Things you need to know about Toyota Maintenance in this Full series explaining all Toyota Maintenance needs! th-cam.com/play/PLeFzfl0Q8rQVtXIaJSF7EtirvTRhSbsrV.html
Picked up my new RAV4 hybrid XSE last week. Toyota says it can tow around 1500 pounds, no problem. I have a small trailer and tow no more than 1100 pounds several times per year. I’m confident my vehicle can handle it. The dealer charged me $500.00 Canadian to supply and install the factory hitch and wiring harness but they can’t get one from Toyota....out of stock. I’d advise against going to a 3rd party hitch, the one I saw mounts too low for my liking.
Dont over inflate. Dont cover the battery vent. Dont speed excessively. Dont ride with no ac in warm weather. Never cover your radiator. Never overload your trunk/car with weight.
@@emmanuelmata the high voltage battery has a fan in the cabin which uses the air inside the car to cool the battery. So in warm weather it is better to cool down the interior of your car to assist the cooling process.
The AC thing reminded me of an old Car Talk episode where they said it's more fuel efficient to drive with the AC on than with the windows open. Makes sense when you think about the amount of force to run the compressor and fans vs the amount of wind drag with the windows open. Of coarse the faster you go the more this is true.
We have a 2010 Prius. My wife won a Toyota folding chair at an event. We discovered that the chair was designed to fit in that tray underneath the back deck, above the spare tire. It's an awesome chair! :-)
I just purchased my first hybrid car, a 2021 Highlander Limited, and learn more about my car from your videos than the dealer's sales and service personnel. Thanks for your work. Now to find my hight voltage fan vent.
My 2011 Prius didn’t even have a filter. Had a pound of dog hair in the fan. Wasn’t hard to take it off and clean it though. I’m at 140k on it, got it used 6 years ago. Your Highlander will be a fantastic ride! I don’t know if I missed it in this video but make sure to change both coolant reservoirs every 5 years 100k miles. The inverter uses coolant to stay cool and Toyota has had some issues in the past with them burning up 🥵. Lastly I recommend to do the transmission fluid change you self, super super easy, I do it every 50k miles and save hundreds off dealer costs. That’s all I have done other than the usual oil, brakes, tires, and some new suspension parts.
I didn't find out about the filter until a video ChrisFix did last year, I went out to my car and it was completely clogged with crap. So not only did I not know about it, apparently the dealers don't look at it when doing their so-called multi point inspections during routine maintenance. Real nice.
I am from Germany. I drive a RAV 4 (2018) hybrid 4x4. My english ist not so well but i do understand every word u say....nice speech! Thanks for your advices!
The video was helpful, but what I liked most is the fact that you got straight to the point at the very beginning. I didn't have to sit through 5 or 10 minutes of someone trying to be witty and cute talking about stuff that is not even related to the topic. Excellent job.
In my first Prius winter my mileage dropped alarmingly. The dealer advised waiting until spring for warmer weather. Not useful. However, I read articles in Prius Chat reminding me of my earlier days in western Canada driving in the winter. I obtained a Toyota block heater from Toyota Canada, very easy to install, and I did partially block the radiator. Mileage went back up, with no adverse effects. This car now has over 210 K.
The Nut’s videos are highly educational and very important for anyone who owns a hybrid. I learn so much from him and that knowledge is a powerful tool and a source of peace of mind.
Just took my 40lb electric bicycle out of my trunk. I knew it was silly to keep it in there constantly, but didn't act on it until TCCN told me to. Truly the best Prius coach.
I am a new Hybrid Corolla owner here in Brazil and this channel teaches me a lot about how hybrid motors work, how to use the Toyota’s mode drive and “B” gear. Thank you for your time and keep on the good work.
My Rav 4 Prime 18.1 kWh battery will only accept 15 kWh when charged so it cannot charge to full. Summer when outside temp reached above 100 degrees in the garage the cooling fan automatically turned on ensuring the battery did not get too hot while in the garage parked. I believe Toyota has put a lot of safety features into the battery to extend the life. Winter I anticipate the heat pump will kick on to ensure the battery does not get too cold.
Have a 2.7 Toyota Hilux year March 2000 built in Thailand.It’s now a classic vehicle.I’ve had it since 2004 and has been so reliable,never broke down me,apart from a collapsed bearing the alternator,which was 11 years old.I imported the vehicle from Australia where I purchased the vehicle from a Toyota dealer.My vehicle is still performing great despite the cold wet weather here in the UK.I drove a Prius as a taxi driver on the Gold Coast and Brisbane and found them very efficient and reliable also.Great cars.
Thanks for an informative video. My wife just traded in her 2015 Rav 4 for a 2021 Rav 4 Prime Hydrid. It's our first hybrid so we are in the process of trying to figure out the best driving mode. In the meantime we'll go with auto EV/HV until we have a better understanding of all the variables. This is our fourth Toyota. Every vehicle has been problem free and our dealship experience has been excellent (Sunrise Toyota in Suffolk County, NY).
Thanks for the video and great advices. One thing I would add is try not using Tue EV button and drain the battery and when you pump gas stop at the first click you hear (no need to overfill). Just for the fun of sharing, I am from Yakutsk, the coldest city on earth in Siberia, there, in winter we tape windshield sun shade in front of the radiator entrance and we put a cover on top and bottom of the engine to keep it warm, also we add an additional windshield to create isolation and avoid inside frost. We usually also disconnect the radiator. However when we drive long distances we open a bit to bring enough air to the engine and avoid condensation inside. And last thing, we cannot turn off the engine in the street, so cars keep running when you are at work, mall etc. And I forgot to mentioned, in our harsh climate and mud roads, Toyota if the most reliable brand!
That is incredible that you have to keep your car running all day when at work! It must be minus 80 celsius up where you live in winter and warm up to minus 20 Celsius in summer sounds like.
Good point about not keeping a hybrid car in Neutral for too long. I've noticed that some Toyota hybrid vehicles get stuck in car washes where drivers are asked/required to put their car in Neutral.
For the carwash it isn't an issue. You are only in the carwash a few minutes. I always make sure that the HV battery is charged enough or the opposite side, low enough to have the ICE running. It won't charge the HV battery that way but if the ICE keeps running in the carwash once you put it in D again you can drive and the HV battery will get charged.
I keep my Prius in Neutral and sit in it to stay warm in the winter all the time. When the battery hits a low threshold the motor kicks on ans charges the battery just fine while sitting idling in neutral. I dont know what y'all are talking about. He's wrong at least in. the 2010 Prius' case about no way to charge the HV battery while idling in neutral.
Related to item 2... ALWAYS use your air-conditioning when it's hot outside in your hybrid. Since your hybrid battery pack uses the cabin air to cool it...your windows rolled down on an 85 degree day will cook your batteries dead.
@@adammurai1955 No need to feel that way. So remember, when you're driving a hybrid, and you're cool and comfortable in the car...your drive batteries will share the cool air and thank you for it :)
I avoid using the air conditioning because of the fungus it creates. The water dripping from the evaporator causes fungus to grow, and I can smell it every time I turn on the AC blower. I can't find an easy way to clean it.
@@afriedrich1452 If your AC drainage/condensate port is clogged, this may happen...although it's far more likely that condensate will drip into the car's cabin if it does. You should replace the cabin filter if you haven't already done so. Cabin filters can become wet and have fungus/mold grow because of the organic material caught in the folds. All I know is, you will cook your drive battery if you don't use your AC on hot days. Good luck with fixing the odor problem.
Very helpful video. I bought a 2013 1.8 Toyota Auris Hybrid back in May of this year, and so far I love it and zero problems. The car had a fall health check in the Toyota/Lexus garage here in Ireland. Never really put the car in neutral, and always in park mode. I've always made sure that the fan/air vent at the back seat is never covered up, and is regularly hoovered and cleaned. My tires are usually about 31 to at most 34 psi. So far I'm getting between 62 to 65 mpg.
You're so generous with your time to answer all of the questions that you get. So now I'm going to toss one more your way. It's been established that not driving a hybrid regularly can be detrimental to the health of the battery. If, for whatever reason, the car is going to sit for a period of time, would it be beneficial to just start the hybrid system and leave it on until the engine comes on to give it a charge and repeat this process every few days? Thank you.
Hi! Driving the hybrid car around will help the battery go through a few charge and discharge cycles and that helps it. Waiting for the engine to start and warm up is also beneficial to the engine to get it running.
You’d want to have the car driving rather than just start it and let it sit idling. I’m working on a video about car storage best practices that will have a section about hybrids. You want to drive the car 5-10 miles at least
I have a 2025 Camry 5th gen Hybrid. 90 is the “normal “ speed on the Florida Turnpike. Are you telling that I can’t drive at 90 for an extended period without damaging my car?? BTW , it does 90 effortlessly. Please advise… 🙏
Another danger with overinflated tires is less tire surface area to road connectivity will likely cause an accident if you’re trying to brake and you can’t stop in time.
