I just uploaded a video that builds on Wayne's, by adding an improved wire relocation method, and heater core replacement tutorial. Thanks, Wayne, for documenting your work so well! The additional video is at ruclips.net/video/lK71ZTVzCWU/видео.html
As witnessed in my video, the wiring harness procedure is not clear. @a26097t has created and shared an alternative method for handling this issue, one that does not require disconnecting all connectors. In addition to this, they have also included information regarding heater core replacement. Be sure to check out their video for additional help!
This young man clearly knows what he's doing. I have been working on cars for over 30 years but I have had to do no evaporators fortunately. I own a Gen 2 Prius and I have a very small leak and have to top off my refrigerant maybe once a month in the summer and I worry it's coming from the evaporator. This is an absolutely awesome video from someone that clearly knows what they're doing and knows exactly how this car comes apart. Kudos to this young man for his knowledge and expertise and the ability to put together such a great video. I think I'm going to let mine keep leaking and top it off when it needs it. LOL
Same here, but once per year. I think my low side schrader valve was getting hung up and I just re-seated it after yesterdays charge. If it goes warm again next summer, I'm with you...I'll keep recharging it!! Enjoy!
Sir, thanks to your excellent instruction, I have completed the EVAP swap! It was challenging, but doable. I don't think that I would have attempted it without your guidance. Thanks for your noble sacrifice for our benefit! After everything was buttoned up, my first connection with the car was flashing emergency lights. I wondered why. But, quickly noticed that I had pressed the emergency flasher button when installing that component. Will add more of my experience later. Just wanted to get back with you ASAP
I will be living in my 2004 Prius in the next 3 months, and with summers as hot as they’ve been, I really won’t be able to survive without working AC. Any work that needs to be done on my car, I’ll have to do myself. So, I *deeply* appreciate the detail you put into this video. I will be following it virtually frame by frame - even before taking anything apart, just to label several dozen paper cups with the locations of the screws they’ll contain! 🤣 So, thank you for all the hard work you put into making this video. It’s the best I’ve found, and your help means more to me than I can put into words. Wish me luck. 🙏🏻😌🍁
This vid was invaluable, not only on disassembly but making sure everything was back in place. If I had had to take it apart again because I forgot a connector or something I probably would have just driven the car off a cliff.
All us prius enthusiasts love a good DIY video because we keep our cars so long. Videos like this are key. Thanks for the video! I'll be replacing mine today!
I have watched a lot of repair videos as pretty much everything I have learned came from online. This is the best camera work I can remember seeing. Beyond excellent work. Thanks
I was finally able to get the evaporator changed out after watching your video for countless hours! Thank you so much for taking the time to make the video and explaining the process. Took me a little over 10 hours to complete.
Wayne, I really appreciate you spending the time to produce this repair video. I just got finished removing the A/C Evap and getting ready to start reassembly. I have removed that dash is several cars in my line of side work, but this one had me a little nervous until you produced this.
You’re very welcome! Yeah, it’s quite bizarre the way they designed it. I’m sure there are worse cars out there though, so I won’t complain too much lol.
Wayne, @ 12.38 minutes into your video you talked about the commentator ring, is that component limited in the number of turns it can rotate? I lost my zip tie and it spun around a few times
It is limited in its movement, yes. A typical way to re-find center is to turn it clockwise until it stops, then count the revolutions as you turn it counterclockwise, until it stops again. Take the amount of counted turns, divide it by two, then turn it back clockwise by that amount. That is roughly center, and 90% of the time it works without issue.
Got confirmation my ac evaporator is leaking after 17 years. Wayne - this is a superb video that painstakingly shows every disconnect point with commentary. I now know what I'm doing the last week in December. Thanxs Muchly!
Great job Fixaday! Very impressed how detailed step by step video tutorial you created. You diffiantly an awesome instructor I wish more RUclipsr are like you. Well done
I was finally able to complete this repair and my a/c system is holding a vacuum and my car is one piece working good again! Thanks for making this. One thing I discovered was it was possible to get the HVAC unit out without removing the bar. I had to disconnect the bar from the frame, to move it out, but I was able with my wife's help to maneuver it out without having to complete disconnect the wiring harness.
I am going to try this tomorrow. I have a parts car and am just going to swap the heat/ac box. Later I may replace the evap core as this car ate a compresssor and there was fine grit throughout.
Hi. Thank you so much for this video. My 2005 Prius lost AC pressure and I had it re-gassed with dye. That lasted about 8 months and then the AC guy said he suspected a leak in the evaporator. I bought an endoscope and fed it in via the drain tube in the footwell and after a lot of fiddling I was able to see evidence of green dye. I bought a genuine evaporator and expansion valve and used your video to remove the entire dash. Note: I peeled off the black putty on the old expansion valve and put onto new one. No idea what it does. I was able to remove the AC box form under dash without disconnecting the steering linkage and so that saved a bit of time. My evaporator core was 50% covered with oil impregnated fluff. I cleaned the blower fan blades at the same time. Installation was harder as I had not taken photos of each fastener and where they go. I had one problem, there was an extra connector coming off the ODB wire harness and I could not find where it went so assumed it was a spare connector for ODB. Well when I started the AC (without gas at this time) I soon found that all was not right. The block heaters went on 100% on every setting except maximum cold. I then got out the manual and traced the wire connector back to the internal temperature/humidity sensor. After that it was working fine except I still need it re-gassed. I took it to a Toyota dealer with specific instructions to add 28g oil to make up for what was lost in evaporator as per your video. They explained that they would measure the oil in the system and would add the precise amount of oil required. I guess if you know the volume of the system you can insert a known amount of gas and measure the pressure to determine the oil level. Anyway I forgot to ask them to record how much oil they added and when I asked they service guy afterward he said 28g which I suspect was just what he read from my notes, so I don't know how much was actually added (if any). Having said that it's working well now. So if anyone gets it re-gassed at Toyota, ask them how they will work out how much oil to add and to record how much they add ... and ideally repot back here.
