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3rd gen maintenance for longevity

Discussion in 'Gen 3 Prius Main Forum' started by slomo85, Jan 11, 2022.

  1. slomo85

    slomo85 Junior Member

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    2010 Prius
    Model:
    IV
    Hello all, just made this account to reach out to y'all prius pros :)

    I have a 2010 Prius going on about 5 years now. I was seriously considering selling it and getting a new car but have recently decided to keep it as long as possible until it no longer works, instead of buying a new/newer car just to keep up with the joneses... Big thing is that paint has started to peel all over the car since I got it, I read that this can be a common problem for this year but I'm just going to ignore it and enjoy the car for what it is.

    Purchased it at 129,000 miles, from original owner with all service completed at the dealer. Prior to my purchase the dealer has competed and documented.

    Major services completed at dealer by previous owner:
    -Engine ring replacement due to high oil consumption
    -Hybrid Traction battery replaced with new
    -Front struts replaced with new
    -Four fuel system cleaning procedures
    -Spark plugs replaced

    Currently the car has 165,000 miles and I have completed the following during my ownership:
    -Replaced brake pads w/OEM and cleaned/greased correctly (ordered before I inspected, didn't realize these cars brake pads lasted soo long!! ... replaced anyway..)
    -Replaced and Upgraded 12V battery to larger size
    -EGR cooler/valve/intake cleaning (just did it on recommendation from this forums, no codes, was 100% clogged, every passage, worst I have ever seen and I had a TDI and Cummins that I had cleaned out as well!)
    -regular oil/filter changes
    -replaced plastic under bumper cowl and replacing clips/bolts as I see them
    -Dealer replaced Inverter under warranty (just before it expired @149,000 miles!!)
    -Dealer replaced the inverter coolant pump and flushed coolant
    -$55 center console insert to hold friggen cups!!!!!! (such a pain not having a cupholder for the passenger all the time though....)

    After seeing the EGR system condition I worry about missing other "technically non-maintenance" items. When I asked the dealer technicians if the ICE water pump was replaced when they replaced the rings they told me "if it's not listed as an actual maintenance interval, it was definitely not done."

    Now, I am adding to the list of things to check/do:
    -Clean A/C condenser and radiator (A/C is super cold so this would just be for my curiosity)
    -swap to OEM 15" rims for cheaper tires and better ride, hopefully better MPG?
    -Check & clean the HV Traction battery fan and vents
    -High mileage chassis items like bushings/bearing/joints and such

    Things I wonder if it's worth doing:
    -Replace ICE coolant pump??
    -Sending fuel injectors for cleaning??
    -Engine block heater to increase MPG on short trips??
    -Traction battery conditioner/maintenance charger sold here on prius chat

    What else are things I should add on top of the Toyota factory suggested maintenance to make this thing to another 100,000 miles or more? There is a timing chain on these 3rd gen motors so other that the coolant pump I can't think of anything else I may need to do for the ICE, no?

    If you read this whole "story", I really appreciate your time and patience! This forum has given me excellent procedures and information in the past so I wonder what took me so long to sign up! Thanks everyone!
     
    #1 slomo85, Jan 11, 2022
    Last edited: Jan 11, 2022
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  2. JimboPalmer

    JimboPalmer Tsar of all the Rushers

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    I do not think an engine block heater will save you money in San Diego. It never gets that cold.

    I do recommend draining and refilling the ATF in the transaxle. Get 4 quarts of Toyota ATF WS and get the crush washers for the plugs. Open the fill plug first, you would hate to drain it and discover you could not refill it.



    DIY should be about $50 and my dealer is about $110. So if you don't already have the right tools, it may be cheaper at the dealer. Or you may want more tools!
     
    #2 JimboPalmer, Jan 12, 2022
    Last edited: Jan 12, 2022
  3. xliderider

    xliderider Senior Member

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    Install an oil catch can, Nutz About Boltz video in maintenance forum. It will keep some of the oil released through the PCV valve from getting into your intake, which burns in your cylinders into carbon deposits that can make your piston rings stick and lead to more oil burning and release into the intake from increased blowby. It's a vicious cycle.

