PriusChat Forums - Gen II Prius Care, Maintenance and Troubleshooting http://priuschat.com/forums How to take care of your 2nd Generation 2004-2009 Prius. en Sat, 04 Jul 2009 08:38:22 GMT vBulletin 60 http://priuschat.com/forums/images/silk/misc/rss.jpg PriusChat Forums - Gen II Prius Care, Maintenance and Troubleshooting http://priuschat.com/forums Need Homemade HEPA Cabin Air Filter Advice http://priuschat.com/forums/showthread.php?t=64623&goto=newpost Fri, 03 Jul 2009 03:38:43 GMT I've read of other members on here making their own "homemade" HEPA cabin air filters. Home furnace filters are bought for around $20 at local hardware stores and cut to size and placed into the filter "holder". About four filters can be cut from a single home furnace filter.

Questions:

1. What type of filters are you using? The ones made by 3M look really nice.

2. Aren't the 1" thick filters too thick to fit in the filter "holder"? Tips or tricks?

3. Can someone please provide detailed pictures of their homemade cut filter? :D ]]> Gen II Prius Care, Maintenance and Troubleshooting Aaron http://priuschat.com/forums/showthread.php?t=64623 Scratch on trunk door panel - Can I fix it?? http://priuschat.com/forums/showthread.php?t=64583&goto=newpost Thu, 02 Jul 2009 18:16:30 GMT I was moving some things this weekend and noticed a scratch in the trunk door panel. I was wondering if I can fix it or if the whole panel needs to... I was moving some things this weekend and noticed a scratch in the trunk door panel. I was wondering if I can fix it or if the whole panel needs to be replaced. If it does need to be replaced, where can I get the part and what's the part number?

Any help would be appreciated. Thanks!

Click the image to open in full size. ]]> Gen II Prius Care, Maintenance and Troubleshooting priuswei http://priuschat.com/forums/showthread.php?t=64583 Smart Key Weirdness http://priuschat.com/forums/showthread.php?t=64557&goto=newpost Thu, 02 Jul 2009 03:25:09 GMT My smart key fob works perfectly.
My wife's smart key fob has behaved oddly. We blamed it on the battery being bad initially since the sks for both the doors and the starter would not work. But she almost never drives my car so it hasn't been a big deal and I assumed the replacement of the battery would solve the issue.

But, tonight we went out to a movie. All was fine until we got there and I tried to lock the car (using the sks black button on the door handle). It wouldn't lock, no beep, nothing. Hmmm, I check my pockets to find that I do NOT have my key fob. I have my wife check and sure enough she has hers. Still can't lock the car with SKS, but it will work by pushing the "lock" button on the fob.

Likewise, after the movie, the car would not unlock with the sks, but only by hitting the button on the fob. But once in the car it started via sks just fine.

Again, my fob works fine inside and out, but my wife's fob works only inside.

Never heard this issue before. Anyone got any ideas here? Patrick? Nikki? Prius Team?? ]]> Gen II Prius Care, Maintenance and Troubleshooting efusco http://priuschat.com/forums/showthread.php?t=64557 Non-clicking oil cap http://priuschat.com/forums/showthread.php?t=64555&goto=newpost Thu, 02 Jul 2009 03:20:45 GMT My 2009 owner's manual says that after adding oil, "Install the filler cap, turning it clockwise until you hear a click".

Could anyone else with a 2009 (or any other year), tell me what their cap does? Mine definitely never "clicks". It's just a normal friction fit: the harder you turn it, the tighter it gets. It never clicks or slips (like the gas cap does).

Thanks ]]> Gen II Prius Care, Maintenance and Troubleshooting yardman 49 http://priuschat.com/forums/showthread.php?t=64555 Dealer Service Verification http://priuschat.com/forums/showthread.php?t=64553&goto=newpost Thu, 02 Jul 2009 03:01:31 GMT For all you DIYers:

My 2009 G2 Prius came with the "2009 Scheduled Maintenance Guide". At the bottom of every 5000 mile interval Maintenance Log, there is a place for the "Dealer Service Verification".

If I decide to do most of the service work myself, do I still need to bring the car to the dealership to "prove" to them that the work was done, so that they can "stamp" the book?

If I don't do this, can they refuse to honor warranty work, claiming that the required maintenance either was not done, or not done correctly?

