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

More problems now.

Discussion in 'Gen 3 Prius Care, Maintenance & Troubleshooting' started by Dan05979, Oct 15, 2017.

  1. Dan05979

    Dan05979 Member

    Joined:
    May 24, 2015
    181
    101
    0
    Location:
    New York City/Upstate NY
    Vehicle:
    2010 Prius
    Model:
    III
    After cleaning out the intake, egr pipe. Replacing plugs pcv valve car runs great until the other day. Now i'm hearing a growling noise coming from the rear wheels. This is the rear wheel bearing. I believe the dealer replaced the left one this year (17) I hope its the same one again so they can possibly fix it under some type of warranty. If not I'm going to have to resolve this problem. It may be time to say goodbye to my gen 3. IDK yet...
     
  2. ChapmanF

    ChapmanF Senior Member

    Joined:
    Mar 30, 2008
    22,987
    14,919
    0
    Location:
    Indiana, USA
    Vehicle:
    2010 Prius
    Model:
    IV
    7-8 year old car, how many miles? Have you had much maintenance expense other than 4 plugs, a PCV valve, and one wheel bearing? If not, I'd be thinking it's "not dead yet!"

    -Chap
     
  3. Dan05979

    Dan05979 Member

    Joined:
    May 24, 2015
    181
    101
    0
    Location:
    New York City/Upstate NY
    Vehicle:
    2010 Prius
    Model:
    III
    135K, as far as maintenance goes, just the regular stuff. 1 Wheel bearing but what else is there to come? Am I looking at a future problem or just having a bad day?
     
  4. tankyuong

    tankyuong Senior Member

    Joined:
    Nov 9, 2012
    1,555
    659
    0
    Location:
    Central MO
    Vehicle:
    2012 Prius c
    Model:
    II
    sometime a bad tire will have same symptoms
     
  5. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

    Joined:
    May 11, 2005
    107,533
    48,842
    0
    Location:
    boston
    Vehicle:
    2012 Prius Plug-in
    Model:
    Plug-in Base
    does she burn any oil?
     
  6. Dan05979

    Dan05979 Member

    Joined:
    May 24, 2015
    181
    101
    0
    Location:
    New York City/Upstate NY
    Vehicle:
    2010 Prius
    Model:
    III
    One can only hope thats what it could be, but the tires are fairly new. I have a dealer appt. on thursday
     
  7. Dan05979

    Dan05979 Member

    Joined:
    May 24, 2015
    181
    101
    0
    Location:
    New York City/Upstate NY
    Vehicle:
    2010 Prius
    Model:
    III
    oh but of course
     
  8. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

    Joined:
    May 11, 2005
    107,533
    48,842
    0
    Location:
    boston
    Vehicle:
    2012 Prius Plug-in
    Model:
    Plug-in Base
    potentially a new head gasket, but who knows? i might consider looking for someone younger myself.
     
  9. Dan05979

    Dan05979 Member

    Joined:
    May 24, 2015
    181
    101
    0
    Location:
    New York City/Upstate NY
    Vehicle:
    2010 Prius
    Model:
    III
    Just came from the dealer to get an oil change.
    had the car inspected and here's what's up....
    Right rear wheel bearing is going....$409.22
    Rear brakes are going (ok i understand 3 years of ownership and never changed the brakes) Pads & rotors $485
    Hybrid coolant service $275 I was told a computer was needed when the inverter coolant is changed...doesn't sound right.
    Total without tax $1,169.22...
    Are you kidding me lol

    I can do the brakes myself, it doesnt look that hard
    As far as the rear wheel bearing, i'll read some other posts to see how to get it out and replace
    Now as far as the coolant, Should I just pay the $275 and get it over with???
    Advice my fine friends of prius land.
     
  10. Mendel Leisk

    Mendel Leisk Senior Member

    Joined:
    Oct 17, 2010
    54,362
    38,063
    80
    Location:
    Greater Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
    Vehicle:
    2010 Prius
    Model:
    Touring
    Yeah $485 for the rear brakes? The pads (& shims, if warranted) should be around $100. Your rotors are probable fine, if they look fine, and you're experiencing no pulsing, I would leave them be. If you want to see just how much smoke the dealership is blowing, get a 0-25 micrometer and a dial indicator with magnetic base, and check against spec, in the attachment. Also, pay close atttention to the rear caliper piston orientation (shown in attachment): make sure to reassemble thus, and get the piston well seated against the pads (with multiple pedal pushes), and test drive, prior to applying parking brake. Finally I would raise the rear of car again, and see how freely they spin. A little resistance is normal, they being disk brakes, but they should turn pretty easy.

    For the coolant see @NutzAboutBolts videos, no Techstream required, save some more. (attachments for both coolant circuit changes added.)
     
  11. Dan05979

    Dan05979 Member

    Joined:
    May 24, 2015
    181
    101
    0
    Location:
    New York City/Upstate NY
    Vehicle:
    2010 Prius
    Model:
    III
    I was told the pads are at 3mm and the rotors are rusting on the inside. I'll have a look at them soon. bought the car in 2015 with 50K and now its at 136K (95% highway) so I think maybe the rear brakes have to be changed.
     
