all-in (including $550 labor). Struts and Links are $1,600 all-in (including $500 labor, and the strut assemblies -- the parts themselves -- which total $825). TPMS are $150 each all-in.

    Question is: does this all sound rational, and are the costs cheap, reasonable, or on the high side?

    Thanks.
     
  2. ASRDogman

    ASRDogman Senior Member

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    WHO told you that????? You need to find a new place where ever you went for, for whatever reason.
    You need to give more information.
    At that mileage, extremly unlikely you need any of those things.
    If you are hard on the brakes, or previous owner, then the fronts may be low. If you don't get any
    pulsations when you apply the brakes, rotors should be fine.
    "IF" you need 3 tpms modules, you need 4.
    All of the above YOU can do yourself, for a lot money. Except maybe the modules.
    But you need to give more information about where you went, why you went, what you had done their.
     
    #2 ASRDogman, Nov 19, 2022
    Last edited: Nov 19, 2022
  3. Mendel Leisk

    Mendel Leisk Senior Member

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    OP’s location appears to be a zip code, for New Jersey, USA. Road salt and neglect “may” have done in the brakes, who knows.

    Yeah more explanation of “they” would help. Assuming a dealership, get an assessment from a second dealership, and another quote; see how they compare.

    Not everyone is willing/able to do serious mechanical work. Myself for example: I’m comfortable with routine fluid changes, basic brake maintenance, push my ceiling a bit with the EGR cleaning.

    But even caliper swaps I’m not so sure; that’s significant opening up of the brake lines, and I don’t have Techstream. Suspension work I’ve always left to pros.
     
    Merkey likes this.
  4. Grit

    Grit Senior Member

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    Since OP didn’t describe his car is having any issues then this is a case of the wallet flush quickie.
     
  5. Tombukt2

    Tombukt2 Senior Member

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    Bought right for NJ area prices etc . Do it need that possibly . Struts go fast in NJ . Terrible roads . Salt n crap on brakes in in garaged car more n likely.
     
  6. bettergolf

    bettergolf Active Member

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    I can tell you this....$150 per TPMS ($600 total) is absolutely a ripoff....you can buy all for parts for $40-60 and it doesn't cost $500 to install them. Go to a tire shop and get an estimate for just that to compare. I suspect everything else they quoted is abnormally high too...
     
  7. Anonymous!!

    Anonymous!! New Member

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    Thanks so much.

    I am totally incapable of doing work like this myself.

    TPMS is clear problem. Light pulsates and stays on. Only question is how many I should change and what that should cost.

    Car is in Northern NJ. Sits outside all the time, frequently parked on an incline. Not used too much many days since COVID.

    Had it looked at recently by two dealers, a major chain place, and a pretty well-reviewed local shop.

    All say it needs 4-wheel brakes pads and rotors. All prices (parts+labor) total around $1000.

    4 years ago at 86,000 miles dealer replaced 4 pads and machined 4 rotors. All now say everything rusted. I did recently feel serious pulsation, but only on a long steep 7% grade. Also some odd feeling about the way car rides day-to-day. I do NOT 'ride' the brakes!

    One dealer and the shop say it also needs sway bar links. Second dealer and the chain place say it doesn't. Chain place says only other problem besides brakes is broken right front axle; no one else says that. Shop says it also needs struts; no one else says that..

    I'm posting first because everything I read about Priuses says they don't need this much work at these mileages. At this point I can't even figure out which mechanic knows what he's doing. And everything seems too expensive. Especially the struts -- more than $800 just for parts themselves.

    I obviously need more help!
     
  8. Anonymous!!

    Anonymous!! New Member

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    Repeating my general reply here as a reply to you specifically, to be sure you see it:

    Thanks so much.

    I am totally incapable of doing work like this myself.

    TPMS is clear problem. Light pulsates and stays on. Only question is how many I should change and what that should cost.

    Car is in Northern NJ. Sits outside all the time, frequently parked on an incline. Not used too much many days since COVID.

    Had it looked at recently by two dealers, a major chain place, and a pretty well-reviewed local shop.

    All say it needs 4-wheel brakes pads and rotors. All prices (parts+labor) total around $1000.

    4 years ago at 86,000 miles dealer replaced 4 pads and machined 4 rotors. All now say everything rusted. I did recently feel serious pulsation, but only on a long steep 7% grade. Also some odd feeling about the way car rides day-to-day. I do NOT 'ride' the brakes!

    One dealer and the shop say it also needs sway bar links. Second dealer and the chain place say it doesn't. Chain place says only other problem besides brakes is broken right front axle; no one else says that. Shop says it also needs struts; no one else says that..

