Repair Guides

Real fixes from real ownership. Difficulty, cost, and parts — all in one place.

🟢 Easy — Anyone can do it 🟡 Medium — Some experience needed 🔴 Hard — Research thoroughly first

Diagnostics

📟

Clear Engine Fault Codes (OBD2)

A $15 Bluetooth adapter and a free app is all you need. Step-by-step guide including the P0420 catalytic converter code that shows up every few months on high-mileage Priuses.

Easy

Electrical & Instrument

📺

Main Display Screen Goes Dark

Car drives fine but the MFD touchscreen is completely off. A 2-minute fuse reset (jumper 15 / DOME) fixes this more often than not.

Easy
🎛️

Combination Meter (Instrument Cluster)

Speedometer drops to 0 while driving. Fuel gauge stuck. Odometer frozen. A capacitor repair can save you $400+ over dealer replacement.

Medium

Hybrid System

🔋

Hybrid Battery Pack

Red triangle, HV battery warning, power loss. The biggest repair most Gen 2 owners will face — but it's not always as expensive as you think.

Hard
💧

Inverter Coolant Pump

One of the best preventive repairs you can do. This $80 pump keeps your inverter alive. Replacing it proactively costs less than one hour of tow fees.

Easy

Tires

🛞

Tire Replacements

17 years, 250,000+ miles, six sets of tires. Real costs, real mileage, and a full price comparison from South Florida ownership.

Easy

Body & Exterior

🪟

Window Weatherstrip

The rubber falls off after 10 years of Florida sun. All 4 OEM part numbers in one place — because the original video guide disappeared from the internet.

Easy

Lighting

💡

Headlight Bulb Replacement

No tools needed. The push-down-then-forward trick everyone misses the first time. Bulb recommendations and YouTube guides.

Easy

Brakes

🛑

ABS Actuator

ABS, VSC, and brake lights all on at once — the "3 amigos." The actuator pump runs constantly and drains the battery. Dealer wants $1,500. There are better options.

Hard

Maintenance

🔌

12V Auxiliary Battery

When it dies, the car is completely dead — no dash, no locks, nothing. Replace every 3–5 years (sooner in hot climates). Also covers disconnecting to reset error codes and surviving long trips.

Easy

More Guides Coming

This is a living document. Additional guides for spark plugs, oil consumption, and rear hatch latch are planned. Fork the repo and contribute yours.
✴️

Spark Plugs — Coming Soon

Required every 60k miles. Iridium plugs only. The job is straightforward but requires care with the coil connectors.

Easy