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after brake fluid exchange should petal be firmer?

Discussion in 'Gen 2 Prius Care, Maintenance and Troubleshooting' started by tjli, Dec 12, 2012.

  1. tjli

    tjli Junior Member

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    Recently had my 2007 brake fluid exchanged at a dealer and the petal seems about the same in travel and firmness.

    When I did similar jobs on my other vehicles the petal firmed up and was like a new car feeling. I followed the usual drill of starting with the brake furthest from the master and bleeding each brake.

    Did I not get the full treatment ie exchange and bleeding? Would like some feedback before talking to dealer.
     
  2. Mendel Leisk

    Mendel Leisk Senior Member

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    The only thing that would concern me would be if the pedal got softer.
     
  3. Joe 26

    Joe 26 Member

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    Unless there was a problem beforehand, or other brake work done, the pedal should feel no different.
     
  4. 2k1Toaster

    2k1Toaster Brand New Prius Batteries

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    You should also be warned that doing brake work on a Prius is a seriously bad idea unless you know what you are doing. The Prius is never "off". The brake pump can and will be primed when you/the-SKS is near the car, when the door is opened, and also at other seemingly random times. This means you could be in the middle of doing your thing, and out shoots the piston from the caliper.

    Also just disconnecting the 12v battery won't do it because there is a capacitor backup as well that should be bled off slowly and safely.

    The correct procedure involves hooking up the Toyota Techstream, and telling the car to stop doing self tests because you are doing brake work. Then it is just like any other car. If you do not do that, you are gambling with the self test sequence being run at any point to check the hydraulic pressure in the line which will cause streams of liquid and anything else in its way like your finger to shoot out at very very high pressure.