As the 2012 Prius was approaching its 120k mile milestone, I noticed a dip in fuel efficiency among other issues (cold start rattle, struggling acceleration, rough ride). In its glory days, I was getting and average of mid 50’s MPG…
Pet Project: G’s Taillights With EDM OEM Style Rear Fog Lamp
I had a pair of authentic UKDM Prius G’s taillights with integrated rear fog lamp supplied by LS Japan and ordered through Tenso around late 2013’ish (or 2014? I cannot remember), but never gotten around to install it and ended…
DIY: How to Clean Your 3rd Gen Prius High Voltage (HV) Hybrid Battery Cooling Fan
The hybrid battery cooling fan impeller needs to be cleaned from time to time, and a trip to the dealership can cost you $400. Do it yourself for $0.
DIY: How to Exchange the Engine Coolant On Your 3rd Gen Prius
Before you proceed with this maintenance procedure, make sure you have access to a flat and level surface area. You will also need two jack stands to support the front end of your car so you can gain access to…
DIY: How to Exchange the Inverter Coolant On Your 3rd Gen Prius
Before you proceed with this maintenance procedure, make sure you have access to a flat and level surface area. You will also need two jack stands to support the front end of your car so you can gain access to…
DIY: How to Exchange the Automatic Transmission Fluid WS (World Standard) on Your 3rd Gen Prius
Before you proceed with this maintenance procedure, make sure you have access to a flat and level surface area. You will also need four jack stands to lift your entire car up so that it is level and parallel to…
DIY: How to Replace the Positive Crankcase Ventilation Valve (PCV) On Your 3rd Gen Prius
If your 3rd gen Prius is approaching or passed the 100,000 mile mark, it’s time to replace the positive crankcase ventilation valve (PCV valve). If your Prius is consuming noticeable amount of motor oil, say 1 quart every 2,000 ~…
120k Mile Recommended Services For The 3rd Gen Toyota Prius
So I just took my 2012 Prius Four into the local dealer to perform the routine major service (done every 30,000 miles) as it was approaching 120,000 miles and I received a recommended laundry list of pricey maintenance work. Spark…
DIY: Spark Plugs Replacement On a 3rd Gen Prius
Spark Plugs Replacement on a 3rd Gen Prius My 2012 Prius Four has reached 120,000 miles and symptoms of rough idle, cold start rattle, decreasing fuel efficiency and sporadic loss in power (especially during acceleration), has become almost a once-a-week…
DIY: How to Change the Tail Lights On a 3rd Gen Prius (JDM Valenti LED tail lights)
Here’s a new DIY guide on how to remove and swap out the tail lights on your 3rd generation 2010-2015 Toyota Prius. For this guide, I decided to swap out the OEM “double hockey” 2012 Prius tail lights for a…
First “Real” Road Trip With Our Infant in Our 3rd Gen Prius
Many parents we’ve conversed with said that once our newborn enters the world, our favorite pastimes and routines will all go out the window. Instead, sleepless nights and nonstop exhaustion will take their place. While I do not 100% dispute…
DIY: How to Replace the Door Lock Actuator on Your 3rd Gen Prius
So my door actuator just failed on my third generation Prius and I found Steve’s excellent post on how to remove the door panel (here) and used it to get me half way there. Here’s a “Part Two” for anyone…
JDM Prius ZVW30 Toyota Elegant Style Exterior Upgrade
I finally had time to order all the JDM Toyota Prius Elegant Style exterior chrome plated garnish upgrades, minus the lower rear bumper garnish since I have the Prius PLUS rear skirt installed. I originally asked my buddy back in July…
DIY: How to Blackout the Headlights On a 2010+ Prius
This is one of the very first mod I wanted to perform on the Prius when I took her home. I’m not a huge fan of all chrome headlights. Unfortunately because I commuted a lot during weekdays and go on…
Will a 51″-55″ flat screen television fit in my Prius?
The answer is a resounding yes! So after our week long road trip over July 4th weekend, spanning over 1,774 miles and using only 2.75 tanks of gas ($103 total spent in gas), I picked up our new Samsung 51″…