Toyota Prius Problem

[taximerv]

Hi i have toyota Prius my fourth Prius and have a problem and find it anoying i can not get answers

i have now 167000 miles serviced every 10000miles and service book stamped by toyota dealer

i have a noise thats sounds really bad at certain times hybrid Battery at its lowest engine cuts in to recharge and put light preasure accelerator to move forward engine is warm not cold and i have a rattle like a bag of nuts and bolts . first Toyota dealer i phoned to get them to look at it i went in the service assistant he said give me your keys i will get technician to look at it i said its not doing it all the time only as decribed . Reply we have not got time for this today they have lost my custom and my recommendations of future , i phoned another toyota dealer and the discussion went we can book it in for a day and give you a courtesy car i don,t want a courtesy car i want answers my vehicle is a working vehicle i am losing faith fast . Third toyota dealer yes sir bring it in we will get out technician to go out with you i went technician was as helpful as he could be but could not hear this noise my gut feeling is i have a major issue thats is going to go bang that nobody seems to pick up on . Forth toyota dealer had a chat over the phone i stated somebody has had this problem he said their is very little that goes wrong but we Disgust possible ?( chain Toyota say life of the Engine ) whats the life of the engine in terms of English please . i am now trying to decide weather to just get rid now my faith is running low in the terms of you go by the book get service by the dealers that should know right away of any issues i read of toyota,s with 2/3 hundred thousand miles no problems

so if any body else has reached this mileage and problem please put lets hear your input thanks

[T Sport 1978]

I think it's misfiring. One of the ignition coils in the cylinder might not be working optimally and causing a rough engine at low speed only.

[kithmo]

It could be an engine mounting that's failing causing excessive movement of the engine when it cuts in.

[Devon Aygo]

It could be one of many various issues, saying a dealer "should know right away" what it is when you cannot demonstrate the fault to them is unfair, No dealer is going just throw parts at a car in an attempt to repair something you cannot show.

Does it sound like this?

if so and you have a MKiii Prius 1.8 ( your details don't list what model you have ) I believe you will need a new modified intake manifold ( part # 17120-37054 ) as this is the cause of this horrid rattling noise

[johalareewi]

OP doesn't say what type of Prius.

i read of toyota,s with 2/3 hundred thousand miles no problems

Plus 167,000 miles done on the OP's prius.

Could be a gen2?

Mileage is a bit high to be gen3 even for a taxi.

[Chris Dance]

The intake manifold change to cure an engine "knocking" is for the Gen 3. If it was an engine big end or other engine part at fault it would be there all the time. Engine mountings or exhaust could be a possibility. I think the dealer option of taking the car in and giving you a courtesy car was a reasonable one. It is hard to diagnose a fault that is not there all of the time.

[taximerv]

hi thanks for input yes my taxi is Gen 3 i went yesterday back to the 3rd toyota dealer that was helpful i have been around cars all my life from when i was born my dad use to put me in front seat as a baby while he was under the bonnet. Spent many years passing the spanners to dad lay under his cars . i have beening taxi driver for years i expect i have done a million miles close on so when i hear a problem instinct reverts back but modern cars are more electronic. when this noise started my thoughts straight away said tappets but now today they are self adjusting gradually the noise has become little worse i did ask when i went to the toyota dealer could the timing go out on this car.

Technician reply no not really they are so finely tuned not possible . on my return journey to toyota we have result technician traveled up and down the road we got the noise he said sounds like the timings out i will have it booked in next week now . i have been spoiled i had a mechanic that use to look after a car for me before i bought a toyota as i drove into his yard he would say i heard you coming in theirs a noise under bonnet flick the bonnet he would say just as i thought look their your trouble free running pulley bearing going and it was that simple . i sold the toyota as a taxi to a college he is now on his 3rd gen 2 he still has his 2nd gen 2 and has done 180000 miles no problems really i think he has just replaced a rear spring . The engineering in the toyota prius is fantastic i have sold this car to lots of customers when i pull up outside a customers house i see toyota prius sat on the drive if i was a salesman i would want to sell the prius

Take in all this 8years toyota prius road tax in 8 years £60 total in eight years current gen 3

i changed front brake pads at 102000 miles first front pads at 150000 toyota said disc are getting a bit pitted i changed all the disc and pads at 152000 miles first pad changed on the back saved the front pads off the front to go back on when needed hardly any ware but put new front pads on with discs.

i normally change my car at around 100000 but because of local council state if i change now i have to replace with wheelchair assessable Taxi i have a lot of hart for disabled passengers because i have had every vehicle for that job their is out their but economics keeps me in business i work in a rural area and try to offer a service i thank you for your feed back

[Chris Dance]

Hope you get the problem sorted. I had cold start knocking on my Prius Gen 3. The inlet manifold was changed. Your fault does not to be on starting though. There is a service bulletin out about the cold start knocking.

Please let us know of the outcome.

[1945steve]

It could be one of many various issues, saying a dealer "should know right away" what it is when you cannot demonstrate the fault to them is unfair, No dealer is going just throw parts at a car in an attempt to repair something you cannot show.