    Posted via the PriusChat mobile app.
     
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  4. Mendel Leisk

    Mendel Leisk Senior Member

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    Change the brake fluid. (See first link in my signature. If viewing on phone, turn it to landscape, to see sig.)
     
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  5. slomo85

    slomo85 Junior Member

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    2010 Prius
    Model:
    IV
    Yeah, about the block heater. I had installed one on my previous car and saw a pretty good increase in MPG. This was probably because it was a jetta TDI and those motors take longer to heat up.

    I just did the transaxle saturday, thanks for your recommendation... that was the nastiest, dirtiest "transmission" fluid I have ever seen, how can they possibly say this is a lifetime fluid!! I also noticed that it was about a half a quart low, doubt they were checking the level at the dealer during service intervals. I got the ATF WS and two new washers from the dealer, price wasn't to bad, only $8 a quart, $3 per washer. My only worry was that I found a tiny piece of metal in the drain pan :-o


    I just got an oil catch can in the mail, I'll be planning the install (mounting the can and tube routing options).


    I haven't started on this yet, but in researching this cars maintenance history, I can see the brake fluid was last swapped in 2014, after replacing the brake booster under warranty. The ABS unit was replaced under warranty as well some time earlier.

    Thanks for the recommendations everyone, I'm getting this done. today I finished pulling the Traction battery fan and vents and they look like they haven't been touched and took a lot more time to get clean than I actually though. I'll finish putting the car back together tomorrow as it got dark on me.
     
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  6. slomo85

    slomo85 Junior Member

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    Vehicle:
    2010 Prius
    Model:
    IV
    *** Update *** (since I don't see how I can edit the original post)
    -Just found out 120k was never done!! bought new OEM spark plugs and air filter at dealer, will install soon! Wonder how plugs with this many miles will look :-o

    Current mileage: 165,000

    Major services completed at dealer by previous owner:
    -95,000k Engine ring replacement due to high oil consumption
    -Hybrid Traction battery replaced w/OEM
    -Front struts replaced with new
    -Four fuel system cleaning procedures

    I have completed:
    -Replaced brake pads w/OEM and cleaned/greased correctly
    -Replaced and Upgraded 12V battery to larger size
    -EGR cooler/valve/intake full cleaning
    -regular oil/filter changes
    -replaced plastic under bumper cowl and replacing clips/bolts as I see them
    -152,000k Dealer replaced Inverter under warranty
    -152,000 Dealer replaced the inverter coolant pump and flushed coolant
    -165,000 replaced transaxle fluid
    -165,000 Cleaned HV Traction battery fan and vents

    Now, I am adding to the list of things to check/do:
    -Clean A/C condenser and radiator (A/C is super cold so this would just be for my curiosity)
    -swap to OEM 15" rims for cheaper tires and better ride, hopefully better MPG?
    -High mileage chassis items like bushings/bearing/joints and such
    -start completing oil changed sooner that 10k miles, been seeing some talk of the long interval changes causing the oil consumption problems

    Things I wonder if it's worth doing:
    -Replace ICE coolant pump??
    -Sending fuel injectors for cleaning??
    -Engine block heater to increase MPG on short trips??
    -Traction battery conditioner/maintenance charger sold here on prius chat
     
  7. Mendel Leisk

    Mendel Leisk Senior Member

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    Model:
    Touring
    Did you do that yourself? There is a bit of a gotcha with the rear brakes: the caliper piston, when reassembled, must have the cross-pattern on the face of the piston oriented like an X, not an orthogonal +. Also, it should be well seated thus. If it doesn't stay thus you'll have uneven brake application, constant drag, bevelled pad wear, rusty zone on the rotor, due to lack of contact, and hot-dog fingers (kidding, that last one).

    There's more info in one of the links in my signature.
     
