How I transformed the Yakima TopGrip OG accessory to carry fishing rods on road trip.
Tag: Prius
DIY: How to Change the Engine Oil on Your 3rd Gen Prius
Learn how to change your own motor oil on your 3rd gen Prius. It’s quick and easy and will save you an average of $70-$100 from dealership or the local drive through oil change station.
DIY: How to Perform Tire Rotation on Your Prius, Prius c
The tires on your Prius or Prius c and pretty much any passenger class vehicle should be rotated every 5,000 to 10,000 miles to promote even tire thread wear. Do it yourself in 30~45 minutes with basic tools and put that $25~$50 back in your pocket.
Observed Increase in Fuel Efficiency For the 2012 Prius
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 on a full tank. On rare driving circumstances, I was able to bump that number to beyond 60 MPG. Ever…
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 up selling them to raise funds for our wedding in 2015. I’ve been building, organizing and stocking up our garage…
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 the inverter coolant drain plug. Toyota recommends inspecting and topping off the inverter coolant reservoir every 5,000 miles and a…
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 the inverter coolant drain plug. Toyota recommends inspecting and topping off the inverter coolant reservoir every 5,000 miles and a…
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 the ground. To ensure your car is leveled, use a leveling tool and place it on the side skirt with…
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 ~ 3,000 miles, the PCV valve may be clogged with carbon build-up and may need to be changed. It’s definitely a…
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 plugs replacement was suppose to be on this list, but I replaced them myself and saved ~$300. Here’s the list…
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 routine. I figured it is time to replace the spark plugs. I am having major service as recommended by Toyota…
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 pair of aftermarket JDM Valenti Jewel LED tail lamps in clear lens/ red chrome finish. I’ve applied gun smoke Lamin-X…
Yakima SkyBox 16 Carbonite on a 3rd gen Prius
With the addition of a baby, we need to expand the Prius’ cargo space to accommodate for the new little member of the family when we hit the road for road trips. Since I was not able to discuss the Yakima SkyBox 16 Carbonite in as much detail as I would like to in a previous post (First “Real” Road…
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 that statement at all, I don’t agree with it completely either. Sure, our daily routines will be altered to accommodate the…