Thanks ]]> Gen II Prius Care, Maintenance and Troubleshooting yardman 49 http://priuschat.com/forums/showthread.php?t=64553 <![CDATA[Dealer doesn't believe that headlights can be adjusted]]> http://priuschat.com/forums/showthread.php?t=64525&goto=newpost Wed, 01 Jul 2009 20:22:21 GMT I have a 2006 with the standard halogen headlights, which I have a suspicion are out of alignment.

I've just taken my car in and asked if they could check the headlights to see if they are out of adjustment, and three different people in the service department have insisted that the headlights cannot be adjusted. I know this is not true based on what I've read in a few threads on here. I also know the 2004 owner's manual had a section on adjusting the headlights, which was omitted from later owner's manuals.

I would do it myself, but I figured that it would be best left up to the techs to check it out and know what the specs are for headlight aim.

What can I do to prove that the headlights can be adjusted? Is it in the service manual? I unfortunately don't have one.

If it is indeed in the service manual, does anyone have a page reference for this that I could point out to the techs? Or does anyone have any other suggestions?? ]]> Gen II Prius Care, Maintenance and Troubleshooting kettledrum http://priuschat.com/forums/showthread.php?t=64525 Blown Engine http://priuschat.com/forums/showthread.php?t=64485&goto=newpost Wed, 01 Jul 2009 02:49:54 GMT Hi Everyone,

I'm new to this forum and am not sure if this is the right area to post this topic (I apologize in advance if it's the wrong area).

On 6/24/2009, I was driving my 2007 Prius from the San Francisco area to Los Angeles. About 5 miles outside of my destination, I got the "red triangle of death" on my dashboard and a "check engine" light on the top left of my center screen. I stopped my car and got it towed to a nearby Toyota dealership.

I found out from the service advisor the next day that my oil drain plug was missing (no damage whatsoever surrounding it), there was no oil, and that my engine was "heavily damaged." I promptly called my insurance company and filed a claim.

The insurance did an appraisal and said that if they were to approve the claim, they would require a used engine with similar miles on it. The preliminary estimate, including labor, came out to around $3,600.00.

So my questions are:
1) Is this a reasonable price to replace a Prius with a used engine? 2) Should I expect other costs to be added to this preliminary estimate? If so, what else should I expect to fix?

Before all this happened, I recently got an oil change from a different Toyota dealership in the SF Bay area about 1.5 months ago and probably put on 1700 miles since then. I am the original owner with no accidents, always getting my car serviced at a dealership within the recommended times.

I am still waiting to hear from the insurance on whether they are going to approve this claim. I have both collision and comprehensive coverage but the claims rep said that they have never seen this type of situation before (car running 1800 miles and then ending up with a missing plug). The claim was passed from a claims rep, to the rep supervisor, and is now in the hands of the regional manager.
I will hear about a final decision tomorrow morning. Wish me luck.

Thanks for all your answers in advance. ]]> Gen II Prius Care, Maintenance and Troubleshooting Bodhi Swayze http://priuschat.com/forums/showthread.php?t=64485 leaking Radiator (or hose). Please help http://priuschat.com/forums/showthread.php?t=64477&goto=newpost Wed, 01 Jul 2009 01:13:21 GMT Hello. New to the Prius here. I bought a salvaged 2005 prius with 45,000 miles on it. Before I bought it, I had it inspected by AAA with their "80 point pre-purchase inspection" to see if it was worth buying. The reason it was salvaged was because there was a front end collision and the front bumper and left headlight was replaced (thats it). The only non-consmetic thing that AAA pointed out to me was that the oil needed to be changed and that the Radiator hose was seeping and they recommended that I have the hose changed or maybe even fix it by just replacing the hose clamp.

Now it has been about 1000 miles since I purchased it and there has been no problem in terms of engine over heating or anything. I received a coupon for a $20 oil change at the toyota dealership and they also had a coupon for a free multi point inspection of the car. So i took it in for an oil change and inspection and knowing that it was a free inspection (especially by the dealership) I was expecting them to come back to me and exaggerate a problem and quote me a inflated price to fix it.

And they did, and they said the radiator is leaking (possibly cracked) but they didn't tell me for sure, they said that they would have to remove the whole radiator to see and would have to do some test on it, etc.... and then if it was bad they would replace it and it would cost me over $500. They would also charge me several hundred $ just to take the radiator out and check if its leaking.

I told them that I would like to hold off on that, because I remembered that the AAA inspector said just the hose was just seeping and they didn't mention anything about the radiator being cracked.

