Any Zerk fittings on this vehicle?

No. But I do periodically spray some lube on all moving suspension parts up front. Door locks...door hinges..etc. Just be careful none hits the front disc's.

 

Prius...Zerk-free since 1997

However we still read of Toyota shops charging for chassis lubrication in packaged service, once in a while. I wish they wouldn't do that.

Minimal underbody maintenance is look at the CV and steering boots. Better, to check conditions of braking, suspension and steering. Various bolts are to be re-torqued after severe vehicle use, but I never managed to rattle any of them loose. Not for lack of trying...

 

Greasing lube points is so old school. I don't expect a Prius to have any, all our pivot points should be greaseless. I know that if you lubricate greaseless joints you can actually damage the fitting, I would put anything that Toyota doesn't specify.

 

really the only zerk fittings on toyotas are on the driveline, and only in the trucks.

 

I've searched 4 years now, have yet to find a zerk

My FJ has them on the front and rear driveshaft. Oddly enough, it does *not* have zerks on the balljoints or tie rod ends.

 

I've seen some on the road, but almost never in a Prius. Oh, you said zerk. I thought you said jerk.

Tom

 

I found one. But, what is it for?
Remove the plastic cover covering the radiator frame and you will find one on a bracket just in front of the inverter. It has a rubber dust cover on it and a hose that disappears beneath the inverter. This is on a 2005. I'm digging through the service manual but I haven't found it yet. I can't stand it. What is it for? What is it for?

 

That is not a zerk fitting.

That is the vent used when purging air out of the inverter/transaxle coolant loop. Look for a repair manual section regarding how to replace that coolant.

If you start injecting multipurpose grease into that vent, your inverter will not be happy... Rest assured that there are no Prius fittings that require an injection of grease.

 

:doh:

Please, please tell me you didn't hook a grease gun up to it

The part in question is for bleeding air out of the cooling system. It's documented in the shop manual

 

Not anymore...

Tom

 

Man o man, 3 cartridges of grease and I still can't fill it up.

Just kidding. I get what It's for now. Same kind of fitting as a brake bleeder. Thanks for the info.

 

I had a customer when I was mechanicing who was greasing the front end on his old Cortina when he saw the "grease nipples" on the back of the brake callipers. He was unsure why he couldn't get any grease into them so replaced them with new grease nipples and in went the grease. He bought the car to us for a service. I saw the grease nipples in the callipers and rang the customer to ask what was going on and quote required repairs.

I can't remember what it cost to replace all the seals and clean up the callipers and master cylinder, we also replaced the flexible brake hoses on the front brakes. Thankfully he didn't find the "grease nipples" on the back brakes.

 

Days like that, only a good stiff drink helps at all ...

 

"A little learning is a dangerous thing." - Alexander Pope