If you did not make this video, I would have not tried this job myself. It took a total of 12 hours from start to finish including vac and charge. I had one casualty, the original center right vent and maybe a couple plastic straps. Appreciate the documentation you did, it enables us to push on these great cars.
You're a trooper! Thanks for sharing this. The A/C is not just a nice thing to have. It's actually a safety feature if the windshield gets foggy inside.
Thank you. My wife has a 2010, AC quit blowing cold, plus my wife said there was a growling noise. So to check I pulled a vacuum and it will not hold. Put in some dye, some oil (correct type) and a can of 134a. AC did blow cold. Looked for leaks and found a puddle under the car at the firewall. It was coming from what looks like a condensation discharge tube that come through the firewall. I'm guessing to drain and condensation from the AC/Heater box. So I'm sure I have an evaporator failure, plus the growling coming from the compressor. After watching your video I thing I'm going to have to let the dealership do this. What a eye opener.
This is a great video! It’s so detailed and informative. I hopped on RUclips to see if I could change mine on my own and save some money. Turns out, I’m gonna have to shell out the labor fees because I don’t think I could put it all back together when I was done! 😂 Great job! Thanks for the video!
Great Video, a couple things I would add, it can be removed by disconnecting the 2 bolts on the steering wheel (to take the weight off) and just lifting the bar about 2 inches and leave the bar and the steering column in the car. I removed the fan blower box first then the evaporator heater core next. One problem I had after I had it all back together still leaked the new evaporator did not come with O rings on it. Just giving a heads up to make sure to check for it. Also when un wrapping the wiring harness my air line extra connector (one with white covering on it) came disconnected from the main line so I had a extra wire I couldnt find a mate to. watching Montys video and then A26097t video I was able to find it. all is good now. Thanks for posting this
So you inspired me to do this on my 2009 prius. It's leaking die from the drain vent so I'm pretty sure it's the evap. core. It took me 6 hours to get to the part. I had issues getting the ac lines disconnected so i ordered a tool. Will let you know how it goes back together. Thanks so much for taking the time to video this. I will reference to put it all back together.
Great video! I've done numerous DIY repairs to all of our vehicles for 40+ years, including repairing and reconditioning my Gen 2 hybrid battery several times (My Gen 2 has 270K miles). Until now, there was no repair that intimidated me or I thought I couldn't handle. What you have just taught me is...... there is NO WAY I would do this repair. I'd rather have no A/C or just junk the thing and then go for a root canal. What a sh*tshow!!.....LOLOL. The funny thing is I just vacuumed and recharged my system yesterday. Producing 40 degrees. I need to do this every summer but I think I found the problem. My Low side schrader valve was getting hung up, so I re-seated it with a screwdriver after I was done charging. And, I am not getting that sweet odor in the cabin....for now. Again, great work and great video!!
LOL..the root canal. That's exactly what I told my wife about the ABS actuator job which I did manage succssfully. It took me 3 years to work up the courage to doing that one, but THIS??? Sorry, but if that day comes I'll have to sell it to a Canadian and spring for the new EV and give up mechanicing...haha My greatest admiration goes to this fine and admirable and heroic gentleman!!! WOW!
Great video. I just subscribed in hope that you male more Prius videos. The good visibility and angles of your shooting, as well as the explanatory simple, narrative makes it possible, even easy, to follow. I believe you could be very successful making this sort of video. You give amateurs like me the realization that these impossible seeming things are, indeed, doable. Please, consider doing more Prius videos. This is truly a valuable public service. Thamk you and best to you and yours.
I am scared to try this. I have done many things to this car, including replacing the inverter converter and replacing the HV module and brake actuator, but I am afraid to tackle this one. An electronic leak detector points to a leaking evap 3 days ago. I recharged the system back then, but it is empty again. I'll have to face the Fl heat for now. I will watch your video a few times until I am fully ready for this. Thank you for the video, though; the very best on this subject.
I know taking the time to film all of this and edit it made an already difficult job even more difficult - thank you so much for taking the time to do this. I have my car apart and have replaced the evaporator core; hopefully reassembly won't be as nightmarish as it seems.
You are awesome man Great job Without any prior information about the I almost opened 80% and after opening 80% I took a break than on the break I saw your video I will be good to do the same thing that you did But the only part that I scare is putting the pipes back with rubber rings on it Don’t know how to make sure all of them are not leaking before I install it back. I have zero experience with those pipes Any way thanks for your video
Thank you for posting this. I just need to replace my HVAC intake motor, but I cannot see how I would get to without pulling everything out unfortunately.
Damn young man, you've got a big set of stones to tackle that job and record it as well. One thing the video taught me was that I'm not going to dive into this on my own, I have the time and tools but I think I'd better pony up and pay the dealer his ransom, Pep Boys didn't even want to mess with this. Thanks for the video.
Thanks! Minimizing the time between having it apart and going back together helps a lot, plus, most of the parts only go together one way. The most important part is the order of operations.
