$750 worth of suggested services, what actually needs to be done?

Discussion in 'Gen 3 Prius Care, Maintenance & Troubleshooting' started by PJS, Dec 21, 2020.

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  1. PJS

    PJS New Member

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    I took my prius 2013 to the dealership to get the Maintenance Light turned off and ended up walking out with a $266 bill and like 8 suggested services, several of which require "Immediate Attention".
    I had them replace the brake fluid and align and balance the wheels (hence the $266) but I held off on the other items to see if I could get it done cheaper elsewhere.

    So I guess my question is, how soon do I need to have the Immediate Attention Fuel system cleaning and A/C refresh/filter done, and is $300 for the total as overpriced as I think it is. I have other questions too (I know nothing about vehicles, hence why I'm here to avoid getting scammed by the dealership) but these are the main ones haha.
     
    #1 PJS, Dec 21, 2020
  2. tankyuong

    tankyuong Senior Member

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    None of the above needs done just auto transmission fluid changed
     
    #2 tankyuong, Dec 21, 2020
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  3. Pluggo

    Pluggo Senior Member

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    Even though the fuel system service is of questionable value and the AC filter may get by without changing or refreshing (rapping it on the bench to knock leaves and junk out) I would not necessarily write off the dealership as dishonest. It's just what they do because some people are willing to pay for extra for peace of mind. That, and it looks good for the service manager to write up more business in a day. Cleaning the fuel system means different things to different people- if they were only planning to spray some stuff and/or pour a product in your tank, your local auto parts store can give you guidance on that, particularly if the car has fuel symptoms. Likewise, it is a do-it-yourself job to take the AC filter out, look at it, shake it clean or replace it when it looks terrible. YouTube is your guide.
     
    #3 Pluggo, Dec 22, 2020
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  4. Elektroingenieur

    Elektroingenieur Senior Member

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    See my previous posting.
     
    #4 Elektroingenieur, Dec 22, 2020
  5. PJS

    PJS New Member

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    I just checked it out, thank you! This wasn't a specific XXX miles service (I got my car last year with around 62,000 miles, now at 70,000) so I'm not sure what they recommended to me as general service and what actually looks like it needed to be fixed. My boyfriend's going to change the air and engine filters for me, but do I actually need an A/C refresh?

    The list says "Fuel sys cleaning: Perform complete fuel system cleaning, pressurized fuel injector cleaning, clean throttle body, decarbonize upper engine and add fuel additive to gas tank" ($220). If I sound ignorant, it's because I am :(. Are they suggesting this as routine or is my car actually in need of this.
     
    #5 PJS, Dec 22, 2020
    Last edited by a moderator: Dec 22, 2020
  6. pjksr02

    pjksr02 Active Member

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    How long have you had your Prius, and how many miles are on it? Be sure to look in the owner manual for the procedure to turn off the "maintenance" reminder!
     
    #6 pjksr02, Dec 22, 2020
  7. PJS

    PJS New Member

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    I got it last December with around 62000 miles on it, and now I'm at 70,000. It didn't come with a manual so I've had to google everything and I wasn't able to turn the light off myself.
     
    #7 PJS, Dec 22, 2020
  8. Elektroingenieur

    Elektroingenieur Senior Member

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    Did you complain about “dank or musty cabin odors from the air conditioning,” to borrow a phrase from Toyota’s video about their A/C Refresher Kit? If not, and if there’s no other specific reason—such as a rodent or insect infestation—to do a chemical cleaning of the air conditioner, then the service isn’t needed.
    If you haven’t noticed any warning lights or symptoms, then these are probably routine suggestions by the dealer. None of the three services you mentioned is among those Toyota recommends in the Warranty and Maintenance Guide, but they all have high profit margins for the dealer, and their needs and benefits are just plausible enough that the dealer can offer them to every customer without breaking any laws.

    Rather than paying for such extra services, I’d suggest doing only the manufacturer-recommended maintenance, including the routine, do-it-yourself checks mentioned in the Owner’s Manual, and setting the money you save aside for other repairs and replacement parts, when actually needed. For example, have you checked the tread depth on the tires?
    You can download PDF copies of the Owner’s Manual and other owner literature from Toyota at no charge, or buy a replacement printed copy of the Owner’s Manual for $40 plus shipping and tax. As @pjksr02 kindly mentioned, the procedure to reset the maintenance reminder is on page 409 (PDF).
     
    #8 Elektroingenieur, Dec 23, 2020
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  9. PJS

    PJS New Member

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    God bless y'all for helping me out :cry: No, I haven't noticed any smell. The AC blows warm air when I have it set to a cooler temp sometimes (not on auto) but I didn't have any complaints about it worth mentioning to the dealership. I told them I needed the Maintenance light checked out and a general inspection. Didn't even need an oil change because I had it done elsewhere recently, and the service guy was like "then why are you here".

    I realized that after getting home and it hit me that I paid $134 for an alignment. Oh well. It was my first time at the dealership alone and I sort of panicked and said, yes, do that.

    The service guy told me I wasn't due for a tire rotation (I thought they were recommended annually but okay). Tread depth if I'm reading these papers correctly is 4/32 in the front and 5/32 in the back. He said the alignment and wheel balance I had done would give me some more time before needing new tires. How much time, though.
     
    #9 PJS, Dec 23, 2020
  10. pjksr02

    pjksr02 Active Member

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    Welcome aboard. This is the place to ask questions. Your car is at a nice "young" mileage, so get to know it, and read up on issues around here.

    Consider setting up an account at toyota.com/owners. Besides vehicle literature, you'll find recall information and records for dealer-performed maintenance.
     
    #10 pjksr02, Dec 23, 2020
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