My friend has a 2010 Prius and is due for her 25,000 maintenance. What is required or really necessary and what is the dealership going to upsell her to do that her car really does not need?
The Warranty and Maintenance Guide will. Has it had an occasional brake inspection? Tri-yearly (or 30k miles) is recommended. If it's never had an inspection, it's time. Not just the visual, a pull the caliper off inspection. If considering DIY (or anyone other than dealership) let me know, there are a few gotchas with the Prius. Also ten-yearly (or 100k miles) is the engine coolant change. Not in the US schedule but worthwhile: brake fluid change and transaxle fluid change.
Pretty sure that brake fluid change is recommended every 3 years......but no fancy additional "flushing" is needed. And I personally would NOT be changing the transmission fluid with only 10K miles on it. Important note: Being 10 years old, if it still has the original tires on it, THEY need to be changed......regardless of how good they look. I have found that if I tell the dealership that I only want done what is REQUIRED and not to add on any extras that are not in the "book", they will honor that. Maybe I've been lucky.
Do you mean Toyota USA says tri-yearly brake fluid change. Not that I've seen. Toyota Canada does (tri-yearly or 48K kms), since around 2014. The car has 25K miles, not 10K. Regardless, just my 2 cents, and just judging from the colour of drained fluid: a first transaxle fluid change, around 1 year or 10k miles, is worthwhile. Cost about $40 to DIY, and takes maybe an hour. Good point. Funny thing, I've got some snow tires with about 10 years now, and I maybe will change them based on that edict, but I'd feel better about it if they'd at least looked like they needed changing: they look "mint". GET YOUR DEDICATED SNOW TIRES NOW !!! | Page 18 | PriusChat
Most important on a 25,000 mile 2010: TURN OFF THE TIME MACHINE before the odometer rolls back past zero and the car disappears.