Thank you so much for creating this video! I am 66 years old and I was told by Toyota. There was cost six thousand dollars to fix my car that it is the evap housing box. I watched the majority of the video I did not realize there was so much work to take the panel apart on the inside. How on Earth do you keep up with all of those screws and where they go?😮
I want to thank Wayne for putting together this great video while working on this Super Tedious Job. I really would like to try it but I am really not sure I can do it flawlessly like Wayne. I live in Houston, Texas and I hope I can find someone here to do the job for me. Can anyone help? Thanks in advance.
Great video bro. It's interesting how you took us though every step of the disassembly. I am really impressed. With the right tools and right mindset I am pretty sure I WILL NOT ATTEMPT TO DO IT MYSELF. 😂 I really admire your courage and the fact that you clearly know what you are doing. Though I'll either topup my refrigerant everytime till I am ready to sell the car. Not sure I am confident giving it to my mechanic after what I just saw. Kudos bro.
Thanks for the video, im working on my daughters Pri right now, got it about 1/3 way in. do you have a pdf of the step by step removal? that would be super helpful. great video btw!!
I’m not too worried about the removing part, it’s putting it back together. I don’t think I’ll be able to remember where all those plugs and connectors go. Was it pretty self explanatory when putting it all back together?
i figured taking pictures along the way is THE BEST way to reinstall in same EXACT but oposite order. Alot of things Must be in Specific other (this i dont waste a seccond redoing staff)
I'm thinking of attempting this disassembly, but for the purpose of applying soundproofing directly to the firewall. If I disconnect the refrigerant lines to remove the structure shown in 29:32 , do I need to recharge the AC/refill the refrigerant? If so, is the entire firewall accessible without disconnecting refrigerant lines?
Hello! Yes, the A/C system would need recharged if the lines are removed. If left in place, you can remove the reinforcement frame separately, and that would allow you approximately 30-40% of the firewall to be exposed. You could also possibly remove the blower housing separately, which would allow 60-70% of firewall exposure. I think there were only 1-2 screws securing it to the heater box and two nuts holding it to the firewall, near the bottom.
I’ve done a fair amount on my car, and I have to replace the combination meter and that goofy dash box under the radio but my lord this is daunting. Come help this chick out.
Great video! This helped me so much with getting the evaporator core out. Just a quick question for you, when replacing evap core and expansion valve, I went ahead and ordered some new O-rings and have installed them in the expansion valve and I think there were also some I replaced within the refrigerant line that disconnects out of the firewall with those difficult clamps. My question is this, did you replace the O-rings, and if so did you put some sort of lubricant directly on those O-rings to create a good seal? I am planning to put hybrid compatible refrigerant oil in the system before adding refrigerant so will that lube up the O-rings enough or should I have put some sort of oil direct on those O-rings. Or am I overthinking and will they seal up just fine? Thanks in advance!
I lubed the ones that were easy to get to, but it’s not critical. It’s sort of like a safety net in case there’s any sharp edges or rough surfaces, the lube will give you a better chance of not tearing the o-rings. They don’t lube them during the assembly process at the factory, so consider that.
My only guess would be one of the ECUs on the passenger side has a missing or improperly seated connector. Only a guess though… Need to get codes scanned and see what is at fault
Thanks for nice video I have problem with my 2007 Prius not heating only cold air coming and everything works fine blower motor work ac motor work electric water pump working I can see I have gas on the small glass on the pipe but I noticed there is small pipe coming from core which is drain pipe draping coolant very slowly please help to fix this problem thanks
Hi Wayne! Thanks for the video its been really helpful but I have a question. I just removed sub structure and I’m not brave enough to go further with my current skills. As I only want to replace the evap valve and both actuators, is it possible to replace them without taking out the whole assembly? Also do you have a video for the reinstallation? I know its the reverse of what you’ve done but it would definetely helpful to have a video for that part as well. Thank you and have great day.
Sorry for a late reply, hopefully it’s not too late. You could possibly remove the blower housing on its own, allowing you room to replace the expansion valve and actuators separately. Unfortunately, I do not have an installation video.
Hi mate saw your video thought you might give me some idea on this ….I used crc foam spray to clean my car air vents Prius gen 2… I followed all the instruction, now my car has p lock error, check ac connection error and not going into drive mode engine not kicking in… any views about that? Thanks!
I wonder what would be the best method to keep track of all the screws and bolts you take off from all the parts during disassembling. I am thinking about bagging each part with its screws or bolts in case I loose track of them. Wayne, Do you have any thoughts on this?
Do you think it is possible to replace just the expansion valve without removing the entire dashboard? Is it possible to remove this part with the blower and the cabin filter without disassembling everything?
Yes. The blower housing and ECUs must be removed, but they can be removed separately from the evaporator housing and dash structure. The service manual states you’ll need to remove the dash sub assembly (the large black “skeleton” seen in the video), but I don’t see why it would be necessary. They do want you to remove the fresh air duct, so that might be why, or else its to allow enough space to remove the blower housing. I think you could work around complete removal though.
I attempted this with my Prius. Unfortunately my ABS and brake lights are on and the door locks don’t work trying to figure out what my best options are…. But my ac blows great cold air :)
This video is invaluable and very appreciated. I'm working through the repair right now. One thing I'm discovering is getting the a/c lines disconnected requires a special tool or some improvising. The a/c lines disconnect under the hood by the firewall. Hopefully that's where I'm supposed to unhook them, but if I'm wrong I'll find out soon. There's a clamp on the high and low lines holding them in place. This video helped my understand how to open them: ruclips.net/video/EFWOPu-WbwI/видео.html Basically get an eye glass repair kit flat head screw driver from dollar tree or something similarly sturdy and narrow, find the holes closest together and push in them till the A/C line clamp opens. You only have to push in one hole.