I have taken some photos and would like you guys opinion on who I should believe: Money hungry toyota dealership, or AAA ?

Also, do you guys think its safe to drive while i'm figuring this out? I have already driven over 1000 miles like this. The coolant fluids seem to be filled enough.

The rest of the radiator has no signs of leak or any damage. One thing to point out (not sure if its just me being paranoid) is that whenever i drive the car and then park and turn the car off, there is a buzzing sound from the driver side of the engine (around the fuse box area) for several seconds. It happens every time I drive and someone suggested it had to do with some radiator fluid reserve filling up or something. Does this nose happing on on prius's?

Thanks a lot.
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]]> Gen II Prius Care, Maintenance and Troubleshooting master4g http://priuschat.com/forums/showthread.php?t=64477 Help Request with Smart Key Fob battery http://priuschat.com/forums/showthread.php?t=64471&goto=newpost Wed, 01 Jul 2009 00:33:34 GMT Several months ago I left my keyfob in my trouser pocket, when they both went through the washing machine and dryer. It worked fine, and I have not... Several months ago I left my keyfob in my trouser pocket, when they both went through the washing machine and dryer. It worked fine, and I have not had any problems until finally the battery died. I believe two of the four screws are rusted in place as I cannot get them to bulge, and in one screw the head is caved out so it is just a cone. Of course the washing maching might be the red herring, and it may have been the other fob that went through the washing machine. I was able to change the battery in my other fob with out problems, and those in another pair of fobs from a friend, so I don't believe the problem is with the screwdriver I have.

Any suggestions? ]]> Gen II Prius Care, Maintenance and Troubleshooting davidbw http://priuschat.com/forums/showthread.php?t=64471 Squeaks and Noises http://priuschat.com/forums/showthread.php?t=64469&goto=newpost Wed, 01 Jul 2009 00:23:57 GMT Hi everyone. My Prius is a 2008. When I push the A/C button for the automatic temperature controlled AC, there is a noticeable low-pitched squeak... Hi everyone.

My Prius is a 2008. When I push the A/C button for the automatic temperature controlled AC, there is a noticeable low-pitched squeak coming from the engine bay (I think) that lasts for about two seconds. Does that noise sound normal to you folks when you start your AC? I have it set at 75'. ]]> Gen II Prius Care, Maintenance and Troubleshooting yunebug http://priuschat.com/forums/showthread.php?t=64469 SKS Stopped Working http://priuschat.com/forums/showthread.php?t=64459&goto=newpost Tue, 30 Jun 2009 20:33:25 GMT The SKS on my 2005 Prius stopped working recently. The pushbuttons on my fob will lock & unlock the doors, and I can put the fob in the socket to start the car. But the SKS won't lock when I push the black buttons or unlock the doors when I touch the handles or start the car when I push the start button.

At first I thought it was the "KEY" switch under the steering column, but I've tried switching it on and off a dozen times, but still no luck.

I would try the other key fob, but I also recently lost it.

I thought for a moment that perhaps I lost the fob inside the car and that's why it won't lock/unlock with the SKS. That would make sense. We've experienced that scenario when my wife puts her purse containing the fob in the cargo compartment and I try to lock the doors from the outside with the black SKS button. But I would think that even with the lost fob in there, I'd be able to start it with the SKS. Right? Afterall, I've never had any trouble when my wife had her fob in her purse and I had my fob in my pocket. Or does the location inside the car matter?

So that leaves the possibility that the fob is somehow broken in such a way that the SKS doesn't work but the pushbutton does. Would a low battery behave like that? I intend to replace it as soon as I can find a tiny screwdriver.

...Or possiblity that there's something broken on the car. I'd rather not think about that possibility.

Any thoughts on this would be MUCH appreciated! ]]> Gen II Prius Care, Maintenance and Troubleshooting starling http://priuschat.com/forums/showthread.php?t=64459 Prolonged high pitch sound (engine coolant thermo pump?) at startup http://priuschat.com/forums/showthread.php?t=64435&goto=newpost Tue, 30 Jun 2009 14:14:07 GMT Yesterday evening when I started the car there was a high pitch sound similar to the engine coolant thermal bottle pump sound that continued even... Yesterday evening when I started the car there was a high pitch sound similar to the engine coolant thermal bottle pump sound that continued even after the engine starts. :o (The sound was there from the very beginning of "READY" mode before the engine starts.) I sat in the car for about a minute and couldn't figure out the source of the sound. :confused: I did check and make sure it wasn't the radio. ;) Turned off the car then the sound was gone. Started the car again and the sound comes back. Drove a short distance to the exit of the parking lot and came to a full stop, the engine stopped (it usually does), and the sound was gone and never come back since.