You shouldn't drive a Prius more than 90 mph because it has hard thin tires to get good mpg. In a high speed emergency situation they won't stop well and will make the car hard to control.
Service advisor just told me two days ago to inflate the tires on Corolla to 38-40. My concern was with a new (non hybrid) Corolla that’s not getting close to the mileage it should. It’s new and has around 4-5 hundred miles. 80% highway and the average is just coming up to around 27/28mpg (according to computer for all miles driven). I nicely corrected him because I already know they shouldn’t be over inflated. Love all your tips and information.
You're getting 27-28mpg on a corolla? I'm getting 24mpg on 2019 RAM 1500 classic during road trips and 22mpg daily driving (50-70% highway). I cruise at 70mph most of the time. You can easily get over 50mpg with a corolla with just a simple fuel efficient practices. 1. Make it a habit to brake as little as possible - braking kills mpg the most by wasting kinetic energy. This is the most important point - more important than every other point below combined. I can't stress this enough. The less you brake - more mpg you'll have, you'll also learn to drive safer. There's no point to brake on the highway most of the time. If you use brakes often while on highway - you're doing something wrong. 2. Keep the engine in 1.6k-2.5k RPM range when maintaining speed/accelerating. Maybe go up to 3k RPM when coming onto highway, but anything in excess of 3k RPM just destroys mpg on regular (non sport) cars. 3. Avoid excessively slow pace of acceleration when your RPM is below 1.4k RPM. That's also inefficient. It's better to accelerate at ~1.5k-2k RPM, maybe 2k-2.5k depending on the engine. 4. Have a personal speed limit regardless of what highway speed limit is. Probably somewhere between 70-80mph. Say 75mph. And then once there's no one in front of you just set cruise control to 75mph. Going faster than 80mph is very inefficient for virtually any normal non sports car and kills mpg RPM figures vary from engine to engine, but for most regular consumer cars, keeping the engine somewhere around 1.9k-2k RPM is going to be very close to sweet spot of efficiency.
Another bad thing about the prius since cabin air is is pulled through the battery cooling vent it is moist air. The bus bars connecting all cell are solid copper without any coatings to protect from corrosion. A kit is available to replace them with nickel plated bars. Lots of times a pack will exhibit problems and it turns out to be nasty connections.
When AMD addressed the extra weight being carried in the back of cars, I almost thought he was talking to me. LOL I am like a boy scout and want to be prepared for anything. Battery jumper, portable tire inflator, rain coat, road hazard triangles, blanket, polish, extra rags, gloves, jumper cables incase my jumper is dead, and the list goes on. I have a large plastic tub with all that stuff in it, and I have even more stuff under my floor in the cargo area. (2020 Toyota Highlander XLE) I know how heavy that stuff is because on the rare occasion I need the 3rd row, I have to take it out to raise the seat. I know how dependable Toyota's are, but ever since I mistaken Raisin Cookies for Chocolate Chip cookies, I have trust issues. Great video AMD!
I love how you address the issue of lugging junk in our cars. For that one bit of advice I am forwarding this to my husband. LOL he uses his car as a storage shed.
At the last comments, regarding having too much stuff in your car, do please leave it a empty as possible and get rid of the tonneau cover if your car comes with it. This is ideal to prevent break-ins. It happened to me, I have nothing much in my old car, a Sportswagen TDI, and the rear was covered with tonneau cover, someone broke in the rear driver’s side window and access to the rear of the car only to find NOTHING in there. I had to put in a $350 to put in a new window. The thief figured I was hiding something in the back with the tonneau cover on and decided to break in. Anyway, Thanks for another video regarding how to maintain a Toyota Hybrid cars/suv. Super cool!
@Joseph Wagnon I'm sorry to hear about the break in man. I agree sometimes they break the window to steal a $20 item and cost the owner hundreds in window replacement.
Yes, the peak pressure at extreme braking or some sort of impact increases the pressure by multiples for an instant and cheap tires explode, not worth saving a buck over inflating a cheap tire. I do run 40 psi. front (+2 for engine weight is recommended) 38 rear in my Prius as this bulges the centre out to level and stops the edges wearing faster, must give better grip as the full pad is contacting the road as well.
@@Philjj61 I have a Kia Niro. Run 40 psi on all 4 corners. Have the Michelin high fuel efficiency tires. Have 75k miles and still have 40% left. Amazing tires.
Excellent video. I've had my 2008 Prius now for 13 years, just passed 201000 miles. Love that car. I don't usually drive faster than 70 miles per hour. That is about where I draw the line for top efficiency. I've kept records of my Prius' gas consumption over the years. Overall city/highway avg about 45 mpg. That is awesome. Best investment I've ever made. Where is the HV battery vent located on a 2008 Prius? Thanks again for a great video.
I've noticed that inflating tires 4-5 psi over what the door jam says to use, or what the tire store recommends, makes the tires last longer by not wearing out the sides as quickly. And with low profile tires like on many modern cars with big wheels, an extra 4-5 psi protects your rims from potholes. It does make for a rougher ride though, and probably causes your suspension to work harder. It's also not as safe because proper inflation gives more surface area contact and therefore better traction and stopping power. But there seems to be a sweet spot that's a little higher than what's typically recommended. I watch my tread closely for wear patterns and always rotate at 5k miles. I had this debate with a fried the other day, he always inflates 5-10 psi over the max pressure rating. I said that was too much and in my experience you'll notice the middle of the tread wearing quicker than the sides, but apparently he's been doing this for decades on all his work vehicles (arborist). He said it was a conspiracy to make you buy tires more often, lol.
AAA guy told me to use the value in between the min/max PSI posted on the tire wall. lol I just stick with the door jam's recommendations. You know, inflate when it's cold and before friction can warm up the tires. I figure the egghead's that tested the vehicle did more extensive tests than any broscience I might try. Haha. Only time I veer away from the door jam is when off-roading.
Got my CRV back from an oil change at the dealer this spring, and all the tires were 2 lbs over door jam PSI. 32 PSI vs 30 PSI. I didn't think anything of it, but now I've got to ask. The only difference I've noticed is that the tires seem to keep their pressure longer at the higher PSI. No effect on mileage or wear that I can tell...
Had an 07 Prius and a 10 Prius. Recommended pressures are 35/33. I always use 39/37, and never got premature tire wear. Never increased center wear, or noticed harsher ride or noise. Get about 3 more mpg, and better handling. No downside for me.
04 Prius, I also use 39/37, not to increase mileage but because it produces the most even treadwear. At the recommended pressures, even with regular rotations, the outer/inner edges of the tread wear more than the center - a typical sign of under inflation.
2013 Prius plugin. I also use 39/37 or usually 38/36 only because it handles better and I don't have to make as many small adjustments steering. Otherwise at 35/33 it feels like a jet ski floating trying to keep centered in the lane. I found this really annoying until adjusting psi up. Over 38/36 the ride becomes harsh and bumpy for Los Angeles roads. My mechanic also said the tire tread was even wear. Also you don't want to go too high because that puts more strain on suspension. Just wish they made the Prius handle better and you have to clean the EGR system/intake manifold every 50-100k and finally 4th gen makes improvements.
@@ThePilotGear for my second set of tires I bought from BF Goodrich. Tire rack reviews said the tires were excellent in cornering performance but on my car at car manufacturers recommended tire pressure, I felt like I was driving on Jello tires. The tires felt squirmy on the road. I called Goodrich and I was connected with an engineer. He recommended I increase the tire pressure beyond manufacturers recommended, and so I did. It was then that the car cornered as advertised. On the sidewall of all tires is the tire manufacturers maximum tire pressure rating. You can hardly see it it's written so small. When you increase the tire pressure but don't exceed the manufacturer's maximum, the tire keeps its shape. It stays flat to the road but the sidewalls stiffen. The Goodrich tires had thin side walls and when I increase the tire pressure as recommended by the Goodrich manufacturing engineer, the tire stayed flatter on the road, it didn't squirm and allow the car to drift, and I'm sure my mileage improved. Sure there are drawbacks to doing this like a harsher ride. But just like everything, you do what you have to to get by.
I overinflate 1 or 2 lbs. I loaned my daughter my inflater. When I got it back, it was set to 51 lbs. Her TPSM light was on. I told her 51 lbs. seemed too high. She said that's what the tire said on the sidewall. I said to inflate to the owner's manual or on the door jamb. She did that and the TPMS light went out.
Thanks gor the useful tips , byw ,i Do-not block or cover the hybrid battery fan , block the fan grill, or store my things in my trunk or below my trunk , only when i grocery shop will i use my back of car Normal. And the fan filter Thanks for the tips again Today i just charged my 12 v battery after died this morning. I drove for about 45 minutes to an hour , now the bars are full green, and i had all 4 tires inflated to the specified PSI and Had my Catalyst Converter replaced, filled my gas tank, Much smoother ride for 2007 Toyota , I've had my car for 13 years oct 25 , 07 ,and has never given me a problem The battery dying was totally my fault, for not driving during the pandemic, I should of known better. (Smiles)
Thank you very much for informing me about keeping the HV battery fan and filter clean . I vacuumed out the filter ,took out the fan on my 2015 Prius and cleaned it .After 5 years and 30k the fan had dirt built up but not to bad . 👍🏻
I love you too AMD, BUT it is better to slightly over inflate the RAV4 Prime tires. 32 psi is too soft. 36 psi perfectly fine for a firmer (not harsh) ride. Most of the time, the wears are on the sides of the tires, therefore you need to balance that with over inflation.