Does it sound like this? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZobLeZUbqZY if so and you have a MKiii Prius 1.8 ( your details don't list what model you have ) I believe you will need a new modified intake manifold ( part # 17120-37054 ) as this is the cause of this horrid rattling noise

After fighting with Toyota they finally put the 37054 IM on my Prius series 2 last April. This Y/T video is from last week after only 15 minutes outside one afternoon (42°) then moved inside till the next morning. Presently the car has been at the dealership for further review. I'm in Southern Indiana and I do not believe they have a final fix nor do I believe they ever will.

http://youtu.be/RKhCdVRbmGA

[Grumpy Cabbie]

It's sounding to me like the transaxle is on its way out.

Do you change the oil in it? I know Toyota say it's filled for life and Toyota dealers will absolutely say the oil can't be changed, but it can. I haven't changed mine, though probably will when it gets to 100k if I decide I'm keeping the car or not. It's no longer used as a taxi as that game is now knackered with too many nonsense dictats from the councils and new comers driving prices below profit.

The gen3 transaxle isn't as hardy as the gen2 apparently. Something to do with internal cooling, smaller parts under higher stress and they've also taken some clutch or bearing out, that did help. You can tell I don't know what they've done exactly, but it's on Priuschat is you care to search for it.

Personally now I would not recommend the Prius as a taxi. The gen2 was over engineered and very reliable and one assumed Toyota would only improve their vehicles for future models. I'm sure the gen3 will be fine for commuting or normal use, but any commercial use and you have yourself an expensive to repair thoroughbred. Toyota will lose sales unless they offer something like a 200,000 mile for taxi use as they do in other European countries (Norway I think). In my town the cabbies always say that taxi use on a car doubles the miles, so a cab with 80,000 miles like mine, has the wear and tear equivalent to 160,000.

The Skoda Octavia or Mondeo seem to be the bomb proof taxis these days. The Mondeo auto boxes are reported to go way into 160,000+ miles according to old colleages and clutches are about 120k for the manual versions. The Octavia is cheap as chips and very reliable and cheap to repair. I like the pollution benefits of the Prius, but at the end of the day it's about making a viable living.

Shame really, but cost cutting on the gen3 has ruined the reputation in the trade.

[Devon Aygo]

It could be one of many various issues, saying a dealer "should know right away" what it is when you cannot demonstrate the fault to them is unfair, No dealer is going just throw parts at a car in an attempt to repair something you cannot show.

Does it sound like this? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZobLeZUbqZY if so and you have a MKiii Prius 1.8 ( your details don't list what model you have ) I believe you will need a new modified intake manifold ( part # 17120-37054 ) as this is the cause of this horrid rattling noise

After fighting with Toyota they finally put the 37054 IM on my Prius series 2 last April. This Y/T video is from last week after only 15 minutes outside one afternoon (42°) then moved inside till the next morning. Presently the car has been at the dealership for further review. I'm in Southern Indiana and I do not believe they have a final fix nor do I believe they ever will.

http://youtu.be/RKhCdVRbmGA

Listening to the video the noise appears to be the exact noise for which the manifold was modified, are you sure you got a 17120-37054 as Toyota have had 3 previous versions the original 17120-37050 going up through 51,52,53 and now at 54 also is the car subject to temperatures lower than -10c ? as the bulletin for this issue has two causes, below -10c modified injectors and Engine ECU software and above -10c the manifold was mofified, obviously my info is taken from an EU source and may have variation for the US market.

[taximerv]

Hi thanks for feed back I have been a bit of a journey it seems it was manifold intake valve fixed now have done 190000 miles now looking to change . Very difficult choice ahead I think another Prius mighty just fit the job average fuel consumption over 190000 miles as a taxi 55 mpg. Servicing and tyres . Road tax nil for the last four years still on second set of brake pads and on second set of discs. . Their is talk of other cars here I have walked the walk with them all and their is no comparison once spoiled by a Toyota their is a hard road to better it so don,t be fooled in to wasting money on any thing else Costs are going up every where my brother is a mechanic or as my old dad use to say fitter he fits new bits on ? Parts are getting more expensive every where . Well one Toyota dealer took the time to fix my car and that has gone a long way towards rebuilding confidence to want another 20 years as a taxi owner driver covered a lot of miles and quite a few cars Toyota Prius fills the complete package with fuel and overall economics in current times thanks

[kithmo]

Hi thanks for feed back I have been a bit of a journey it seems it was manifold intake valve fixed now have done 190000 miles now looking to change . Very difficult choice ahead I think another Prius mighty just fit the job average fuel consumption over 190000 miles as a taxi 55 mpg. Servicing and tyres . Road tax nil for the last four years still on second set of brake pads and on second set of discs. . Their is talk of other cars here I have walked the walk with them all and their is no comparison once spoiled by a Toyota their is a hard road to better it so don,t be fooled in to wasting money on any thing else Costs are going up every where my brother is a mechanic or as my old dad use to say fitter he fits new bits on ? Parts are getting more expensive every where . Well one Toyota dealer took the time to fix my car and that has gone a long way towards rebuilding confidence to want another 20 years as a taxi owner driver covered a lot of miles and quite a few cars Toyota Prius fills the complete package with fuel and overall economics in current times thanks

You're preaching to the converted here Merv