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Taking My '08 In For Water Pump & Steering Recall - Advice Sought

Discussion in 'Gen 2 Prius Main Forum' started by Kizzy, Apr 20, 2013.

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  1. nh7o

    nh7o Off grid since 1980

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    And getting a coolant change out of the deal is an advantage.
     
    #21 nh7o, Apr 22, 2013
  2. nh7o

    nh7o Off grid since 1980

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    So I am not just engaging in wishful thinking. I actually went and looked at the service order closely (I tend to glaze over when it comes to papers, and didn't look beyond the $0.00 at the bottom) and it says "TEST DRIVE AND CHECK STEERING WHEEL CENTER. NEED TO SEND OUT TO HAVE ALIGNMENT ADJUSTED."

    The car *is* gliding better as a result of this. Happy with the result, kudos to Maui Toyota.
     
    #22 nh7o, Apr 22, 2013
  3. boppo

    boppo Active Member

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    That's if the stealers really change the coolant.
     
    #23 boppo, Apr 22, 2013
  4. FreydNot

    FreydNot Member

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    Mine didn't change the coolant. The level was below the low mark when I got it back. I had to take it in again to get them to top it off. Toyota Corporate did pay for 1 gallon of fluid though.
     
    #24 FreydNot, Apr 22, 2013
  5. Kizzy

    Kizzy Member

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    Hi all,

    Well, I'm home from the dealer after having had the recall work done today. I brought the car in at 7:00 a.m., which is the earliest appointment available at my dealership, and I was back on the road three hours later at 10:00 a.m. I thought it would take a bit longer so I was happy with that timeframe, especially since I also had them do an oil change as well.

    I'm glad to report that it seems all went without a hitch. I mentioned to the service advisor to please ensure that my steering wheel was centered after the intermediate shaft replacement and he claimed they always do that after performing the procedure. Whether or not that is true I can't say, but my steering wheel was dead center when I dropped it off and it was the same when I picked it up, so I was happy about that.

    I also inspected the new inverter pump for turbulence and indeed it looked a little stronger than the original pump. I could also tell they put fresh new pink coolant in and raised it to the fill line. Nice.

    I could see no leaks anywhere, it simply looks as though they did a proper job. Driving home I did not notice anything different about the car, other than that it was cleaner because they washed it. Bonus!

    Oh, and maybe it's just my lucky day, but it also appears they did not overfill my oil for once. When I left the dealer it was right at the full mark, normally when I leave there it is an 1/8" or so above the top dimple. so when I get home I usually need to drain out a fraction of a quart. Will need to check it again later after it settles down, but so far as I can tell...thumbs up!

    Anyway, thanks to all who chimed in with their advice and experiences. My Prius rolls on...

    -Alan
     
    #25 Kizzy, Apr 25, 2013
    dorunron likes this.
  6. dorunron

    dorunron Senior Member

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    Glad to hear that your Toyota dealer took care of you properly and that you are pleased. Keep an eye on the fluid levels over the next few weeks. As long as you don't see any changes you should be good to go.

    Do you know if they changed the extension shaft or just the one bolt?

    The experience and service you reported seems very similar to what I saw and noted. The only thing I noticed on our Prius was there was a couple of coolant stains on top of the inverter and a little staining on the inverter reservoir. I simply cleaned it up with a damp towel and went on down the road.

    Again, glad to hear that everything worked out good for you!

    Good luck to you and enjoy the MPG

    Ron
     
    #26 dorunron, Apr 25, 2013
  7. Kizzy

    Kizzy Member

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    Thanks Ron! The service advisor and the paperwork indicated that they actually replaced the steering intermediate extension shaft, not just the bolt.

    -Alan
     
    #27 Kizzy, Apr 25, 2013
    dorunron likes this.
  8. dorunron

    dorunron Senior Member

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    Alan,

    Thanks for the info. Toyota estimated only 1/2 of the cars that were recalled would have the extension shaft replaced. It appears yours was one of those that fell into the category.

    Good luck to you once again!

    Ron
     
    #28 dorunron, Apr 25, 2013
  9. Kizzy

    Kizzy Member

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    Update -- turns out the oil was overfilled slightly after all, though not as much as usual. No biggie, I'm used to it. Siphoned out the excess and I'm good to go.

    As for the recall work however, I still give my dealer an A!
     
    #29 Kizzy, Apr 25, 2013
  10. dorunron

    dorunron Senior Member

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    Try this next time you get the oil changed at your stealer. Ask them to put in 3.5 quarts and change the filter. If you do that, it should come out just under the top dimple.

    Enjoy the MPG.

    Ron
     
    #30 dorunron, Apr 25, 2013
  11. 2009Prius

    2009Prius A Wimpy DIYer

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    The instruction says to remove 3 bolts but they all seem to be on the driver side (US models) not on the passenger side.
    [​IMG]

    Another interesting item in the instruction is to remove the relay box lid and cover the box with tape to prevent the coolant from spilling into the box. We may want to check the relay box after the service to make sure it is dry.
     
    #31 2009Prius, Apr 26, 2013
    AzWxGuy likes this.
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