Thank for the tip #3. I drove my 2.0 Hybrid Corolla in German Autobahn and went some 160-180kph streaks. The car did it great seemingly, of course the gas mileage was bad, but I did not know,that it stresses the car that much, as it felt so easy for them to accelerate over 160kph,like charm
Thank for the video. I have a '19 awd-e, and I think that Toyota got this model extra-correct. I've found that 38psi cold is the best pressure for mileage vs comfort: I average 60 us mpg year-round (using winter tires for 3-4 months), and I often see 70-75 mpg in the summer with the excellent stock bridgestones.
@@ttrueplaya -- I run 38psi cold in the excellent bridgestone ep522+ lrr tires that came on it. Recommended pressure is less, something like 33psi, but that's too low for me.
Wow, really informative, I'm a tech guy. Over 35 years of technical career. I work on cars and other stuff as well. I own a 2010 Ford Fusion Hybrid with over 240,000 miles on it. It's been a pretty good vehicle. I thought about covering the radiator but now I won't. I'm from the Chicago area too. What's really cool is you like Hybrids and your a mechanic. You're like me. I'm considering getting a 2012 Plug in Prius. I'm going to give my 2010 Fusion Hybrid to my wife. She has a 3 mile drive to work so it will be like a semi-retirement for that vehicle. I hope it can go further but we kinda want to see how long it can go. It still drives good it just has a lot of miles. It's great to meet a mechanic who appreciates Hybrids like I do.
I opened my Prius hatchback and saw 120 lbs of weight in the back area... my german shepherd. She loves when I tilt the back passenger seats down and now the Prius is a mini, covered utility wagon. Another reason why I adore my Prius 2006.
Congratulations Wade! These cars are pretty impressive with not only their gas mileage and efficiency but by how reliable they are given how complicated they are! With good maintenance they easily last 2-300k. Best of luck with your and I hope you enjoy it for years to come.
I figured out the neutral thing shortly after buying my 2009 Prius and taking it to a car wash. About halfway through the wash it hit that critical point and I thought I'd ruined the car. Now I always make sure to turn my A/C off a few minutes down the road before I get there and leave it off until after I get out of the car wash!
My tires are rated at 55 PSI. Prius Gen 3. I inflate it to 40 PSI. No center wear. I would highly recommend 40 on all sides. It is not dangerous. 30 is too low. 35 minimum
I didn't realize that people carry stuff around in the trunk. My vehicles never have anything in them other than an emergency kit. Everything else is taken out every time I come home.
GBU for your vedio i learn something about Prius, my prius almost 180000 m still running good i only changes the oil and filter every 4 months and the light bulbs and the tires
Make sure you take off the rear seat Hybrid battery fan cover and clean /change the filter (look at earlier blogs) and vacuum out the fan blades AT LEAST once a year. Have a 2013 Prius C and until I saw the filter clean/change video, was only keeping the vent clear of obstructions, not going inside to clean the fan fins. Simple insurance ($30 filter cost on line) to protect your $3000 hybrid battery from over heating and dying!!
The manual recommends transmission fluid changed at i think 75000 and every 30000 after that? Or at 20000 and every 30k after that.... Then coolant man, book says new coolant every 50k miles. I just swapped rear shocks and its a hell of a difference. Cant wait to do the fronts with the spark plugs. Which also should be changed sooner than 180 thousand miles. I feel guilty riding the same plugs for 155k.
Neat. I never thought about a filter for the Hybrid battery. Replaced all my filters before winter and thought it was just the 2. Now a 3rd to worry about. "YAY" AND thanks.
Thank you all this was really good to know. I will make sure I don't cover up the vents. I had no idea you weren't supposed to run it in neutral and you need to run it in park. I will make sure not to do that when car camping.
@@susan4yahshua no speed that the car can go is bad for the car most likely. The problem is how far you go. You have to monitor your battery, and it depends on the car you have, you might go 20 miles just fine at 100 mph in a prius, but a highlander might only go 10 miles at 100 mph just because its heavier and the battery is going to go down quicker. Those numbers are probably not accurate but you get the point. Most commutes are not going to be super long anyways, so for a short distance it wouldn't be bad necessarily as long as you monitor the battery level
I would add: Never ever use your prius to give someone a jump start. Read the entire manual, front to back. All of it! Don't drive around with the Windows down on a warm day, the traction battery needs the A.C. from the cabin
It is possible, but not straightforward to give another car a jump start, The critical thing is to not have another car connected to the Prius battery when the system is in "ready." It is possible to get a decent amount of charge in a good battery of another car by connecting the two in parallel with both cars off, and let the two equalize. Disconnect the two, start the Prius for a few minutes to be sure there is enough juice for another start, and see if the recipient has enough juice to crank. If not, time to get somebody there who can help.
That's a very good method, Thank you @Flagmichael I will add on most hybrids the 12V is so small it might not be able to handle turning a starter on another car and you could end up having 2 dead cars! All the 12V battery does on all Toyota hybrids is turn on a computer and energize a few relays then the high voltage battery takes over.
@@TheCarCareNut I own a 2009 lexus RX450h and on several occasions jumpstarted my neigbor's car. The trick is to push the gas and make the engine run. Is there anything that can cause electrical problems when I do that? Of the problems you mentioned, I have once left it in neutral while going through an automatic car wash and got that message. Not going there again anyway Had covered the battery vent once for about 10 minutes until my back passenger noted heat coming from below the seat, and I realized my mistake. I will take a look at it for that filter. I think nobody ever changed it. The car still has the original battery with 160000 miles and I'm the second owner. I found that going 50mph/90kph is the most fuel efficient mode of travel.
Hi Dima. Be careful with jump starting cars from a hybrid. Turning on the engine only puts even more strain on everything. This car doesn’t have an alternator so having the engine on or off is irrelevant to the electrical system just more load.
Always excellent advice. I’m on my second hybrid (Avalon this time). I’m planning on keeping this car for a long time and am taking care of it the best I can. Your videos are vital to helping me do that. Thank you!
I live in the country south of Phoenix and drive a regular Prius XLE. I consistently get low 60’s mpg. This includes several stretches at highway speeds 60-70 mph. Still have my Sequoia for long road trips. I enjoy and appreciate the Prius with current gas prices as we are 4-5th highest in the country.
Yup, I also noticed some drivers seems to carry their house in the car trunk. As for putting in the neutral mode, I fully agree if the car is a CVT transmission or even the conventional auto transmission. However, in the last few years, there are more and more DCT transmission. As I understand, in DCT, the car will automatically put in neutral when the car comes to complete halt. That said, there is no need for driver to manually put to neutral, just let the car's computer do the job.
I blew a front tire in an old Plymouth years ago: trust me, you do not want to experience a front tire blow out on the highway - do not overinflate your tires, its not worth your life.
Speed Limits out on the highway here is 100Km/hr. I of course go over that in my current car which is a Dodge Charger R/T. Thanks to all your videos and other streamers too I very decided on getting a Rav 4 Hybrid. Past few years my car has been costing me and is a hog on gas, lol. Hoping this will help me change my driving habits also.
This is golden advise for Hybrid owners. A followup hybrid question for those who work from home and during these COVID-19 quarantine and lockdown situations. Is it detrimental to hybrid battery for families that just do a 20 minute driving once a week (grocery runs)? Thank you brother.
Grocery runs every week around 5 mile drives is enough to keep things taken care of for your hybrid. Long term storage for months at a time is the issue
Hey, thanks for this great video. Very informative content. I am looking to buy Highlander Hybrid 2022 but learned about people having wind noise issues at medium to high speeds. I was wondering if you could create some content regarding that and how to resolved such issues if could not be resolved by dealerships. Thanks
It's so important, like he said, to not overdo it on tire pressure. The pressure stamped onto the tire is the maximum amount of pressure the tire is designed to withstand for an extended period. Tire pressure goes up as the tire gets hotter, not only with weather but also as they go down the road and take corners. Tires gain 1 psi for every 10 degrees the temperature goes up.
I used to believe them (the direction on the side door) until my highlander 2016 hybrid limited manufacture tire got only 27k miles the side gone left a lot the middle. This new set I put 40 psi. now odo read 45k still 3/8 even.
The hybrids planetary/ring gears allow the engine to permanently engage with the electric motor. During the transition between engine off and running states, the torque transfer could cause the car to rock and move, so neutral gear is designed to decouple both drive trains. So when your car is in Park, the engine is actually "in-gear" to charge the battery through the motor. That's why they designed the e-brake and brake hold as a convenience feature.
