Brought my PiP to the dealer for an oil change. My mileage was around 108k and the first appointment after I hit the 100k mark. So of course I got hit with the dealership telling me I need to change all these various fluids. I told them I will wait since I actually only have about 80k miles on the engine since it's a plug-in. I didn't see a lot of comprehension in the guy's face when I told him that. Here is what they officially wanted to do (via the paperwork they sent home with me): 1. Perform cooling system service - $113 2. Perform transmission fluid exchange service - $191 3. Hybrid cooling system flush - $133 What is the difference between 1 and 3?
#1 is engine coolant drain and fill, and #3 is ditto but inverter? I'd go for all three, am somewhat puzzled by the "PIP can stretch these intervals" logic as well. But: all three are overpriced. Especially the transaxle drain and fill.
$20? (kidding) I'm not familiar with the cooling system on the Prius, but my educated guess says "nothing"
One way to answer the mileage would be with type of driving: how much traffic do you slog through (can't imagine much in Nebraska) where even though you might not put on mileage, the engine is idling, which can add wear to the components. With a mix of EV mileage into the equation, the EV % may lead to a fraction of actual miles on the car or components, but you should still consider the intervals listed. Fluids are cheap (relatively but in your case slightly high) and can extend the life of the components. While no schedule is given for the transmission drain and fill, this would be a good service to do at your mileage if not done at least once already.
This is not official, but it came from someone who really knows the Prius. When I was about to change the engine & the inverter coolants on my wife's '07 with 118k miles he said that if it's still pink and looking new, there's no real reason to change it. Kind of makes sense to me, but that's not from Toyota. As for it being a PiP, I don't think that would make any difference to inverter coolant intervals or transaxle intervals. They run pretty much all the time. And it takes about 4 gallons to replace the coolant in both systems. That alone will set you back somewhere around $80. But it shouldn't cost another $166 to do the work. Transaxle oil change seems a little steep to me, too, but I've never priced it at the dealer near me.
engine coolant is one thing, and inverter coolant/fluid another. i would do the inverter at the recommended 120k i think? for the engine coolant, i would go with time rather than miles, that's how i do the oil. tranny fluid is a personal decision, not recommended by toyota.
Starting with the (elephant in the room) transaxle fluid drain-and-fill, and I think think that's what the dealership's euphimisms boils down to: I would have changed the fluid about 90K sooner. It's not on a Toyota maintenance schedule, so it's kinda commendable they're even suggesting it, albeit (IMHO) very late in the day. Would I be a correct in thinking a PIP transaxle runs as much as a regular Prius transaxle? Regarding the two coolant changes: First off: the US schedule actually has a different, longer interval for the inverter. Take a close look at the 100K US schedule, and follow the footnote reference to the qualifier, a page or two later: Now the Canadian Schedule makes no such differentiation, says to replace both circuits, at 160K km's or 120 months. All things considered, maybe this makes more sense, it keeps them in synch, and it's likely as not going to be a one time service for both, anyway. That out of the way, your argument again, would be the PIP is easier on coolant? I'm not sure, would think the inverter probably works just as hard. And what ages the engine coolant, total engine runtime? Or maybe just starts and stops. And then, you'll note with all the maintenance specs: it's miles or months. Still I think all of this is moot. The main factor for me would be: if the official Toyota schedule says something, I don't feel the need to question it. Especially if it's as likely as not a once-in-the-car's-lifespan service. FWIW, if you watch @NutzAboutBolts videos on these three drain-and-fill procedures, and go the DIY route, it'll cost about $40 for any one of them. If you want to break it up: of the three offerings from the dealership, I'd be most inclined to take them up on relatively reasonably priced coolant changes, and DIY the pricey transaxle fluid change.
If the engine coolant is recommended at 100k why would I change it when the engine has only ran about 80k miles? On top of that it has been a relatively easy 80k on it with mostly highway miles.
if the engine coolant is 100k, or 10 years, that means at 99k, you don't change it until it hits 10 years. so toyota is obviously comfortable with that. i have 18,000 hv miles, soif i wanted to save a buck, i might wait. but every 100k isn't onerous.
I believe 100k is the drivetrain warranty around these parts. I think Cali and a few other places are the only ones that get 150k.
US powertrain is 5 years or 60K miles. So yeah, out of warranty. As far as the original question, personally I would just follow the recommendations, without question, the miles and/or months, whichever comes first. Regardless of warranty status. It helps if you're DIY'ing, not a lot of money involved. It seems hair-splitting, to invoke the-engine-was-off-for-some-of-the-miles clause.
My question at my last maintenance (130K) was, since the 2012 Maintenance Guide only goes thru 120K, do I just start over at the front of the book? The answer was "Yes!" XT1254 ?
I put the US schedule into a spreadsheet, and yeah then you can see the pattern. Actually found a few omissions in the as-published schedule, really a poor way to present things; graph format you can see at a glance what's going on. If you consider "inspect transaxle fluid" to be "replace transaxle fluid", and ignore "check drivers mat", it's not a bad schedule.
No. I don't take "inspect" to mean "replace." Would you do that with all the other items that just say "inspect?"
Yeah, I'd be inclined to never "inspect" the transaxle fluid. If there's no leaks, it's pointless. Change the fluid early, then maybe after 30K miles, then after an additional 60K miles, and so on. No, I would not do that, didn't say that, and not quite sure why you ask.
And here I was all eager to replace my floor mats every 5K miles Posted via the PriusChat mobile app.
