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looking at purchasing a 2010 Prius III!

Discussion in 'Gen 3 Prius Main Forum' started by HilaMonsters, Mar 14, 2020.

  1. HilaMonsters

    HilaMonsters New Member

    Joined:
    Mar 14, 2020
    1
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    Location:
    tallahassee
    Vehicle:
    2010 Prius
    Model:
    III
    My car was recently totaled in a wreck (not my fault) and I'm in need of a new car. I have always wanted a Prius and may have an opportunity to finally get one! The car I'm looking at almost seems too good to be true, it has 49,000 miles on it and a clean history and many features I love! My concerns are HV battery (simply due to the cars age) and this oil consumption issue that I've been seeing pop up online, potentially affecting (some or all?) 2010 models. I would hate to buy this car and all of a sudden have it start leaking oil on me or have the battery konk out! I was wondering if there is anyway to determine if the engine in this car has the affected piston rings and a way to check the health of the batteries. I saw in one thread someone said that toyota listed vin numbers of effected lots regarding the oil leak? Any incite and guidance is appreciated!
     
    #1 HilaMonsters, Mar 14, 2020
  2. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

    Joined:
    May 11, 2005
    107,703
    48,947
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    Location:
    boston
    Vehicle:
    2012 Prius Plug-in
    Model:
    Plug-in Base
    the oil problem is bad rings and pistons. it's not a leak, they burn oil. you also have an egr clogging problem that can blow the head gasket.
    the good news is that at 50k, there is still time to clean the egr, but if you can't diy, it could cost close to a thousand dollars.
    you can check the battery health with the dr prius app, but in the end, you should stash away 2 grand for a new battery if needed.
     
    #2 bisco, Mar 15, 2020
    Mendel Leisk likes this.
  3. Mendel Leisk

    Mendel Leisk Senior Member

    Joined:
    Oct 17, 2010
    54,676
    38,219
    80
    Location:
    Greater Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
    Vehicle:
    2010 Prius
    Model:
    Touring
    We've got a 2010 with 86K kms, slightly higher. Sitll champion, not burning ANY oil. I did get on the EGR and intake manifold a while back, really early, but don't regret it.

    Could be a keeper. Look it over carefully, look for signs of neglect, unattended to dents, wheel curb rash,, anything hanging on the underside, condition of interior, carpet, under the hood. You can get a pretty good feel for the level of care, just looking at those little details.

    Is it at a dealership, or by sale by owner?
     
    #3 Mendel Leisk, Mar 15, 2020
    Grit likes this.
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