Never overinflate the tires Never cover air vents that cool internal battery Never speed over 90mph in your car Never leave car in neutral for a long time Never block Radiator with an object Never overfill your car with heavy items
Great video. A side point to confirm what you said about not putting cardboard in front of the radiator. My 2017 Prius had a check engine light on because a small rock got stuck in the radiator shutter keeping it open. So yes no need to put cardboard covering the radiator the cooling system has shutters and if they don't work the car will let you know.
The neutral position was an eye opener. I’ve gotten that message about putting it in park when I go through a car wash snd I have to shift it in neutral; didn’t realize how close to damaging the battery I was in.
Thank you for all your informative videos on Toyota vehicles! What are your thoughts on periodically maintaining the hybrid battery by discharging and charging using external dischargers and chargers to restore lost capacity and extend battery life?
It’s not recommended by Toyota/Lexus, but I think it has value. I’ve owned 5 older Toyota/Lexus hybrids with NiMH batteries and do my own battery maintenance and rebuilding. But be safe! Don’t do it yourself if you don’t know what you’re doing. But you weren’t asking me, perhaps the Car Care Nut will chime in?
You said previously to change the oil, to not neglect that. ...just a friendly reminder of your own advice. Thank you for the basic advices throughout. It's Good reinforcement, Reminders, and an ego boost when in intellectual distress about one's own d.i.y. work.
I have talked with Toyota about my 2018 Highlander Hybrid. They say that there aren't any filtesr that I need to change or clean for the Hybrid battery compartment, is this true? Love your channel! May the Lord bless you and keep you.
Have to disagree with you about tire pressure, on several points. 1) The pressure number printed on the sidewall is not actually the max pressure, it's the pressure recommended for maximum wight load on the tire. In other words, if you are going to load the car to the maximum tire weight capacity, this is the recommended pressure. Very different concept. This value is always higher than the car manufacturer's recommended pressure. 2) My commute involves a lot of curvy roads. My tires always wore excessively on the edges. Since I started inflating them higher, I've never had a wear problem. 3) Inflating tires higher does increase stopping distance, but it decreases the likelihood of your tire coming off the rim on an aggressive turn, like you might need to do to steer clear of an accident. A Highway Patrol officer shared this with me -- he always inflates his tires higher. So, how high do I recommend? I agree with you that 80 or 100 PSI in a tire rated at 44 or 51 is not a good idea. I usually go about 10% lower than the max load pressure rating on the sidewall. If the tire says 44, I go with 40. If it says 51, I go with 45. Yes it's a bumpier ride, but I'll take the gas mileage, thank you very much.
Thank you for your comment. I understand your point. Going 10% under is reasonable and I can see the benefits of it in your case. The point in this video is to stop going 80-100 psi to get better gas mileage.
When you mention over inflating tires. I thought you would mention 2-3 more psi... Wow can't believe people put over 30% more air then they should. I've seen people at gas station stick the hose and trust the broken guage
Have you done a video explaining all of the different noises that Toyota hybrids make in their different modes of operation?....Our 2022 Toyota Highlander Hybrid makes several revving noises when sitting still that I cannot find explained...?? Also, can you do a show explaining the different displays showing operation between the gas engine and hybrid system, charging system, etc.... ? ..Thanks for all the great information you provide.
A warning that you missed … don’t run out of gas! I had this happen on my ‘05. I got a fill immediately but had to go to dealer for a reset. So, the same ‘05 benefitted in the winter from cardboard in front of radiator, and using a block heater , from Toyota Canada. Sadly this year the ‘05 died, the assembly holding the rear wheels rusted through. Too expensive an too many miles to repair. Now have an ‘18 Prime. What an improvement! Except no storage, and I do not like not having a spare.
Issue #7 - Not replacing the 12V battery on a regular basis. For the best performance you should replace the 12V battery every 3 years. The car startup system depends on the voltage in the 12V battery and it will fail to start up the electronics correctly if there is less than 12V in the battery. If you live in a hot climate it is even more critical.
this is nonsense, my stock 12v battery lasted a whopping 11 years and never in that time did I witness any degradation of performance nor loss of fuel economy
I'm very confused by over inflating tires. In my personal experience 10 years of driving. I have always found that I get the best mileage when I inflate my tires as close to the manufacture spec. Any lower or any higher will not save you anything. In the winter add a couple extra pounds of pressure. Most rear drive cars will have a different tire pressure recommended for the back. In this case do what the owners manual recommends.
Thanks for what you say on this channel. Having never considered a Prius, I’m driving one on hire currently and am thinking that when I can I would like to buy one. Love the design, mpg and the low maintenance.
Could you please explain (perhaps in a future video) when and when not to use EV mode. Is it best to have it on all the time and let it disengage or leave it off and let the ecu determine? I wonder if there is any disadvantages of having it in ev mode to the battery long term. In particular to the 4th gen highlanders
Hi. Unless the car is a plug-in Hybrid it's not a good idea to over-use EV mode as you probably find the ICE has to kick in to charge the Hybrid battery. EV mode is designed to be used as a quiet getaway feature, for instance, if you're leaving early morning and don't want to disturb the neighbors or you need to have zero emissions, like in an enclosed space. I have though used it when hypermiling but only when the HV battery is full and then I will skim about 50% off the battery. this can have a second advantage in that if the HV battery is completely full you have nowhere to store energy and so skimming a bit of gives you some storage capacity. I have to say though unless your coming down a mountain this rarely happens
Ev mode in a prius is only useful if the engine is warm and you just started it to move in your driveway. The car wont allow ev mode if not fully warmed up and will disengage at stupid low speed like 12mph. In normal mode the car will automatically go into ev when it wants to.
Things you need to know about Toyota Maintenance in this Full series explaining all Toyota Maintenance needs! th-cam.com/play/PLeFzfl0Q8rQVtXIaJSF7EtirvTRhSbsrV.html
Fewer ads would be nice...very distracting.
Does pulling weight ruin a hybrid? Like a trailer hitch ?
Depends on the hybrid model. Some hybrid model can do some towing some don’t.
Picked up my new RAV4 hybrid XSE last week. Toyota says it can tow around 1500 pounds, no problem. I have a small trailer and tow no more than 1100 pounds several times per year. I’m confident my vehicle can handle it. The dealer charged me $500.00 Canadian to supply and install the factory hitch and wiring harness but they can’t get one from Toyota....out of stock. I’d advise against going to a 3rd party hitch, the one I saw mounts too low for my liking.
Hello. Can you tell me where is the batterie filter in a 2020 hybride Corolla ? Is it the same requirement for the cleaning ?
Thanks you.
Dont over inflate. Dont cover the battery vent. Dont speed excessively. Dont ride with no ac in warm weather. Never cover your radiator. Never overload your trunk/car with weight.
I missed the don’t drive with no ac in warm weather. Why is that? Aside from the obvious lol
@@emmanuelmata the high voltage battery has a fan in the cabin which uses the air inside the car to cool the battery. So in warm weather it is better to cool down the interior of your car to assist the cooling process.
@@lovaszattila4719 oh ok got it thanks
The AC thing reminded me of an old Car Talk episode where they said it's more fuel efficient to drive with the AC on than with the windows open. Makes sense when you think about the amount of force to run the compressor and fans vs the amount of wind drag with the windows open. Of coarse the faster you go the more this is true.
Good Conclude
We have a 2010 Prius. My wife won a Toyota folding chair at an event. We discovered that the chair was designed to fit in that tray underneath the back deck, above the spare tire. It's an awesome chair! :-)
It's a Toyota, you expected less? 😊
Hi dear friend u r the best 😊.Love to hear your 's good advice.best wishes to you ❤
I love your clips. Very educational and you put it in simple words. I am 74 years old and I think your clips are excellent. Thank you!
I just purchased my first hybrid car, a 2021 Highlander Limited, and learn more about my car from your videos than the dealer's sales and service personnel. Thanks for your work. Now to find my hight voltage fan vent.
My 2011 Prius didn’t even have a filter. Had a pound of dog hair in the fan. Wasn’t hard to take it off and clean it though. I’m at 140k on it, got it used 6 years ago. Your Highlander will be a fantastic ride! I don’t know if I missed it in this video but make sure to change both coolant reservoirs every 5 years 100k miles. The inverter uses coolant to stay cool and Toyota has had some issues in the past with them burning up 🥵. Lastly I recommend to do the transmission fluid change you self, super super easy, I do it every 50k miles and save hundreds off dealer costs. That’s all I have done other than the usual oil, brakes, tires, and some new suspension parts.
Enjoy the highlander! Excellent car :)
I didn't find out about the filter until a video ChrisFix did last year, I went out to my car and it was completely clogged with crap.
So not only did I not know about it, apparently the dealers don't look at it when doing their so-called multi point inspections during routine maintenance. Real nice.
