2007 Prius - With car parked and AC turned on, when the car transitions from battery mode to engine start, the engine has a heavy vibration like weak engine mounts. Service shop said engine mounts are fine (not completely confident with this shop but lets give them the benefit of the doubt for now). 120K miles. Wondering if I need to clean throttle body and change PCV valve. Any other service suggestions to make reliable form my son (new driver) are greatly appreciated. NOTE: If anybody has any 7-spoke wheel covers (hub caps) Im interested in buying at least 2
How old are the spark plugs? If they are platinum plugs, they should last for 10,000km (6,000 mile) but could need the gap adjusted. The taxi Prius does the engine shake on initial engine restart, but gets over it quickly, but with 740,000km on the clock, I just ignore it could be the fact I'm a mechanic by trade makes me a tad slack when it comes to shakes and noises as well :lol: T1 Terry
^ Maybe a typo there, missing some zeros? Plugs should last a very long time. And the standard warning of the day, don't even think of getting replacement plugs from Amazon or eBay, they are flooded with counterfeits. Only buy them from somebody you can physically throw them at if they don't work.
Platinum ones might have a shorter life (though still not that short). The car comes with iridium ones, and only iridium ones should be used. Those ought to last 120,000 miles or so (not quite 200,000 km). At least according to the Gen 3 warranty and maintenance guide. My recollection is Gen 1 and 2 were similar. All used iridium plugs.
Yeah, missed a zero, 100,000km or 60,000 mile for platinum plugs so the close on 200,000km would be about right for iridium plugs. Having said that, not a good idea to fit and forget for 120,000 miles, the aluminium thread tends to bind to the plug thread, even if an anti seize lubricant is used, and carbon can build up at the base of the plug making very difficult to get out without tearing the plug thread out with it. T1 Terry
Assuming you have no CEL codes, that hard transition 'thunk' feeling is normal, I call it indigestion.