  8. slomo85

    slomo85 Junior Member

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    Yes, I did this work. I haven't had any issues with the rear brakes but this was quite a while ago. I can definitely check just to make sure, thanks :)
     
    #8 slomo85, Jan 17, 2022
    Last edited: Jan 17, 2022
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  9. Mendel Leisk

    Mendel Leisk Senior Member

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    Raising the rear and spinning the wheels, they should free-spin 2~3 revolutions if everything’s ok. There is “some” drag, but they shouldn’t stop on a dime when you let go.
     
  10. PriusGuy32

    PriusGuy32 Prius Driver Extraordinaire

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    Vehicle:
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    Model:
    Four
    If I was going to keep my Gen3 (spoiler alert: I am incapable of owning ANY car for more than 18 months) forever, I would:
    * Have underbody rustproofed (engine mounts to subframe, subframe, rear subframe, control arms, the METAL parts)
    * Change engine oil & filter with full synthetic every 5k miles
    * Coolant flushes as recommended by Toyota
    * Change CVT fluid every 50k with Toyota OEM fluid
    * Clean HV fan & grate out every year or so (I travel with my pets so I know hair gets sucked up in there)
    * Install quick connect pigtail onto 12v battery to occasionally connect smart charger to condition 12v
    * Inspect/Grease slide pins on the brake calipers annually.
    * Change spark plugs every 100k
    * Clean EGR Circuit & Intake Manifold every 50k
    * Run Chevron with Techron, or other fuel system cleaner containing PEA a couple times between oil change intervals
    * Condition the HV battery with a reputable conditioner
    * Replace coolant pumps only if failure is imminent (Why waste the money? Should I replace the transmission pre-emptively on my truck with 135,000 miles just because one day it "might" fail, even though its working fine?)
    * Best Suggestion * If you haven't already, I would purchase Techstream software and the OBD2 cable. I did this years ago when I bought my first Prius, and use it ALL of the time. I use to it be nerdy, customize settings (seatbelt beeper on the back roads of northern Michigan? No thanks that got turned OFF), check battery resistances, activate the HV fan to make sure shes still spinnin', etc.

    Thats MY recommendations. 95% of these things I do already and I only keep the cars a year or so.... Needless to say, whoever gets my used Prius are getting an exceptionally maintained car.
     
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  11. Johnny Cakes

    Johnny Cakes Senior Member

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    Best post ever.
     
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  12. mikey_t

    mikey_t Active Member

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    I would agree with everything listed by PriusGuy32. It's pretty much what I did after buying my 2010 with 140K miles on it some years ago. For fuel system cleaner, I like BG 44K. My MPG noticably increased after running it the first time so I started doing it once a year. I also started doing oil changes every 5K miles and ran BG EPR to clean the engine beforehand, adding BG MOA afterwards.
     
    #12 mikey_t, Jan 23, 2022
    Last edited: Jan 24, 2022
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  13. CharlesPrius

    CharlesPrius Member

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    FWIW my water pump failed at 170k miles, blew the head gasket, bye bye $1500. Unfortunately there's no warning light for this, it's an electric pump and the only warning is cylinder misfires or overheating or worse. But, since my HG + waterpump replacement, it's been great. Now at 225k miles, 47+mpg, and they did a compression test about 5k miles ago and said it was great.
     
  14. oliverprius

    oliverprius Junior Member

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    Coolant pump is $185 CAD made by Aisin who makes the OE. Saving $185 to potentially destroy the engine is a horrible reward/risk ratio. Your truck pump is not electric and will give warning signs. What warning signs does an electric water pump give?
     
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  15. Mendel Leisk

    Mendel Leisk Senior Member

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  16. bettergolf

    bettergolf Active Member

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    After all you've done and will do....why not have it painted too?
     
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  17. PriusGuy32

    PriusGuy32 Prius Driver Extraordinaire

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    :LOL:
    I'd replace the tires every month too. Why risk a $500 set of tires in case one blows out and causes $600 in damage!??!?! :D
     
  18. Doug McC

    Doug McC Active Member

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    Either that or wax it every week and never drive on salted roads. ;)