@@mjc0961. Maybe you should have done more homework before buying
@MrMuchachos75
Yes Mother.
I am from Germany. I drive a RAV 4 (2018) hybrid 4x4. My english ist not so well but i do understand every word u say....nice speech! Thanks for your advices!
The video was helpful, but what I liked most is the fact that you got straight to the point at the very beginning. I didn't have to sit through 5 or 10 minutes of someone trying to be witty and cute talking about stuff that is not even related to the topic. Excellent job.
One of the best, most straight forward, videos every hybrid owner should watch. Both thumbs up.
In my first Prius winter my mileage dropped alarmingly. The dealer advised waiting until spring for warmer weather. Not useful. However, I read articles in Prius Chat reminding me of my earlier days in western Canada driving in the winter. I obtained a Toyota block heater from Toyota Canada, very easy to install, and I did partially block the radiator. Mileage went back up, with no adverse effects. This car now has over 210 K.
You have such a great attitude and demeanor. Enjoying your channel.
The Nut’s videos are highly educational and very important for anyone who owns a hybrid. I learn so much from him and that knowledge is a powerful tool and a source of peace of mind.
Just took my 40lb electric bicycle out of my trunk. I knew it was silly to keep it in there constantly, but didn't act on it until TCCN told me to. Truly the best Prius coach.
I am a new Hybrid Corolla owner here in Brazil and this channel teaches me a lot about how hybrid motors work, how to use the Toyota’s mode drive and “B” gear. Thank you for your time and keep on the good work.
B use for down hill it’s kind of same as low gear for hybrid cars
Yup it's ment to prevent brake fade on long downhills.
My Rav 4 Prime 18.1 kWh battery will only accept 15 kWh when charged so it cannot charge to full.
Summer when outside temp reached above 100 degrees in the garage the cooling fan automatically turned on ensuring the battery did not get too hot while in the garage parked.
I believe Toyota has put a lot of safety features into the battery to extend the life.
Winter I anticipate the heat pump will kick on to ensure the battery does not get too cold.
Have a 2.7 Toyota Hilux year March 2000 built in Thailand.It’s now a classic vehicle.I’ve had it since 2004 and has been so reliable,never broke down me,apart from a collapsed bearing the alternator,which was 11 years old.I imported the vehicle from Australia where I purchased the vehicle from a Toyota dealer.My vehicle is still performing great despite the cold wet weather here in the UK.I drove a Prius as a taxi driver on the Gold Coast and Brisbane and found them very efficient and reliable also.Great cars.
Thanks for an informative video. My wife just traded in her 2015 Rav 4 for a 2021 Rav 4 Prime Hydrid. It's our first hybrid so we are in the process of trying to figure out the best driving mode. In the meantime we'll go with auto EV/HV until we have a better understanding of all the variables. This is our fourth Toyota. Every vehicle has been problem free and our dealship experience has been excellent (Sunrise Toyota in Suffolk County, NY).
Very helpful blessings ❣️✝️
Good video man. '"Don't over inflate your tires. This is FLAT dangerous" lol
You are one of best teacher at youtube. Your explanation are clear and reliable! Really good job . Thanks Mister Toyota.
This is excellent practical tips, I glad I listened to your advice before I buy my first Prius Plug in Hybrid. Thanks from Germany 🇩🇪
What about excessive speed? Is it enough 140 km / h ?
Thank you for your kind heart now I have no doubt on buying a prius. Thank you you once again all the way from Fiji 🇫🇯 island
Thanks for the video and great advices. One thing I would add is try not using Tue EV button and drain the battery and when you pump gas stop at the first click you hear (no need to overfill). Just for the fun of sharing, I am from Yakutsk, the coldest city on earth in Siberia, there, in winter we tape windshield sun shade in front of the radiator entrance and we put a cover on top and bottom of the engine to keep it warm, also we add an additional windshield to create isolation and avoid inside frost. We usually also disconnect the radiator. However when we drive long distances we open a bit to bring enough air to the engine and avoid condensation inside. And last thing, we cannot turn off the engine in the street, so cars keep running when you are at work, mall etc. And I forgot to mentioned, in our harsh climate and mud roads, Toyota if the most reliable brand!
@First and last name - Howdy from Texas. translation: Howdy = Greetings.
That is incredible that you have to keep your car running all day when at work! It must be minus 80 celsius up where you live in winter and warm up to minus 20 Celsius in summer sounds like.
@@dm285 😊 it is down to -70C in winter and up to +40C in summer
@@firstandlastname2390 well at least then you get some warm time each year :)
Good point about not keeping a hybrid car in Neutral for too long. I've noticed that some Toyota hybrid vehicles get stuck in car washes where drivers are asked/required to put their car in Neutral.
Lol, happened to me. Forgot i need to hold it in neutral.
For the carwash it isn't an issue. You are only in the carwash a few minutes.
I always make sure that the HV battery is charged enough or the opposite side, low enough to have the ICE running. It won't charge the HV battery that way but if the ICE keeps running in the carwash once you put it in D again you can drive and the HV battery will get charged.
Should we not go through these types of car washes? It freaks me out to get those caution lights. I don’t understand what Remco wrote below
I keep my Prius in Neutral and sit in it to stay warm in the winter all the time. When the battery hits a low threshold the motor kicks on ans charges the battery just fine while sitting idling in neutral. I dont know what y'all are talking about. He's wrong at least in. the 2010 Prius' case about no way to charge the HV battery while idling in neutral.
@@AaronSchiepersonal
Why not sit in Park,
Related to item 2... ALWAYS use your air-conditioning when it's hot outside in your hybrid. Since your hybrid battery pack uses the cabin air to cool it...your windows rolled down on an 85 degree day will cook your batteries dead.
Haha I feel stupid now. Thanks for the tip!
@@adammurai1955 No need to feel that way. So remember, when you're driving a hybrid, and you're cool and comfortable in the car...your drive batteries will share the cool air and thank you for it :)
Thanks Ali for the tip as well! Adam dont say that! We can’t stop learning! Thank you for watching my videos!
I avoid using the air conditioning because of the fungus it creates. The water dripping from the evaporator causes fungus to grow, and I can smell it every time I turn on the AC blower. I can't find an easy way to clean it.
@@afriedrich1452 If your AC drainage/condensate port is clogged, this may happen...although it's far more likely that condensate will drip into the car's cabin if it does. You should replace the cabin filter if you haven't already done so. Cabin filters can become wet and have fungus/mold grow because of the organic material caught in the folds. All I know is, you will cook your drive battery if you don't use your AC on hot days. Good luck with fixing the odor problem.
Very helpful video. I bought a 2013 1.8 Toyota Auris Hybrid back in May of this year, and so far I love it and zero problems. The car had a fall health check in the Toyota/Lexus garage here in Ireland. Never really put the car in neutral, and always in park mode. I've always made sure that the fan/air vent at the back seat is never covered up, and is regularly hoovered and cleaned. My tires are usually about 31 to at most 34 psi. So far I'm getting between 62 to 65 mpg.
Thank for you for watching my video! Looks like you’re on track to have your car for a very long time without any issues! Best wishes!
You're so generous with your time to answer all of the questions that you get. So now I'm going to toss one more your way. It's been established that not driving a hybrid regularly can be detrimental to the health of the battery. If, for whatever reason, the car is going to sit for a period of time, would it be beneficial to just start the hybrid system and leave it on until the engine comes on to give it a charge and repeat this process every few days? Thank you.
Hi! Driving the hybrid car around will help the battery go through a few charge and discharge cycles and that helps it. Waiting for the engine to start and warm up is also beneficial to the engine to get it running.
@@TheCarCareNut Thanks so much for the quick reply. So starting it and allowing the engine to come on sounds like a "better than nothing" technique.
You’d want to have the car driving rather than just start it and let it sit idling. I’m working on a video about car storage best practices that will have a section about hybrids. You want to drive the car 5-10 miles at least
@@TheCarCareNut Thank you, I'll be watching for that upcoming video. I don't know how you get it all done.
I have a 2025 Camry 5th gen Hybrid. 90 is the “normal “ speed on the Florida Turnpike. Are you telling that I can’t drive at 90 for an extended period without damaging my car?? BTW , it does 90 effortlessly. Please advise… 🙏
Another danger with overinflated tires is less tire surface area to road connectivity will likely cause an accident if you’re trying to brake and you can’t stop in time.
You shouldn't drive a Prius more than 90 mph because it has hard thin tires to get good mpg. In a high speed emergency situation they won't stop well and will make the car hard to control.
Service advisor just told me two days ago to inflate the tires on Corolla to 38-40. My concern was with a new (non hybrid) Corolla that’s not getting close to the mileage it should. It’s new and has around 4-5 hundred miles. 80% highway and the average is just coming up to around 27/28mpg (according to computer for all miles driven). I nicely corrected him because I already know they shouldn’t be over inflated.
Love all your tips and information.