  12. Mendel Leisk

    Mendel Leisk Senior Member

    Joined:
    Oct 17, 2010
    54,362
    38,063
    80
    Location:
    Greater Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
    Vehicle:
    2010 Prius
    Model:
    Touring
    Rusting on the inside of rotor is symptom of caliper piston misalignment: pin on back of pad does not stay locked between piston spoke pattern, instead rides up on spoke, and from then on pads are pressed unevenly, brakes constantly drag. Only half of inner pad is making decent contact, and the area of rotor not getting good pad pressure commences rusting.

    I experienced this, 6 months after DIY job, my one fault. Was able to just put in fresh pads (with proper piston orient), and rotors "healed" within a few weeks. Your case rotors may too far gone, or perhaps just machining will fix.

    It's a poor design, catching a lot of people I suspect.
     
  13. Dan05979

    Dan05979 Member

    Joined:
    May 24, 2015
    181
    101
    0
    Location:
    New York City/Upstate NY
    Vehicle:
    2010 Prius
    Model:
    III
    Ok, that explains why my left front rotor on my BMW has slight rusting on the outer part of the rotor and the inner part where the hub is its shiny...Oh that was a $911 dealer job.
     
  14. Mendel Leisk

    Mendel Leisk Senior Member

    Joined:
    Oct 17, 2010
    54,362
    38,063
    80
    Location:
    Greater Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
    Vehicle:
    2010 Prius
    Model:
    Touring
    The edge with the pin gets pushed extremely hard, and the opposite edge is just floating. The pad itself will have beveled wear, and the rotors gets scored. At least in my Prius experience.

    Again, I just put in new pads, after 6 months in that state. At first the brakes were very noisy, at each application, due to all the inner face of rotor rust. Within a month though they "healed", amazingly.
     
    Dan05979 likes this.
  15. Mendel Leisk

    Mendel Leisk Senior Member

    Joined:
    Oct 17, 2010
    54,362
    38,063
    80
    Location:
    Greater Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
    Vehicle:
    2010 Prius
    Model:
    Touring
    Ah woops, that's another issue, no parking brake involved, and a different vehicle. Not sure.
     
    Dan05979 likes this.
  16. Dan05979

    Dan05979 Member

    Joined:
    May 24, 2015
    181
    101
    0
    Location:
    New York City/Upstate NY
    Vehicle:
    2010 Prius
    Model:
    III
    Yeah but what you wrote about the caliper misalignment has me thinking about my other car. Anyways stay tuned for updates. I'll most likely work on the hub and brakes in December when I go on vacation.
     
    Mendel Leisk likes this.
  17. SteveMucc

    SteveMucc Active Member

    Joined:
    Oct 3, 2017
    391
    268
    0
    Location:
    Kentucky
    Vehicle:
    2017 Prius Prime
    Model:
    Prime Advanced
    replacing the bearing is super easy. while you're in there doing the brakes in rotors, just do another two bolts to take off the caliper bracket. pull off the rotor, then you'll see 4 bolts that hold the bearing assembly on. just undo them, unplug the assembly in the back and pull it out.

    should be $110 for the bearing assembly, 35 for the rotor and $40 for cheap pads (which will last a long time in a prius).

    I've done both sides on my gen 3. takes about 1/2 hour each side (much faster if I just remembered to get everything I need all at once then having to keep getting up to get each new tool).

    things can get a little squirly if parts get stuck but a few good bangs with mallet always helps (don't be afraid, it's not like you're going to be keeping the old part anyway
     
    mjoo and Dan05979 like this.
  18. SteveMucc

    SteveMucc Active Member

    Joined:
    Oct 3, 2017
    391
    268
    0
    Location:
    Kentucky
    Vehicle:
    2017 Prius Prime
    Model:
    Prime Advanced
    btw, it's always amazed me that people will pay $$$$ to do brakes. It's just a matter of jacking up the car, popping off the wheel and it's TWO, retaining bolts that hold the caliper on. Pop it off, put in new pads, push the caliper back in (don't forget to open the bleed valve) and bolt it back on. Can be done in less than 10 minutes for under $50.
     
  19. ChapmanF

    ChapmanF Senior Member

    Joined:
    Mar 30, 2008
    22,987
    14,919
    0
    Location:
    Indiana, USA
    Vehicle:
    2010 Prius
    Model:
    IV
    I agree that the brakes can be done for very little money (especially considering that, often, zero parts need replacement, as long as routine inspection is done often enough). But at the same time, to budget 10 minutes would strike me as a rushed job. A real benefit of DIY, besides being cheap, is you can take your time and do a nice thorough check.

    The kid at Brakes ᴙ Us would probably take less than 10 minutes to throw on a new set of pads that you may not even need (from my latest measurements, my 2010 will need them in Spring 2019). But if you work on them yourself, just have your measuring tools and some grease handy, no need to spend money on unnecessary parts, but take your time and thoroughly check and measure condition. Takes longer than 10 minutes, but often costs $0 in parts, and keeps you confident of the shape your brakes are in.

    -Chap
     
    jerrymildred and Raytheeagle like this.
  20. SteveMucc

    SteveMucc Active Member

    Joined:
    Oct 3, 2017
    391
    268
    0
    Location:
    Kentucky
    Vehicle:
    2017 Prius Prime
    Model:
    Prime Advanced
    My 10 minutes is an indication of the inherent easiness of the job. Certainly if the pads are not warn there's not need to replace them. That said, if youv'e gotten everything off to replace the bearing, personally, and at the mileage stated, i'd just spend another few bucks, throw on a new set of pads, and hopefully never have to think about it again for the rest of the life of the car.
     
    GrGramps likes this.