    I'm posting first because everything I read about Priuses says they don't need this much work at these mileages. At this point I can't even figure out which mechanic knows what he's doing. And everything seems too expensive. Especially the struts -- more than $800 just for parts themselves.

    I obviously need more help!
     
    Mendel Leisk likes this.
  9. Tombukt2

    Tombukt2 Senior Member

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    Struts in front end parts go quick on this car as in to be replaced it's not a half a morning job generally and all that kind of stuff especially if you're not doing the hub and wheel bearings along with it I mean the stuff just bolts on mark everything both it back together and even your alignment should be close enough that most people want fool with it at least that's how it works on my '09 and my 13
     
  10. ASRDogman

    ASRDogman Senior Member

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  11. Anonymous!!

    Anonymous!! New Member

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    The chain place IS a tire store; they want $213 for 1 TPMS. First Dealer wants $492 for 2 TPMS. Local shop wants $461 for 3 TPMS. Second Dealer wants $715 for 4 TPMS.
     
  12. Tombukt2

    Tombukt2 Senior Member

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    Pacific makes the center caps for aluminum wheels as well as TPMS sensors about 45 bux Pacific branded factory I've bought 8. Flip wheel over see Pacific logo on back center cap? Now find that logo on E bay they be plenty of them . Who Toyoda used . So you buy ..
     
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  13. nancytheprius

    nancytheprius Active Member

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    i got all four of my tpms sensors replaced at 40 dollars a tire (two years ago at sam’s club) i believe costco, walmart, or any tire place can do it, but don’t pay 150 a tire at that place
     
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  14. Noahdoge

    Noahdoge Active Member

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    In my 2009 Camry the tpms has not worked for some years. The TPMS sensors not working (flashing then solid) means absolutely nothing to the functionality of your car. Just check the tire pressure weekly. It’s also a good habit to check oil level and other fluid levels since in this generation those are the first warning signs to something more significant. Use that money for far more important things on your list like brake pads and rotors.
     
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  15. Mendel Leisk

    Mendel Leisk Senior Member

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    FWIW, Mazda dealerships sell their TPMS sensors for around $30 apiece (last time I checked, about 18 months back), and after initial intro, owners can swap between 2 sets of wheels/tires (typically regular and snows) and the car recognizes and uses either, with just a few minutes driving (no dealership visit or expensive readers needed).
     
  16. jzchen

    jzchen Newbie!

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    They’re charging way too much money.

    You can get Dorman 974-301 for $37.54 ($150.16 if I didn’t fumble my calculator app) from Amazon and clone them yourself with 974-505 ($180.96). Have them installed at Walmart super cheap, or even at one of those overpriced places if you really need to….

    BTW- Dorman lists these as Lifetime Warranty parts and I just verified this is still true…


    iPhone ?
     
  17. Tombukt2

    Tombukt2 Senior Member

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    So the 492 dealer price for two TPMS sensors that's installed in the tire and wheel on the car ready to drive out of the showroom or the shop? That's absolutely ridiculous hell even Pacific the company that makes themselves them for way less than that I mean like a third or what have you The breakdown for four centures is about $48 $44 at my door. That's for four and then it's at the cheap tire store they charge me $7 while they're changing my tires to screw on the bolt that holds the TPMS sensor the new one into my existing wheel I just paid this the other week and now I don't do that I open up the tire myself change the sensors and then put new tires on the wheels or what have you $500 for two holey moley .
     
  18. Anonymous!!

    Anonymous!! New Member

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    Why the reference to iPhone?

    About the TPMS: the prices I quoted included installation.
     
  19. jzchen

    jzchen Newbie!

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    Good point. There is a defect with Tapatalk on iPhone but I left it on so TapaTalk gets their advertising space. Should be iPhone on Tapatalk. I'll try to remove it...

    It still seems way overpriced to me. Last time I had a TPMS sensor mounted on my spare at a local Walmart, (once I found one willing to), they didn't even charge me....

    I found their advertised pricing here. (I'm pretty sure they can't mount 20" tires, bought a set from them for my wife's Porsche):

    Auto Care Center Services - Walmart.com
     
    #19 jzchen, Nov 20, 2022
    Last edited: Nov 20, 2022
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  20. Tombukt2

    Tombukt2 Senior Member

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    Another app and another texting thing on a few sites always shows down in the bottom that you're on an iPhone or you're on a Samsung SM something another a751 d whatever you can go into the menu somewhere and change that to a signature your name something smart whatever I never bother with touching any of it