Not sure. If it comes with a straw to send it up through the drain tube, that would be the recommended way. The only other way I can think of is through where the cabin air filter goes, and only while the blower is running to prevent puddling. I don’t recommend that method though since it’s a foaming cleaner.
Wayne.- how many times have you done this? I'm thinking about tackling it this fall/winter as a project. I believe the last time I added freon I could audibly hear a hissing so i'm pretty sure the evap is toast! Thanks for the video!
Just a quick question, where did you put the Hybrid air con oil when you put back the evaporator (pour it in the evaporator or expansion valve) ??? thanks
thank you so much for making this i just bought a prius and the ac only kinda works and im pretty sure thats the problem. Do you have a auto repair back ground? Do you know how safe the air bags are when removed?
No problem, I’m glad it was useful! I have ~9 years personal experience, 1 year at a dealership, and 1.5 years at a technical school. Disconnecting the battery ensures no communication with the airbag modules. The only risk of detonation after that point is static electricity or any electrical source connected to the airbag’s terminals. Static still presents a low chance of detonation, but it’s recommended to use a grounding strap during removal. Alternatively...just be careful and don’t touch the connector pins or bump them into anything and you’ll be fine 😉 Lastly is basic safety, always place the base of the airbag down when storing. This ensures that during an accidental/unintended detonation, the entire airbag module doesn’t become a projectile. Think of an exploding balloon and a baking sheet: if the sheet is under the balloon, it doesn’t go anywhere; whereas if the sheet is on top of the balloon, it will fly away.
Hey csn youbtell me how long the service calls for? Ibam about tonbe tackling this job and am confident in doing so but dont know the exact hours i will need to get the job done. And replaced.
As an avid DIYer this repair makes me want to die! lol Last week i replaced the blower motor on my prius and after words my car stopped blowing cool air so i took it to the shop and just watched a ton of gas poor out of what looked like the interior of the car, dude at the shop slammed the hood grumbled evap coil and told me they could'nt work on it cause "hybrid". At first i thought maybe i tightened down a bolt to hard on the blower fan with the impact and some how punctured the coil but looking at your video i dont think that is any where near it and i didnt smell the anti freeze smell you described at all or hear anything pressurized being punctured.
True, I don't think the blower could of had anything to do with it. However, the incident that caused the blower to fail might be related to the evaporator failure. In the end of the video I briefly showed where a mouse had chewed a hole through my fresh air door. When I first got the car it had a slight mouse odor, the previous owner told me the car had sat for a while since they bought a new one. Well, that's where the mouse went. I'm almost certain it was mouse urine that corroded the evaporator to the point of leakage.
Sir, at 30:44 you opined that you could have removed the bar before removing the unit from the vehicle. Since I'm almost 80, I want to conserve as much energy as possible. Question: if I remove the bar while in car, is it possible to remove only the rt side containing the EVAP core as a single assembly rather than both sides held together by the bar? Also, I must compliment you on your writing ability. You write very well! Compliments to you, your parents, and/or teachers!
You can certainly remove the bar prior to removing the housing, it sheds ~12 lbs from the assembly, which makes it much easier to handle. As far as removing only the evaporator housing thereafter, the bolts at 30:10 and 31:00 need removed. Due to how the evaporator case is fitted to the firewall, there may not be enough space to wiggle the case away from the blower housing. However, you could possibly remove the blower housing first, then the evaporator housing, assuming you could get to that lower, rear screw. It’s near the drain tube. Thank you for your compliment! I didn’t do well in grade school, but for some strange reason English and grammar stuck pretty good! 🙂
Hey dude. I know this is a long shot but I got my 2005 prous all the way back together and hooked the battery back up. The lights, and locks work. But if I insert the key (I have 2 keys) the power button does not illuminate and nothing happens. Any idea? Is there an antitheft on a base model? I put my charger on the 12 volt. I did nothing with the hv battery.
I can’t recall the power button having an illumination with only the key inserted, but it did go to amber/green once turned on. However, with it not turning on, it’s possible that the power button or key receptacle wasn’t connected properly or something like that. There is an anti-theft, I’m not sure how it would work on a base model but if I remember correctly with mine, if the key wasn’t present, a yellow key indicator would light up on the cluster when I pressed the power button. I sold the car about a month ago, so unfortunately I can’t go test it for you.
@@fixaday thanks for responding. I looked at it again. The word pwr is actually back lit but when pressed nothing happens. The small light on the button doesn't turn on. I dread trying to figure this out.
I’m not sure what could of happened, but I would start with checking fuses. There’s one panel under the hood and one to the left of the steering column. In addition to that, on the positive terminal of the 12v battery is a white connector that is the main power for most of the modules, I’d make sure it didn’t come unplugged. There are also a couple fuses in the block that it connects to, I would check those too. If all fuses are good, there may be a harness ground that got left off.
Hey man! Sorry to bother you. Like yours, my bolts that go through the expansion valve and into the evaporator core were extremely rusty and rough looking (seen about 36:54 here) - one of them refused to go in when I was reassembling, so I idiotically drove it in with an impact driver. Unsurprisingly, after reassembly, the system is not holding a vacuum, or even really pulling a vacuum at all. Do you think forcing that bolt in is the reason for that? I know I shouldn't have forced it in, I was just so tired of dealing with the whole thing at that point. Moment of weakness. I'll probably have to redo the replacement, but the thought of that is pretty horrendous. Edit: I actually bought an expansion valve to also replace at the time, but did not end up replacing it because I wasn't sure what the black substance stretching over the top was, the replacement part did not have that, and I wasn't sure how important it was or where to obtain that to put on the new piece
Ouch, that is unfortunate; but I can totally empathize with you about the frustration when you’re that deep into a project like this. Assuming you got the two line connections at the firewall back together and your manifold set is in good working order, it’s likely that questionable connection. Fortunately you can drill/tap it to a new size or use a thread insert, but that does suck. I think what happened was the bolt never bottomed out/clamped the hold down plate. You could try connecting an air compressor to your manifold set and hop inside to listen for hissing. About the black goo, I’m not 100% sure what it is either, but I suspect some type of insulation for thermal performance or noise.