You're getting 27-28mpg on a corolla? I'm getting 24mpg on 2019 RAM 1500 classic during road trips and 22mpg daily driving (50-70% highway). I cruise at 70mph most of the time.
You can easily get over 50mpg with a corolla with just a simple fuel efficient practices.
1. Make it a habit to brake as little as possible - braking kills mpg the most by wasting kinetic energy. This is the most important point - more important than every other point below combined. I can't stress this enough. The less you brake - more mpg you'll have, you'll also learn to drive safer. There's no point to brake on the highway most of the time. If you use brakes often while on highway - you're doing something wrong.
2. Keep the engine in 1.6k-2.5k RPM range when maintaining speed/accelerating. Maybe go up to 3k RPM when coming onto highway, but anything in excess of 3k RPM just destroys mpg on regular (non sport) cars.
3. Avoid excessively slow pace of acceleration when your RPM is below 1.4k RPM. That's also inefficient. It's better to accelerate at ~1.5k-2k RPM, maybe 2k-2.5k depending on the engine.
4. Have a personal speed limit regardless of what highway speed limit is. Probably somewhere between 70-80mph. Say 75mph. And then once there's no one in front of you just set cruise control to 75mph. Going faster than 80mph is very inefficient for virtually any normal non sports car and kills mpg
RPM figures vary from engine to engine, but for most regular consumer cars, keeping the engine somewhere around 1.9k-2k RPM is going to be very close to sweet spot of efficiency.
Another bad thing about the prius since cabin air is is pulled through the battery cooling vent it is moist air. The bus bars connecting all cell are solid copper without any coatings to protect from corrosion. A kit is available to replace them with nickel plated bars. Lots of times a pack will exhibit problems and it turns out to be nasty connections.
When AMD addressed the extra weight being carried in the back of cars, I almost thought he was talking to me. LOL I am like a boy scout and want to be prepared for anything. Battery jumper, portable tire inflator, rain coat, road hazard triangles, blanket, polish, extra rags, gloves, jumper cables incase my jumper is dead, and the list goes on. I have a large plastic tub with all that stuff in it, and I have even more stuff under my floor in the cargo area. (2020 Toyota Highlander XLE) I know how heavy that stuff is because on the rare occasion I need the 3rd row, I have to take it out to raise the seat. I know how dependable Toyota's are, but ever since I mistaken Raisin Cookies for Chocolate Chip cookies, I have trust issues.
Great video AMD!
I love how you address the issue of lugging junk in our cars. For that one bit of advice I am forwarding this to my husband. LOL he uses his car as a storage shed.
Oh no! So do i! 😬🤦🏼
🤣😆
At the last comments, regarding having too much stuff in your car, do please leave it a empty as possible and get rid of the tonneau cover if your car comes with it. This is ideal to prevent break-ins. It happened to me, I have nothing much in my old car, a Sportswagen TDI, and the rear was covered with tonneau cover, someone broke in the rear driver’s side window and access to the rear of the car only to find NOTHING in there. I had to put in a $350 to put in a new window. The thief figured I was hiding something in the back with the tonneau cover on and decided to break in. Anyway, Thanks for another video regarding how to maintain a Toyota Hybrid cars/suv. Super cool!
@Joseph Wagnon I'm sorry to hear about the break in man. I agree sometimes they break the window to steal a $20 item and cost the owner hundreds in window replacement.
im surprised a normal car tire can even handle 100 psi
They normally over engineer them, not sure why, but likely so they don't rupture going over a pothole or something like that.
Yes, the peak pressure at extreme braking or some sort of impact increases the pressure by multiples for an instant and cheap tires explode, not worth saving a buck over inflating a cheap tire. I do run 40 psi. front (+2 for engine weight is recommended) 38 rear in my Prius as this bulges the centre out to level and stops the edges wearing faster, must give better grip as the full pad is contacting the road as well.
@@Philjj61 I have a Kia Niro. Run 40 psi on all 4 corners. Have the Michelin high fuel efficiency tires. Have 75k miles and still have 40% left. Amazing tires.
Excellent video. I've had my 2008 Prius now for 13 years, just passed 201000 miles. Love that car. I don't usually drive faster than 70 miles per hour. That is about where I draw the line for top efficiency. I've kept records of my Prius' gas consumption over the years. Overall city/highway avg about 45 mpg. That is awesome. Best investment I've ever made. Where is the HV battery vent located on a 2008 Prius? Thanks again for a great video.
Hi! The battery vent is located on the passenger side rear seat edge between the seat back and the door
Eww
What an excellent presenter on the topic! I just got a Prius so I found this very interesting. Thank you!
I've noticed that inflating tires 4-5 psi over what the door jam says to use, or what the tire store recommends, makes the tires last longer by not wearing out the sides as quickly. And with low profile tires like on many modern cars with big wheels, an extra 4-5 psi protects your rims from potholes. It does make for a rougher ride though, and probably causes your suspension to work harder. It's also not as safe because proper inflation gives more surface area contact and therefore better traction and stopping power. But there seems to be a sweet spot that's a little higher than what's typically recommended. I watch my tread closely for wear patterns and always rotate at 5k miles.
I had this debate with a fried the other day, he always inflates 5-10 psi over the max pressure rating. I said that was too much and in my experience you'll notice the middle of the tread wearing quicker than the sides, but apparently he's been doing this for decades on all his work vehicles (arborist). He said it was a conspiracy to make you buy tires more often, lol.
AAA guy told me to use the value in between the min/max PSI posted on the tire wall. lol
I just stick with the door jam's recommendations. You know, inflate when it's cold and before friction can warm up the tires. I figure the egghead's that tested the vehicle did more extensive tests than any broscience I might try. Haha.
Only time I veer away from the door jam is when off-roading.
Got my CRV back from an oil change at the dealer this spring, and all the tires were 2 lbs over door jam PSI. 32 PSI vs 30 PSI. I didn't think anything of it, but now I've got to ask. The only difference I've noticed is that the tires seem to keep their pressure longer at the higher PSI. No effect on mileage or wear that I can tell...
Had an 07 Prius and a 10 Prius. Recommended pressures are 35/33. I always use 39/37, and never got premature tire wear. Never increased center wear, or noticed harsher ride or noise. Get about 3 more mpg, and better handling. No downside for me.
That's because that's still within tolerance.
04 Prius, I also use 39/37, not to increase mileage but because it produces the most even treadwear. At the recommended pressures, even with regular rotations, the outer/inner edges of the tread wear more than the center - a typical sign of under inflation.
2013 Prius plugin. I also use 39/37 or usually 38/36 only because it handles better and I don't have to make as many small adjustments steering. Otherwise at 35/33 it feels like a jet ski floating trying to keep centered in the lane. I found this really annoying until adjusting psi up. Over 38/36 the ride becomes harsh and bumpy for Los Angeles roads. My mechanic also said the tire tread was even wear. Also you don't want to go too high because that puts more strain on suspension. Just wish they made the Prius handle better and you have to clean the EGR system/intake manifold every 50-100k and finally 4th gen makes improvements.
@@mookiew3051 I don't think I believe that. 2psi is hardly noticeable both to fuel mileage and wear.
@@ThePilotGear for my second set of tires I bought from BF Goodrich. Tire rack reviews said the tires were excellent in cornering performance but on my car at car manufacturers recommended tire pressure, I felt like I was driving on Jello tires. The tires felt squirmy on the road. I called Goodrich and I was connected with an engineer. He recommended I increase the tire pressure beyond manufacturers recommended, and so I did. It was then that the car cornered as advertised. On the sidewall of all tires is the tire manufacturers maximum tire pressure rating. You can hardly see it it's written so small. When you increase the tire pressure but don't exceed the manufacturer's maximum, the tire keeps its shape. It stays flat to the road but the sidewalls stiffen. The Goodrich tires had thin side walls and when I increase the tire pressure as recommended by the Goodrich manufacturing engineer, the tire stayed flatter on the road, it didn't squirm and allow the car to drift, and I'm sure my mileage improved. Sure there are drawbacks to doing this like a harsher ride. But just like everything, you do what you have to to get by.
I found my people - loving my 2 hybrids and this channel explains all the easy DIY and general knowledge needed. Thanks Legend !!
Learned a lot from this channel. It is awesome!
I overinflate 1 or 2 lbs. I loaned my daughter my inflater. When I got it back, it was set to 51 lbs. Her TPSM light was on. I told her 51 lbs. seemed too high. She said that's what the tire said on the sidewall. I said to inflate to the owner's manual or on the door jamb. She did that and the TPMS light went out.