This morning I checked all fluid levels OK. The car started without that high pitch sound. Any suggestions/ideas? Thanks! :) ]]> Gen II Prius Care, Maintenance and Troubleshooting 2009Prius http://priuschat.com/forums/showthread.php?t=64435 2005 Regular battery problem? http://priuschat.com/forums/showthread.php?t=64415&goto=newpost Mon, 29 Jun 2009 23:05:24 GMT OK, I love my car; it has 114,600 miles on it now with no problems. Today I got in it and pushed the power button and nothing. Completely dead... OK, I love my car; it has 114,600 miles on it now with no problems. Today I got in it and pushed the power button and nothing. Completely dead after being parked for ten minutes after a 45 mile ride to work.

I pushed the power button a few times and noticed the dash would come on faintly and the power indicator light would glow faintly. I also noted the dome light was really dim.

I went back inside and came back out five minutes later and pushed the button and the car came on with a couple warning lights and no AC. I elected to drive directly (and quickly) to the Toyota dealership about 1.5 miles from my Redwood City office. I believed my regular battery, being the original, was probably toast.

I meet with the service adviser and explain the symptoms; he agrees with me re the battery and quotes me $265 to replace the battery. I think this is high; as far as I know it is just a car battery right? I am thinking $100 at Sears for a Die Hard Gold or something like that. Anyway, a $265 estimate seemed high.

I just got a call telling me my car was ready and they tested the battery and it tested "low" so they replaced it and the cars runs fine now. So I said, "So you guys pulled a code or something and that confirmed the battery was the problem and it is now corrected and I am not going to get stuck on the San Mateo Bridge or something. The service advisers says, "Yup; the car is fine now". OK.....

I will pick it up in the morning and keep my fingers crossed. I really want to trust they found and corrected the problem. I will post my results and the actual cost when I pick it up.

They did tell me they could not believe how clean my car was - I am anal that way.

Oh, and they gave me a new Camry rental car for $9.95 per day; that was nice.

I want to buy a new Prius V but really want to wait until 2010 or so unless my car begins to act up and requires earlier replacement.

Overall, if it is just the battery, I am totally fine with that. The funny thing is that I had been thinking for the past month that the car was about 5 years old and it was time to replace the battery. Unfortunately the car apparently made the call for me before I could get it done.

I am still impressed that the car did not leave me stranded and I was able to drive it to the dealership. :cheer2: ]]> Gen II Prius Care, Maintenance and Troubleshooting cairo94507 http://priuschat.com/forums/showthread.php?t=64415 2009 Spare tire http://priuschat.com/forums/showthread.php?t=64413&goto=newpost Mon, 29 Jun 2009 22:37:00 GMT Hi!
Has anyone had to drive on an expressway using the "cookie" spare at 50mph. If so you will understand my question. I want to convert the "cookie" spare to a real tire. Will it fit in the spare well, and if you have done this what am I looking at for cost?

Thanks

memlesko ]]> Gen II Prius Care, Maintenance and Troubleshooting memlesko http://priuschat.com/forums/showthread.php?t=64413 2005 prius problem fixed, but.... http://priuschat.com/forums/showthread.php?t=64401&goto=newpost Mon, 29 Jun 2009 19:22:00 GMT Thanks to all of you who offered advice on my first post about my car "dying" for 10-15 seconds and then the trip odometer and clock resetting. I took it to my mechanic today. Of course I had no problem starting it and driving it there. However, when I got there, it totally died for a good 10-15 minutes. It wasn't until he got to the battery in the trunk and giggled it did everything work again. It ends up the battery was just loose and he tightened it. Hopefully the problem is fixed.

However, this brings me to a new question... when the car died, we used the manual key to open the driver side door. But, to get into the trunk, where the battery is, was very difficult. My car doesn't have a automatic trunk opener from inside and there is no place to insert the manual key into the trunk from the outside. So, my mechanic had to climb into the backseat and pop the seats down to get into the trunk.

My question is if my battery really dies at some point and I have to get it jumpstarted, how do I open the trunk if the car is dead?

Thanks! ]]> Gen II Prius Care, Maintenance and Troubleshooting lls815 http://priuschat.com/forums/showthread.php?t=64401