@@fixaday good thoughts, thank you so much for taking the time for such a informative response. Emotions can be pretty dumb, right? Obviously, when you're that deep in a project, the last thing you should be doing is something that will make you risk having to repeat it, but oh well. When you replaced your expansion valve, did you transfer the black substance/did your new one come with it pre-applied?
No problem! Yeah, it happens to everyone! It’s just a natural sign to step back and take a quick break 😉 Really hard to step back sometimes though. I actually encountered the same scenario as you: the new valve didn’t have it. I weighed my options and decided not to replace it. Expansion valve failures are pretty uncommon, and since mine was working fine before, it would just be another variable to replace it. It was a gamble for sure, but sometimes new parts are a gamble too. Your results may vary 🤷♂️
@@fixaday You're absolutely right. And ha! I appreciate that we both had the same exact thought process and end decision looking at the new and old expansion valves. Exactly why I didn't replace mine in the end.
@Brandon F I don’t off the top of my head. With current prices, I would guess around $175. You have to be careful not to get overcharged by a shop however. It’s a simple vacuum/recharge, if they try to claim it’s different because it’s a hybrid, either take it somewhere else or show them the sticker under the hood, it’s nothing special besides the oil type.
I'm not sure my Prius is worth this much trouble, I have oil coming out my heater box condensation line, I assume it is the evaporator. I've already rebuilt the hybrid battery once and it's still solid after 3 years, I know that the AC is life and death thing for the Prius in 90+ degree weather. I assume I have to go through with this deep of a fix if oil is coming out the condensation line. I bought my Prius new, it has just under 160kmi on it. I might get a newer plug in hybrid and keep the Prius for cooler days and winter which it excels at with snow tires. It can't sit too long though for hybrid battery life. Decisions decisions...
@@fixaday just started taking mine apart last night. Spent hour and a half trying not to break all this plastic. Air vents are so brittle and the upper glove box is almost a lost cause. Lol
Yeah, those were pretty frustrating with how brittle they were. I removed them on a different Prius before and things went flawlessly, like they were very strong; but on the car in the video...more brittle than glass.
@@fixadayHey so I just did this job and I'm in a real bad spot. I've lost track of where three plugs go and even after disassembling the dash AGAIN and rewatching your video a couple of times I'm not seeing where I messed up. Any chance you could be of any assistance? Great video by the way, very helpful in making this project manageable.
First wire, white one near arm brace, does not plug into anything (verified by taking apart by second prius). Second wire, ? - maybe down into the wiring box behind the steel plate/dimmer switch. Third wire, Black one at bottom, goes into the back of the air sensor - next to the white flex pipe. @@4125tech
@@fixaday Sir, you are a great teacher and a great human being! Thanks so much for showing us how to do this. I am interested in the couplings at the firewall. Special tools required for that? Frankly, I wasn't sure that I would have to do this job until you mentioned the smell. I've got that and no AC! I'm a very old dude. But, you gave me confidence. Will let you know what happens.
No problem! All things considered, this is likely only a 6 hour job. It was 8 for me due to filming. For the connectors, yes, actually, there is a special tool. Most auto parts stores sell it for ~$15, but It’s not completely necessary, I just used a pick. You can search “Unlock Toyota A/C Lines” on RUclips and there are many helpful videos on how they come apart. I look forward to hearing how it goes!
Great video! Two things that slowed down my reinstall. First, the air sensor (ruclips.net/video/QUI0Cm3cx6E/видео.html) has a black power cable that plugs into the back of it. Second, I had a white connector that was not plugged into anything. It came off the large cord to the right of the brace (ruclips.net/video/QUI0Cm3cx6E/видео.html). I eventually took apart my second prius only to find that same connector unplugged in the same spot. Thank you again for recording this - if you are ever in south Georgia, hit me up and I'll buy you lunch!
I also ran into that surplus white connector, I must of searched for 30 minutes looking for its mate to no avail. I ended up taking the risk of moving on. There were no adverse effects, so I'm relieved to hear you've verified its necessity! Glad it helped you!
Wow. That is a ridiculous amount of disassembly to get to the evaporator core. Step one: remove the rear bumper cover… It’s like they started building the car with the evaporator core and built the rest of it around that.
Don't do it. This horrible fate may not be for you. My issue was the A/C but it was not the evaporator core. Screwlership misdiagnosed me and almost charged me the maximum possible of $3533.04 to part replace everything. If the following is true it's not the evaporator core. 1. Use cheap $14 eBay endoscope at Evaporator Core drain to see it's clean. 2. The A/C leak was too sudden. 3. No sweet smell in the car. Caution: Don't let mechanic touch your a/c system with non-electric A/C compressor gauges or oil dye. Toyota Dealer will at least not contaminate the A/C gauges with non-prius refrigerant oil or dye. My issue was a leak on one of the pipes: ruclips.net/video/mupA0GR6QbA/видео.htmlsi=YtwoLUXl3jbcmdRD You can use Alumbond aluminum putty repair kit potentially for my issue or part replace it for $20 at junkyard like I did.