Thanks gor the useful tips , byw ,i Do-not block or cover the hybrid battery fan , block the fan grill, or store my things in my trunk or below my trunk , only when i grocery shop will i use my back of car Normal. And the fan filter Thanks for the tips again
Today i just charged my 12 v battery after died this morning. I drove for about 45 minutes to an hour , now the bars are full green, and i had all 4 tires inflated to the specified PSI and Had my Catalyst Converter replaced, filled my gas tank, Much smoother ride for 2007 Toyota , I've had my car for 13 years oct 25 , 07 ,and has never given me a problem
The battery dying was totally my fault, for not driving during the pandemic, I should of known better. (Smiles)
Thank you very much for informing me about keeping the HV battery fan and filter clean . I vacuumed out the filter ,took out the fan on my 2015 Prius and cleaned it .After 5 years and 30k the fan had dirt built up but not to bad . 👍🏻
After 5 yrs and 100k mine wasn’t too bad, but these fans cool the big Barrera s they should carry the same importance as changing your oil!
Knowledge is no burden to bear ! Thank you
Ford fusion energi owner here. Good video good info and i think all the info applies. It should be a hybrid video in general.
I love you too AMD, BUT it is better to slightly over inflate the RAV4 Prime tires. 32 psi is too soft. 36 psi perfectly fine for a firmer (not harsh) ride. Most of the time, the wears are on the sides of the tires, therefore you need to balance that with over inflation.
Hi Mike! 36 is actually not over inflation. I was referring to filling them up to 45 or 50psi which some people actually do and it’s not good.
Thank for the tip #3. I drove my 2.0 Hybrid Corolla in German Autobahn and went some 160-180kph streaks. The car did it great seemingly, of course the gas mileage was bad, but I did not know,that it stresses the car that much, as it felt so easy for them to accelerate over 160kph,like charm
Thank for the video.
I have a '19 awd-e, and I think that Toyota got this model extra-correct.
I've found that 38psi cold is the best pressure for mileage vs comfort: I average 60 us mpg year-round (using winter tires for 3-4 months), and I often see 70-75 mpg in the summer with the excellent stock bridgestones.
May I ask what is the recommended tire pressure for your model?
@@ttrueplaya -- I run 38psi cold in the excellent bridgestone ep522+ lrr tires that came on it.
Recommended pressure is less, something like 33psi, but that's too low for me.
I think Toyota should put a bright orange box around the vent with a sign that says “Do Not Block”.
For real! And a reminder to clean it
Thanks for this! Especially the fan vent warning! I just bought a used 2019. 😊👍
Wow, really informative, I'm a tech guy. Over 35 years of technical career. I work on cars and other stuff as well. I own a 2010 Ford Fusion Hybrid with over 240,000 miles on it. It's been a pretty good vehicle. I thought about covering the radiator but now I won't. I'm from the Chicago area too. What's really cool is you like Hybrids and your a mechanic. You're like me.
I'm considering getting a 2012 Plug in Prius. I'm going to give my 2010 Fusion Hybrid to my wife. She has a 3 mile drive to work so it will be like a semi-retirement for that
vehicle. I hope it can go further but we kinda want to see how long it can go.
It still drives good it just has a lot of miles. It's
great to meet a mechanic
who appreciates Hybrids
like I do.
I opened my Prius hatchback and saw 120 lbs of weight in the back area... my german shepherd. She loves when I tilt the back passenger seats down and now the Prius is a mini, covered utility wagon. Another reason why I adore my Prius 2006.
Thanks, this is very helpful. Would love to see more videos for Toyota hybrid.
Bought 2015 Prius 2 months ago and Stunned by the mpg.
Congratulations Wade! These cars are pretty impressive with not only their gas mileage and efficiency but by how reliable they are given how complicated they are! With good maintenance they easily last 2-300k. Best of luck with your and I hope you enjoy it for years to come.
Yeah i was amazed too
You’re a blessing! Keep doing what you’re doing now love the simple and very informative perspectives.
Yeah, couldn't agree more!
I figured out the neutral thing shortly after buying my 2009 Prius and taking it to a car wash. About halfway through the wash it hit that critical point and I thought I'd ruined the car. Now I always make sure to turn my A/C off a few minutes down the road before I get there and leave it off until after I get out of the car wash!
My tires are rated at 55 PSI. Prius Gen 3. I inflate it to 40 PSI. No center wear. I would highly recommend 40 on all sides. It is not dangerous. 30 is too low. 35 minimum
I learned not to leave my Prius in neutral. Thanks.
I didn't realize that people carry stuff around in the trunk.
My vehicles never have anything in them other than an emergency kit.
Everything else is taken out every time I come home.
GBU for your vedio i learn something about Prius, my prius almost 180000 m still running good i only changes the oil and filter every 4 months and the light bulbs and the tires
Change oil q 4mo whether it needs it or not ?
Make sure you take off the rear seat Hybrid battery fan cover and clean /change the filter (look at earlier blogs) and vacuum out the fan blades AT LEAST once a year. Have a 2013 Prius C and until I saw the filter clean/change video, was only keeping the vent clear of obstructions, not going inside to clean the fan fins. Simple insurance ($30 filter cost on line) to protect your $3000 hybrid battery from over heating and dying!!
The manual recommends transmission fluid changed at i think 75000 and every 30000 after that? Or at 20000 and every 30k after that....
Then coolant man, book says new coolant every 50k miles.
I just swapped rear shocks and its a hell of a difference. Cant wait to do the fronts with the spark plugs. Which also should be changed sooner than 180 thousand miles.
I feel guilty riding the same plugs for 155k.
Wow every 4 months you change tires
Neat. I never thought about a filter for the Hybrid battery. Replaced all my filters before winter and thought it was just the 2. Now a 3rd to worry about. "YAY" AND thanks.
Thank you all this was really good to know. I will make sure I don't cover up the vents. I had no idea you weren't supposed to run it in neutral and you need to run it in park. I will make sure not to do that when car camping.
There is a toll road east of Austin TX where the speed limit is 85 mph... just fyi...
I think he said 90 and over , so 85 be ok right ?
@@susan4yahshua no speed that the car can go is bad for the car most likely. The problem is how far you go. You have to monitor your battery, and it depends on the car you have, you might go 20 miles just fine at 100 mph in a prius, but a highlander might only go 10 miles at 100 mph just because its heavier and the battery is going to go down quicker. Those numbers are probably not accurate but you get the point. Most commutes are not going to be super long anyways, so for a short distance it wouldn't be bad necessarily as long as you monitor the battery level
I would add:
Never ever use your prius to give someone a jump start.
Read the entire manual, front to back. All of it!
Don't drive around with the Windows down on a warm day, the traction battery needs the A.C. from the cabin
It is possible, but not straightforward to give another car a jump start, The critical thing is to not have another car connected to the Prius battery when the system is in "ready."
It is possible to get a decent amount of charge in a good battery of another car by connecting the two in parallel with both cars off, and let the two equalize. Disconnect the two, start the Prius for a few minutes to be sure there is enough juice for another start, and see if the recipient has enough juice to crank. If not, time to get somebody there who can help.
That's a very good method, Thank you @Flagmichael I will add on most hybrids the 12V is so small it might not be able to handle turning a starter on another car and you could end up having 2 dead cars! All the 12V battery does on all Toyota hybrids is turn on a computer and energize a few relays then the high voltage battery takes over.
@@TheCarCareNut I own a 2009 lexus RX450h and on several occasions jumpstarted my neigbor's car. The trick is to push the gas and make the engine run.
Is there anything that can cause electrical problems when I do that?
Of the problems you mentioned, I have once left it in neutral while going through an automatic car wash and got that message. Not going there again anyway
Had covered the battery vent once for about 10 minutes until my back passenger noted heat coming from below the seat, and I realized my mistake.
I will take a look at it for that filter. I think nobody ever changed it.
The car still has the original battery with 160000 miles and I'm the second owner.
I found that going 50mph/90kph is the most fuel efficient mode of travel.
Hi Dima. Be careful with jump starting cars from a hybrid. Turning on the engine only puts even more strain on everything. This car doesn’t have an alternator so having the engine on or off is irrelevant to the electrical system just more load.
@@TheCarCareNut Thanks for the quick reply. So the hybrid system charges the 12 volt battery too?
Always excellent advice. I’m on my second hybrid (Avalon this time). I’m planning on keeping this car for a long time and am taking care of it the best I can. Your videos are vital to helping me do that. Thank you!
I live in the country south of Phoenix and drive a regular Prius XLE. I consistently get low 60’s mpg. This includes several stretches at highway speeds 60-70 mph. Still have my Sequoia for long road trips. I enjoy and appreciate the Prius with current gas prices as we are 4-5th highest in the country.
Yup, I also noticed some drivers seems to carry their house in the car trunk.
As for putting in the neutral mode, I fully agree if the car is a CVT transmission or even the conventional auto transmission. However, in the last few years, there are more and more DCT transmission. As I understand, in DCT, the car will automatically put in neutral when the car comes to complete halt. That said, there is no need for driver to manually put to neutral, just let the car's computer do the job.
I blew a front tire in an old Plymouth years ago: trust me, you do not want to experience a front tire blow out on the highway - do not overinflate your tires, its not worth your life.
