1. Attachments are working again! Check out this thread for more details and to report any other bugs.

Help Identifying a few things

Discussion in 'Gen 3 Prius Care, Maintenance & Troubleshooting' started by frankyk, Apr 12, 2013.

  1. frankyk

    frankyk Junior Member

    Joined:
    Apr 5, 2013
    3
    0
    0
    Vehicle:
    2011 Prius
    Model:
    II
    Hello there everyone. I've got a 2011 Prius and coming up on 100k miles. I've called around a few dealerships and all quoted me the same price for fluid flushes. $89 for Inverter coolant, $189 for trans axle fluid, $189 for engine coolant and $129 for break fluid. This is the first hybrid car I will try and attempt to do them myself because the prices quoted i believe are well over priced. I just need a little help identifying a few things and if you guys can lead me in the right direction on instructions of how to. I will be posting pictures and videos once i get to do them hopefully being able to help others who want to do it themselves and save a few hundred dollars on the way. For now i just have a few pictures from under the car I hope you guys can help me identify some of the plugs and such as I couldn't find the trans axle refill plug.

    I have looked through all threads looking on how to do some of these flushes but have come up empty as most of them are from manuals which expect you to have expensive equipment and know the car inside out.
     

    Attached Files:

  2. frankyk

    frankyk Junior Member

    Joined:
    Apr 5, 2013
    3
    0
    0
    Vehicle:
    2011 Prius
    Model:
    II
    Ok well I went under again and found this other plug confused to which is which.
     

    Attached Files:

  3. PriusInParadise

    Joined:
    May 24, 2012
    180
    91
    0
    Location:
    Hawaii
    Vehicle:
    2011 Prius
    Model:
    Two
    I marked up two of your pictures. transaxle.jpg Trans AXLE2.jpg
     
    frankyk likes this.
  4. Mendel Leisk

    Mendel Leisk Senior Member

    Joined:
    Oct 17, 2010
    55,569
    38,728
    80
    Location:
    Greater Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
    Vehicle:
    2010 Prius
    Model:
    Touring
    I might be prejudiced because I've done a transaxle fluid change myself, but none of the others, but anyway:

    The Transaxle fluid change is a fairly easy DIY, similar to an oil and filter change, just a little different. The cost is around $40 for fluid and replacement washers.

    For the coolant changes and brake fluid flush, I'd recommend letting the dealership do them.
     
  5. frankyk

    frankyk Junior Member

    Joined:
    Apr 5, 2013
    3
    0
    0
    Vehicle:
    2011 Prius
    Model:
    II
    Thanks Priusinparadise I was able to identify and found the filler plug. I might take Mendel Leisk advice and let the dealer do the brake and engine coolant flush I've read a few posts and it just seems like a problem to happen. Ill be buying the inverter coolant and trans axle and will be doing that myself on this coming tuesday. I will also do the spark plugs myself. Depending if I feel lucky I might tackle the engine coolant myself as well. Will be posting back and let you guys know how it goes.