@@Jtacyt It was only a ruptured A/C pipe which caused the refrigerant to leak out. Pipe was rubbing for a long time on a metal bracket and over enough time was able to cut a hole in the pipe with the car's vibration.
I just uploaded a video that builds on Wayne's, by adding an improved wire relocation method, and heater core replacement tutorial. Thanks, Wayne, for documenting your work so well! The additional video is at ruclips.net/video/lK71ZTVzCWU/видео.html
As witnessed in my video, the wiring harness procedure is not clear. @a26097t has created and shared an alternative method for handling this issue, one that does not require disconnecting all connectors. In addition to this, they have also included information regarding heater core replacement. Be sure to check out their video for additional help!
This young man clearly knows what he's doing. I have been working on cars for over 30 years but I have had to do no evaporators fortunately. I own a Gen 2 Prius and I have a very small leak and have to top off my refrigerant maybe once a month in the summer and I worry it's coming from the evaporator. This is an absolutely awesome video from someone that clearly knows what they're doing and knows exactly how this car comes apart. Kudos to this young man for his knowledge and expertise and the ability to put together such a great video. I think I'm going to let mine keep leaking and top it off when it needs it. LOL
Same here, but once per year. I think my low side schrader valve was getting hung up and I just re-seated it after yesterdays charge. If it goes warm again next summer, I'm with you...I'll keep recharging it!! Enjoy!
Yes, it will need replacement at one point. From 1 year to 3 months and suddenly every week
Sir, thanks to your excellent instruction, I have completed the EVAP swap! It was challenging, but doable. I don't think that I would have attempted it without your guidance. Thanks for your noble sacrifice for our benefit!
After everything was buttoned up, my first connection with the car was flashing emergency lights. I wondered why. But, quickly noticed that I had pressed the emergency flasher button when installing that component. Will add more of my experience later. Just wanted to get back with you ASAP
I will be living in my 2004 Prius in the next 3 months, and with summers as hot as they’ve been, I really won’t be able to survive without working AC. Any work that needs to be done on my car, I’ll have to do myself. So, I *deeply* appreciate the detail you put into this video. I will be following it virtually frame by frame - even before taking anything apart, just to label several dozen paper cups with the locations of the screws they’ll contain! 🤣 So, thank you for all the hard work you put into making this video. It’s the best I’ve found, and your help means more to me than I can put into words. Wish me luck. 🙏🏻😌🍁
You got this!!
This vid was invaluable, not only on disassembly but making sure everything was back in place. If I had had to take it apart again because I forgot a connector or something I probably would have just driven the car off a cliff.
All us prius enthusiasts love a good DIY video because we keep our cars so long. Videos like this are key. Thanks for the video! I'll be replacing mine today!
I have watched a lot of repair videos as pretty much everything I have learned came from online. This is the best camera work I can remember seeing. Beyond excellent work. Thanks
I was finally able to get the evaporator changed out after watching your video for countless hours! Thank you so much for taking the time to make the video and explaining the process. Took me a little over 10 hours to complete.
Nice job, glad to hear it was helpful! Now you get to reap the reward of nice, cold AC!
Wayne, I really appreciate you spending the time to produce this repair video. I just got finished removing the A/C Evap and getting ready to start reassembly. I have removed that dash is several cars in my line of side work, but this one had me a little nervous until you produced this.
You’re very welcome! Yeah, it’s quite bizarre the way they designed it. I’m sure there are worse cars out there though, so I won’t complain too much lol.
Wayne, @ 12.38 minutes into your video you talked about the commentator ring, is that component limited in the number of turns it can rotate? I lost my zip tie and it spun around a few times
It is limited in its movement, yes. A typical way to re-find center is to turn it clockwise until it stops, then count the revolutions as you turn it counterclockwise, until it stops again. Take the amount of counted turns, divide it by two, then turn it back clockwise by that amount. That is roughly center, and 90% of the time it works without issue.
Wow, Captain Holt, you got kahunas, and for this you are awarded the Silver Star!! My hero!!
Got confirmation my ac evaporator is leaking after 17 years. Wayne - this is a superb video that painstakingly shows every disconnect point with commentary. I now know what I'm doing the last week in December. Thanxs Muchly!
Well done! Glad you mentioned about the correct oil to use. So many mechanics don't realize its an electric ac pump.
Great job Fixaday! Very impressed how detailed step by step video tutorial you created. You diffiantly an awesome instructor I wish more RUclipsr are like you. Well done
Much appreciated, thank you! Comments like this are the motivation to keep it up 🙂
I was finally able to complete this repair and my a/c system is holding a vacuum and my car is one piece working good again! Thanks for making this.
One thing I discovered was it was possible to get the HVAC unit out without removing the bar. I had to disconnect the bar from the frame, to move it out, but I was able with my wife's help to maneuver it out without having to complete disconnect the wiring harness.
I am going to try this tomorrow. I have a parts car and am just going to swap the heat/ac box. Later I may replace the evap core as this car ate a compresssor and there was fine grit throughout.
Many thanks! A very detailed and professional guide. Great job!!!👍
Hi. Thank you so much for this video. My 2005 Prius lost AC pressure and I had it re-gassed with dye. That lasted about 8 months and then the AC guy said he suspected a leak in the evaporator. I bought an endoscope and fed it in via the drain tube in the footwell and after a lot of fiddling I was able to see evidence of green dye.
I bought a genuine evaporator and expansion valve and used your video to remove the entire dash. Note: I peeled off the black putty on the old expansion valve and put onto new one. No idea what it does. I was able to remove the AC box form under dash without disconnecting the steering linkage and so that saved a bit of time. My evaporator core was 50% covered with oil impregnated fluff. I cleaned the blower fan blades at the same time. Installation was harder as I had not taken photos of each fastener and where they go.
