[Flip]

My TCH has 101,000 miles and Toyota suggests changing this fluid. Has anyone out there had this done? $330. Is it necessary?

[jdenenberg]

There are two independent coolant loops and getting all of the air bubbles out is problematic. That is why it is more than twice as expensive than one may be used to and yes you should do it unless you don't like your car. It is called for again in 50,000 miles.

JeffD

[stefano5777]

It should be done Every 50k if not more often and is not that difficult to do. 300 dollars is way to much money to spend. I purchased TSLLC from dealer for 23.99 and took me 20 minutes to do. System for all Toyota's are very similar. My local shop here charges 89.95 to change inverter coolant.
I would recommend Trying some local shops.

[HighDesertHybrids]

Wow, $330? Utterly outrageous! It can be tricky to bleed the air out, but this is the perfect application for a UView AirLift.

[Ed_T]

stefano, did you do both the engine and inverter yourself? I would be interested in those processes, as mine in closing in on 90k miles.

thanks,Ed

[Mckenzie500]

Flip said:

My TCH has 101,000 miles and Toyota suggests changing this fluid. Has anyone out there had this done? $330. Is it necessary?

Changing the fuel is must for 100,000 miles, but 300 dollars charge.. I won't take it...

[tumbleweed]

stefano5777 said:

It should be done Every 50k if not more often and is not that difficult to do. 300 dollars is way to much money to spend. I purchased TSLLC from dealer for 23.99 and took me 20 minutes to do. System for all Toyota's are very similar. My local shop here charges 89.95 to change inverter coolant.
I would recommend Trying some local shops.

Please excuse my ignorance, but what is a TSLLC? and why do dealers charge so much for changing the inverter coolant? My prius has 52K miles on it and I was just going to pull the drain plug out let it drain and put in some new coolant, apparently it's more complex than that.

Also what kind of coolant do you use, I know it's a 50/50 mix of distilled water and antifreeze that meets the spec listed in the owners manual. But what brand are you using, Toyota, Prestone, Peak, etc?

[HighDesertHybrids]

TSLLC == Toyota Super Long Life Coolant. Costs about $22/gallon. It is a premix 50/50, and pink. Using other coolant is not recommended, and will provide cause to void the warranty on the inverter and transaxle. I always bleed it (this is the complicated part) using an AirLift, but supposedly it is not to hard to follow the factory service manual. You don't really need to change this until 100,000 miles. It should be a $125 or less service at a dealership.

[GeorgiaHybrid]

It also helps if you have a buddy with a bi-directional scan tool that can run the inverter pump in test mode to help bleed the system. I will be doing mine with a "how to" written up on here in another 6,000 miles or so (at 94,000 now) but it does not take that long to do. If you have access to something like a Snap-on Modis, Verus or Solus or a factory scan tool, the following will get it done quickly

1) Remove the inverter reserve tank cap
2) Go under the car and using a 10mm hex, remove the inverter coolant drain plug.
3) IMPORTANT !!! Measure the amount you drain out. You need to put at least that much back in (or a little more).
4) Install the drain plug and torque to 29 ft/lbs.
5) Fill the reserve tank.
6) Hook up the scan tool of choice, go to your system test area and do an active test of the inverter water pump.
7) Keep adding coolant to the reserve tank as the pump pulls it thru the system to bleed the air out.
8) Keep the coolant level between full and low while the test is running.
9) When the system will not take any more coolant and you have added at least as much as you drained out, the system has finished bleeding the air out of the inverter lines.
10) stop the inverter pump test
11) Replace the inverter reserve tank cap.
12) Go buy yourself a nice 6 pack of your choice, sit back and savor how you just saved $300.

Edit: The system will hold just over 3 quarts of coolant and the same coolant work for the engine and the inverter.

[rhcev6]

Does anyone know which scan tool can do advanced functions like this as well as reading codes like HV battery temp and voltages? I am at 120K now and just heard about this so I am probably overdue and need to get this done ASAP. At this point I am wondering what else I am behind on.

GeorgiaHybrid said:

It also helps if you have a buddy with a bi-directional scan tool that can run the inverter pump in test mode to help bleed the system. I will be doing mine with a "how to" written up on here in another 6,000 miles or so (at 94,000 now) but it does not take that long to do. If you have access to something like a Snap-on Modis, Verus or Solus or a factory scan tool, the following will get it done quickly

1) Remove the inverter reserve tank cap
2) Go under the car and using a 10mm hex, remove the inverter coolant drain plug.
3) IMPORTANT !!! Measure the amount you drain out. You need to put at least that much back in (or a little more).
4) Install the drain plug and torque to 29 ft/lbs.
5) Fill the reserve tank.
6) Hook up the scan tool of choice, go to your system test area and do an active test of the inverter water pump.
7) Keep adding coolant to the reserve tank as the pump pulls it thru the system to bleed the air out.
8) Keep the coolant level between full and low while the test is running.
9) When the system will not take any more coolant and you have added at least as much as you drained out, the system has finished bleeding the air out of the inverter lines.
10) stop the inverter pump test
11) Replace the inverter reserve tank cap.
12) Go buy yourself a nice 6 pack of your choice, sit back and savor how you just saved $300.

Edit: The system will hold just over 3 quarts of coolant and the same coolant work for the engine and the inverter.