Wonderful! Though I am anticipating for one, and your information will go along way to help me enjoy it. Thanks
Speed Limits out on the highway here is 100Km/hr. I of course go over that in my current car which is a Dodge Charger R/T. Thanks to all your videos and other streamers too I very decided on getting a Rav 4 Hybrid. Past few years my car has been costing me and is a hog on gas, lol. Hoping this will help me change my driving habits also.
You are a godsend to car enthusiasts. This is a over the top information.
This is golden advise for Hybrid owners. A followup hybrid question for those who work from home and during these COVID-19 quarantine and lockdown situations. Is it detrimental to hybrid battery for families that just do a 20 minute driving once a week (grocery runs)? Thank you brother.
Grocery runs every week around 5 mile drives is enough to keep things taken care of for your hybrid. Long term storage for months at a time is the issue
@@TheCarCareNut Wonderful. Thank you!
Many applies to Honda’s hybrid too. Hope to see your videos on Honda hybrids!
thanks for the tip about the fan and filter by the back seat!!!! Hugeeeeee!!!!
Hey, thanks for this great video. Very informative content. I am looking to buy Highlander Hybrid 2022 but learned about people having wind noise issues at medium to high speeds. I was wondering if you could create some content regarding that and how to resolved such issues if could not be resolved by dealerships. Thanks
It's so important, like he said, to not overdo it on tire pressure. The pressure stamped onto the tire is the maximum amount of pressure the tire is designed to withstand for an extended period. Tire pressure goes up as the tire gets hotter, not only with weather but also as they go down the road and take corners. Tires gain 1 psi for every 10 degrees the temperature goes up.
I used to believe them (the direction on the side door) until my highlander 2016 hybrid limited manufacture tire got only 27k miles the side gone left a lot the middle. This new set I put 40 psi. now odo read 45k still 3/8 even.
@@Cinplaim Classic case. If the sides are worn, underinflated. If the center's gone, overinflated.
The hybrids planetary/ring gears allow the engine to permanently engage with the electric motor. During the transition between engine off and running states, the torque transfer could cause the car to rock and move, so neutral gear is designed to decouple both drive trains. So when your car is in Park, the engine is actually "in-gear" to charge the battery through the motor.
That's why they designed the e-brake and brake hold as a convenience feature.
Never overinflate the tires
Never cover air vents that cool internal battery
Never speed over 90mph in your car
Never leave car in neutral for a long time
Never block Radiator with an object
Never overfill your car with heavy items
Your videos are amazing as always! Thanks for sharing your wisdom!
Thank you so much!!! I learned a lot sir!! Much appreciated !
Great video.
A side point to confirm what you said about not putting cardboard in front of the radiator.
My 2017 Prius had a check engine light on because a small rock got stuck in the radiator shutter keeping it open. So yes no need to put cardboard covering the radiator the cooling system has shutters and if they don't work the car will let you know.
The neutral position was an eye opener. I’ve gotten that message about putting it in park when I go through a car wash snd I have to shift it in neutral; didn’t realize how close to damaging the battery I was in.
Hello.... do you have an episode discussing what mode to use ... like when do you use normal mode, eco mode, or power mode?
Hi! That’s an upcoming video very soon.
Thank you for all your informative videos on Toyota vehicles! What are your thoughts on periodically maintaining the hybrid battery by discharging and charging using external dischargers and chargers to restore lost capacity and extend battery life?
It’s not recommended by Toyota/Lexus, but I think it has value. I’ve owned 5 older Toyota/Lexus hybrids with NiMH batteries and do my own battery maintenance and rebuilding. But be safe! Don’t do it yourself if you don’t know what you’re doing. But you weren’t asking me, perhaps the Car Care Nut will chime in?
Thank you so much for great tips. I inflate front at 36 and back at 35. Recommended front for my tires is 34 and back 33. Is that ok?
Hi! Yes that should be ok. When these tires warm up completely they’ll be close to 40 psi which is well below most tires maximum pressure.
You said previously to change the oil, to not neglect that. ...just a friendly reminder of your own advice. Thank you for the basic advices throughout. It's Good reinforcement, Reminders, and an ego boost when in intellectual distress about one's own d.i.y. work.
I have talked with Toyota about my 2018 Highlander Hybrid. They say that there aren't any filtesr that I need to change or clean for the Hybrid battery compartment, is this true? Love your channel! May the Lord bless you and keep you.
Hi bro thanks for detailed information in your videos 👍by the way hand jester and the accent tells me you are an assyrian ✝️
Have to disagree with you about tire pressure, on several points.
1) The pressure number printed on the sidewall is not actually the max pressure, it's the pressure recommended for maximum wight load on the tire. In other words, if you are going to load the car to the maximum tire weight capacity, this is the recommended pressure. Very different concept. This value is always higher than the car manufacturer's recommended pressure.
2) My commute involves a lot of curvy roads. My tires always wore excessively on the edges. Since I started inflating them higher, I've never had a wear problem.
3) Inflating tires higher does increase stopping distance, but it decreases the likelihood of your tire coming off the rim on an aggressive turn, like you might need to do to steer clear of an accident. A Highway Patrol officer shared this with me -- he always inflates his tires higher.
So, how high do I recommend? I agree with you that 80 or 100 PSI in a tire rated at 44 or 51 is not a good idea. I usually go about 10% lower than the max load pressure rating on the sidewall. If the tire says 44, I go with 40. If it says 51, I go with 45. Yes it's a bumpier ride, but I'll take the gas mileage, thank you very much.
Thank you for your comment. I understand your point. Going 10% under is reasonable and I can see the benefits of it in your case. The point in this video is to stop going 80-100 psi to get better gas mileage.
When you mention over inflating tires. I thought you would mention 2-3 more psi... Wow can't believe people put over 30% more air then they should. I've seen people at gas station stick the hose and trust the broken guage
Have you done a video explaining all of the different noises that Toyota hybrids make in their different modes of operation?....Our 2022 Toyota Highlander Hybrid makes several revving noises when sitting still that I cannot find explained...?? Also, can you do a show explaining the different displays showing operation between the gas engine and hybrid system, charging system, etc.... ? ..Thanks for all the great information you provide.
A warning that you missed … don’t run out of gas! I had this happen on my ‘05. I got a fill immediately but had to go to dealer for a reset. So, the same ‘05 benefitted in the winter from cardboard in front of radiator, and using a block heater , from Toyota Canada. Sadly this year the ‘05 died, the assembly holding the rear wheels rusted through. Too expensive an too many miles to repair. Now have an ‘18 Prime. What an improvement! Except no storage, and I do not like not having a spare.
Issue #7 - Not replacing the 12V battery on a regular basis. For the best performance you should replace the 12V battery every 3 years. The car startup system depends on the voltage in the 12V battery and it will fail to start up the electronics correctly if there is less than 12V in the battery. If you live in a hot climate it is even more critical.
If the computer is regulating it smartly you should be able to get a lot more than 3 years out of it.
this is nonsense, my stock 12v battery lasted a whopping 11 years and never in that time did I witness any degradation of performance nor loss of fuel economy
One went out in 40 degree weather
Thank you for a great tutorial! Keep up the good work!
Hi I'm very happy I found you're channel. Great knottier got are sharing! Where is the battery can located in the 2020 RAV4 hybrid?
It’s underneath the back seat towards the passenger side
I'm very confused by over inflating tires. In my personal experience 10 years of driving. I have always found that I get the best mileage when I inflate my tires as close to the manufacture spec. Any lower or any higher will not save you anything. In the winter add a couple extra pounds of pressure. Most rear drive cars will have a different tire pressure recommended for the back. In this case do what the owners manual recommends.
Thanks for what you say on this channel. Having never considered a Prius, I’m driving one on hire currently and am thinking that when I can I would like to buy one. Love the design, mpg and the low maintenance.
I have never exceeded the pressure listed on the tire.
Thanks
lmao i guess i’m so addicted to tiktok that i double tapped it to like it 😂
Could you please explain (perhaps in a future video) when and when not to use EV mode. Is it best to have it on all the time and let it disengage or leave it off and let the ecu determine? I wonder if there is any disadvantages of having it in ev mode to the battery long term.
In particular to the 4th gen highlanders
Hi. Unless the car is a plug-in Hybrid it's not a good idea to over-use EV mode as you probably find the ICE has to kick in to charge the Hybrid battery. EV mode is designed to be used as a quiet getaway feature, for instance, if you're leaving early morning and don't want to disturb the neighbors or you need to have zero emissions, like in an enclosed space. I have though used it when hypermiling but only when the HV battery is full and then I will skim about 50% off the battery. this can have a second advantage in that if the HV battery is completely full you have nowhere to store energy and so skimming a bit of gives you some storage capacity. I have to say though unless your coming down a mountain this rarely happens
Ev mode in a prius is only useful if the engine is warm and you just started it to move in your driveway. The car wont allow ev mode if not fully warmed up and will disengage at stupid low speed like 12mph. In normal mode the car will automatically go into ev when it wants to.
Crazy! When you said don’t over inflate your tires I was thinking maybe 20-25% over spec, not 100 psi, that’s insane.