I had one problem, there was an extra connector coming off the ODB wire harness and I could not find where it went so assumed it was a spare connector for ODB. Well when I started the AC (without gas at this time) I soon found that all was not right. The block heaters went on 100% on every setting except maximum cold. I then got out the manual and traced the wire connector back to the internal temperature/humidity sensor. After that it was working fine except I still need it re-gassed.
I took it to a Toyota dealer with specific instructions to add 28g oil to make up for what was lost in evaporator as per your video. They explained that they would measure the oil in the system and would add the precise amount of oil required. I guess if you know the volume of the system you can insert a known amount of gas and measure the pressure to determine the oil level. Anyway I forgot to ask them to record how much oil they added and when I asked they service guy afterward he said 28g which I suspect was just what he read from my notes, so I don't know how much was actually added (if any). Having said that it's working well now.
So if anyone gets it re-gassed at Toyota, ask them how they will work out how much oil to add and to record how much they add ... and ideally repot back here.
If you did not make this video, I would have not tried this job myself. It took a total of 12 hours from start to finish including vac and charge. I had one casualty, the original center right vent and maybe a couple plastic straps. Appreciate the documentation you did, it enables us to push on these great cars.
You're a trooper! Thanks for sharing this. The A/C is not just a nice thing to have. It's actually a safety feature if the windshield gets foggy inside.
Thank you. My wife has a 2010, AC quit blowing cold, plus my wife said there was a growling noise. So to check I pulled a vacuum and it will not hold. Put in some dye, some oil (correct type) and a can of 134a. AC did blow cold. Looked for leaks and found a puddle under the car at the firewall. It was coming from what looks like a condensation discharge tube that come through the firewall. I'm guessing to drain and condensation from the AC/Heater box. So I'm sure I have an evaporator failure, plus the growling coming from the compressor. After watching your video I thing I'm going to have to let the dealership do this. What a eye opener.
This is a great video! It’s so detailed and informative. I hopped on RUclips to see if I could change mine on my own and save some money. Turns out, I’m gonna have to shell out the labor fees because I don’t think I could put it all back together when I was done! 😂 Great job! Thanks for the video!
Excellent video! Thank you for taking the time to document this, step-by-step.
Thank you guy for your lesson.
You did a great job. Your work deserves respect. Good luck. Best regards from Belarus.
I am glad I came across your video. I am about to do the evaporator core replacement on my Prius too. Your video is very helpful!
Great Video, a couple things I would add, it can be removed by disconnecting the 2 bolts on the steering wheel (to take the weight off) and just lifting the bar about 2 inches and leave the bar and the steering column in the car. I removed the fan blower box first then the evaporator heater core next. One problem I had after I had it all back together still leaked the new evaporator did not come with O rings on it. Just giving a heads up to make sure to check for it. Also when un wrapping the wiring harness my air line extra connector (one with white covering on it) came disconnected from the main line so I had a extra wire I couldnt find a mate to. watching Montys video and then A26097t video I was able to find it. all is good now. Thanks for posting this
So you inspired me to do this on my 2009 prius. It's leaking die from the drain vent so I'm pretty sure it's the evap. core. It took me 6 hours to get to the part. I had issues getting the ac lines disconnected so i ordered a tool. Will let you know how it goes back together. Thanks so much for taking the time to video this. I will reference to put it all back together.
I’m glad you found it helpful!
Bro this is commitment. 10/10 video, 10/10 information. Appreciate this
Great video! I've done numerous DIY repairs to all of our vehicles for 40+ years, including repairing and reconditioning my Gen 2 hybrid battery several times (My Gen 2 has 270K miles). Until now, there was no repair that intimidated me or I thought I couldn't handle. What you have just taught me is...... there is NO WAY I would do this repair. I'd rather have no A/C or just junk the thing and then go for a root canal. What a sh*tshow!!.....LOLOL. The funny thing is I just vacuumed and recharged my system yesterday. Producing 40 degrees. I need to do this every summer but I think I found the problem. My Low side schrader valve was getting hung up, so I re-seated it with a screwdriver after I was done charging. And, I am not getting that sweet odor in the cabin....for now. Again, great work and great video!!
LOL..the root canal. That's exactly what I told my wife about the ABS actuator job which I did manage succssfully. It took me 3 years to work up the courage to doing that one, but THIS??? Sorry, but if that day comes I'll have to sell it to a Canadian and spring for the new EV and give up mechanicing...haha My greatest admiration goes to this fine and admirable and heroic gentleman!!! WOW!
Great video. I just subscribed in hope that you male more Prius videos. The good visibility and angles of your shooting, as well as the explanatory simple, narrative makes it possible, even easy, to follow. I believe you could be very successful making this sort of video. You give amateurs like me the realization that these impossible seeming things are, indeed, doable. Please, consider doing more Prius videos. This is truly a valuable public service. Thamk you and best to you and yours.
Excellent job on the video Wayne.
I am scared to try this. I have done many things to this car, including replacing the inverter converter and replacing the HV module and brake actuator, but I am afraid to tackle this one. An electronic leak detector points to a leaking evap 3 days ago. I recharged the system back then, but it is empty again. I'll have to face the Fl heat for now. I will watch your video a few times until I am fully ready for this. Thank you for the video, though; the very best on this subject.
Thanks!
Very good video, knowledge and explanation along the way. Well done!
Excellent Video. Thank you. And you should do more! Super useful and informative.
