Center Console re-glue and cleaning

Discussion in 'Gen 2 Prius Care, Maintenance and Troubleshooting' started by jamesdear27, Feb 12, 2017.

  1. jamesdear27

    jamesdear27 Junior Member

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    Hey everyone!

    Haven't posted in a while, just thought I would share some work I did today. After my most recent trip to the Dealership for oil changes and maintenance I was told I needed new side marker bulbs, new license plate bulb, Transmission flush and service (per maintenance schedule), and new front brakes. They quoted $380 for brakes and $280 for Transmission flush and service.
    • I got the bulbs for the license plate and side marker from O'Reillys and installed them myself.
    • New Air Filter (I always check this when at the auto parts store, it was pretty dirty and took 2 minutes to replace, just remove the clips, lift the airbox and gently remove the old filter, put the new one in taking care to align the gasket correctly)
    • New Cabin Air Filter
    • I decided to do the brakes myself using a Prius chat post ( I can't link it because I am too new :) ) and ordered these parts for about $100
      • Centric Rotors
      • Centric Pads
    • Set an appointment for the transmission service
    I also have been wanting to fix the fabric on the center console since we bought the car a year ago. Here's what I did. Before and after pics attached below!
    1. Lift center console, remove all 6 screws.
    2. Gently pry plastic piece from fabric piece, it is held in by friction fitting of 6 little plastic pegs
    3. Take fabric piece inside, inspect
    4. Spray with Tuff Stuff ( all over, scrub with a coarse brush, pat dry and let air dry
    5. Flip to the underside, gently remove any fabric that is about to fall off anyway - I ended up removing all the fabric and re-sticking it
    6. Working in 6" sections at a time, apply Amazing GOOP to the black plastic, then to the underside of the fabric, let sit for 1-2 minutes and then press the plastic to the fabric and hold. (I used Q-tips with the cotton ends cut off for the application and smoothing)
    7. Let the adhesive cure overnight, in a well-ventilated area.
    8. Insert the black hinge back into the space between the plastic and fabric
    9. Reattach all six screws
    10. Gloat in confidence and a great feeling of accomplishment
     
    #1 jamesdear27, Feb 12, 2017
  2. Mendel Leisk

    Mendel Leisk Senior Member

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    Maybe tell them you would just like the transaxle fluid drained and filled. Offer them $80. If they come back with a lot of resistance, decline and try another place. Or DIY.

    It is really trivial service, on par with an oil change, just the fluid a bit more expensive.

    Nice clean up of the centre console btw. :)
     
    #2 Mendel Leisk, Feb 12, 2017
  3. jamesdear27

    jamesdear27 Junior Member

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    Good point - I had thought there was more involved than just draining and filling - they were also planning on flushing I think..
     
    #3 jamesdear27, Feb 12, 2017
  4. Mendel Leisk

    Mendel Leisk Senior Member

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    Even with a regular automatic, where you might only drain 50~60%, regular drain-and-fill's are the simplest approach. The only time I would do a flush is in a case where you'd inadvertently put in the wrong fluid. And a flush should be only repeated drain-and-fill, with the proper Toyota ATF WS fluid.

    But the Prius transaxle drains about 90%. Barring contamination, no point to a flush. And "service"? No idea. They sound either unknowledgeable or larcenous. Maybe both, lol.

    It is a very simple procedure: remove fill bolt, remove drain bolt, install drain bolt, add spec'd fluid (with car level) 'till it starts flowing out. Install fill bolt.
     
    #4 Mendel Leisk, Feb 12, 2017
    valde3 likes this.
  5. jamesdear27

    jamesdear27 Junior Member

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    #5 jamesdear27, Feb 13, 2017
    Mendel Leisk likes this.
  6. CooCooCaChoo

    CooCooCaChoo Senior Member

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    $280 for transmission drain and fill? The dealership I take my Prius quoted me $150...
     
    #6 CooCooCaChoo, Feb 13, 2017
  7. jamesdear27

    jamesdear27 Junior Member

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    Thanks CooCooCaChoo ! I think I will cancel the appointment for now and get some other quotes.

    Cheers!
     
    #7 jamesdear27, Feb 13, 2017
  8. jamesdear27

    jamesdear27 Junior Member

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    Three Touring
    Hey guys! Thanks for your help. I got two other quotes in my area (SF Bay Area):

    Jacoby’s Auto Repair & Service - w/tax and hazmat fee $107
    Foreign Affair Auto Repair - $108

    Since the cost of buying a jack, jack stands, and fluids exceeds these quotes by quite a bit (plus my desire to not do it :p ) I will probably have one of the shops do it next week.
     
    #8 jamesdear27, Feb 14, 2017
  9. CooCooCaChoo

    CooCooCaChoo Senior Member

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    Just make sure that they use the Toyota fluid. I forget what its called. Anything else is liable to cause damage to the transmission.
     
    #9 CooCooCaChoo, Feb 14, 2017
  10. dolj

    dolj Senior Member

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    Toyota ATF-WS.
     
    #10 dolj, Feb 16, 2017
  11. andrewclaus

    andrewclaus Active Member

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    I questioned the transmission service quote right from the start when they said "per the maintenance schedule." Transmission service is not on the maintenance schedule.

    Seriously, it's $45 of fluid and a gasket from the dealer, less than hour including set-up and clean-up, and you need a long tube attached to your funnel to reach the filler hole. If you can do a brake job, this is easy.
     
    #11 andrewclaus, Feb 16, 2017
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