I was driving on the freeway about 2 hours ago, when I heard a metal clanking sound on the undercarriage of my 2008 Prius. The "Problem" warning came on about 10 times on the short 3 mile drive home since the incident, and when I looked under the car, I noticed oil splattered on the undercarriage. It was on every part surrounding the engine. I know my oil must be low at this point. Any suggestions on what I should do? I'm a broke college student with a baby and I'm not too keen on shelling out $500+ to fix this. I live in Las Vegas, and I'm handy but do not have access to any good jacks or lifts. I don't wanna pay $100 on a diagnosis that tells me my car is fkd when I already know that.
Check the oil level. Sounds like at minimum you will need whatever is broken. Hopefully it’s just the oil pan, they are probably the cheapest part under there. You can use 2x10’s to raise the car up if you don’t have ramps. Just drive (or push if you have no oil) up on them. Start with longer ones and stack shorter ones on top so you build a ramp of sorts.
And don't drive the car anymore till you verify oil level. There's a very good possibility you've lost all the oil. If it is drained, and has to go somewhere, tow it. Oil Pan - Toyota (12102-21010) | McGeorge Toyota Parts
Sounds like one of the many engine was run out of oil incidents we see here. High mileage G2's usually eat oil unless hyper vigilant observance of both oil level and quality oci over the life of the car. Minor oil loss observed can be mitigated by going to a thicker viscosity oil. Another words constant checking of the oil level and not letting the oil get below the full line...ever. Tiny engine only holds 3.5 quarts. I check the oil level on my bought new 07 every weekend without fail sometimes more. I check all my cars. Because i don't want to damage the engine or blow the engine up. Its very expensive. The result of no engine oil is usually piston #2 or 3 out the side of the block. This is usually proceeded by the check engine light flashing reflecting 0 oil pressure. Just open the hood and look at the lower side of the block under the air cleaner housing for a big hole in the block. Look on both sides of the engine. If so the motor is toast and will need to be replaced.
Yeah I missed that part. maybe he's lucky and the piston still happily resides in the block but seen so many of these with same complaint usually is a blown motor ran it dry. But not sure how oil spills out all over the engine unless he left the oil cap off. Whats unbelievable is the op kept driving and didn't pull over and open the hood and check the oil. Just kept driving home. Its a magic car.
Yeah, the problem coming on 10 times in 3 miles is not good. Hopefully the guy just bashed the oil pan and can replace it and hope for the best. He’s going to college and has a kid. That’s tough, I’ve been there.
Read Amigo, read. That comment was for Ed the Fox. There is no way that car could drive 3 miles with a hole in the block.