I know taking the time to film all of this and edit it made an already difficult job even more difficult - thank you so much for taking the time to do this. I have my car apart and have replaced the evaporator core; hopefully reassembly won't be as nightmarish as it seems.
Hi How was the reassembly process? I am sure it is tedious especially with all the brittle plastic parts
@@chenzhu4737 It was not a great time, but it's certainly doable, especially if you aren't in a rush.
You are awesome man
Great job
Without any prior information about the I almost opened 80% and after opening 80% I took a break than on the break I saw your video
I will be good to do the same thing that you did
But the only part that I scare is putting the pipes back with rubber rings on it
Don’t know how to make sure all of them are not leaking before I install it back. I have zero experience with those pipes
Any way thanks for your video
Thank you for posting this. I just need to replace my HVAC intake motor, but I cannot see how I would get to without pulling everything out unfortunately.
Great resource for anyone considering this project! Good job!! Thanks for putting this up here. Earned a new sub. 👍
Awesome video. Very informative. Keep making videos.
Damn young man, you've got a big set of stones to tackle that job and record it as well. One thing the video taught me was that I'm not going to dive into this on my own, I have the time and tools but I think I'd better pony up and pay the dealer his ransom, Pep Boys didn't even want to mess with this. Thanks for the video.
you did a great job my friend . man how do you remember how to put it back. congrats
Thanks! Minimizing the time between having it apart and going back together helps a lot, plus, most of the parts only go together one way. The most important part is the order of operations.
Thanks for tye video. You gave me the encouragement I needed to takle this job.
Thank you so much for creating this video! I am 66 years old and I was told by Toyota. There was cost six thousand dollars to fix my car that it is the evap housing box.
I watched the majority of the video I did not realize there was so much work to take the panel apart on the inside. How on Earth do you keep up with all of those screws and where they go?😮
You're a better man than I am, Gunga Din!
I want to thank Wayne for putting together this great video while working on this Super Tedious Job. I really would like to try it but I am really not sure I can do it flawlessly like Wayne. I live in Houston, Texas and I hope I can find someone here to do the job for me. Can anyone help? Thanks in advance.
Excellent job 👏
Excellent work. well done.congrats.thank you young man :)
Great video bro. It's interesting how you took us though every step of the disassembly. I am really impressed. With the right tools and right mindset I am pretty sure I WILL NOT ATTEMPT TO DO IT MYSELF. 😂
I really admire your courage and the fact that you clearly know what you are doing.
Though I'll either topup my refrigerant everytime till I am ready to sell the car. Not sure I am confident giving it to my mechanic after what I just saw.
Kudos bro.
Thanks for the video, im working on my daughters Pri right now, got it about 1/3 way in. do you have a pdf of the step by step removal? that would be super helpful. great video btw!!
Yes, just added to the description. You’ll jump between two sections, both are linked.
extremely awesome! the duration you needed to fix A/C system is only 11hr? cant believe. anyway super well done, sir
I’m not too worried about the removing part, it’s putting it back together. I don’t think I’ll be able to remember where all those plugs and connectors go. Was it pretty self explanatory when putting it all back together?
Yes. Only confusion was one white connector on the drivers side near the main reinforcement tube, but that was because it didn’t go to anything.
Hello, if I just want to replace air vent cover only (4 of them). Do I need to unplug the whole wheel?
Great Clip about how many hours for the repair
Is very helpful bro thanks a lot
i figured taking pictures along the way is THE BEST way to reinstall in same EXACT but oposite order. Alot of things Must be in Specific other (this i dont waste a seccond redoing staff)
I'm thinking of attempting this disassembly, but for the purpose of applying soundproofing directly to the firewall.
If I disconnect the refrigerant lines to remove the structure shown in 29:32 , do I need to recharge the AC/refill the refrigerant?
If so, is the entire firewall accessible without disconnecting refrigerant lines?
Hello! Yes, the A/C system would need recharged if the lines are removed. If left in place, you can remove the reinforcement frame separately, and that would allow you approximately 30-40% of the firewall to be exposed. You could also possibly remove the blower housing separately, which would allow 60-70% of firewall exposure. I think there were only 1-2 screws securing it to the heater box and two nuts holding it to the firewall, near the bottom.
I’ve done a fair amount on my car, and I have to replace the combination meter and that goofy dash box under the radio but my lord this is daunting.
Come help this chick out.
About to attempt this with my 2006 Prius 🥲 *so nervous*
Great video!
This helped me so much with getting the evaporator core out. Just a quick question for you, when replacing evap core and expansion valve, I went ahead and ordered some new O-rings and have installed them in the expansion valve and I think there were also some I replaced within the refrigerant line that disconnects out of the firewall with those difficult clamps.
My question is this, did you replace the O-rings, and if so did you put some sort of lubricant directly on those O-rings to create a good seal? I am planning to put hybrid compatible refrigerant oil in the system before adding refrigerant so will that lube up the O-rings enough or should I have put some sort of oil direct on those O-rings. Or am I overthinking and will they seal up just fine?
Thanks in advance!
I lubed the ones that were easy to get to, but it’s not critical. It’s sort of like a safety net in case there’s any sharp edges or rough surfaces, the lube will give you a better chance of not tearing the o-rings. They don’t lube them during the assembly process at the factory, so consider that.
Question here, great video first of all, I got everything back together but now I have a Hybrid System Warning light, any thoughts on that. Thank you.
My only guess would be one of the ECUs on the passenger side has a missing or improperly seated connector. Only a guess though…
Need to get codes scanned and see what is at fault
Yes I am in Jamaica
Thanks for nice video I have problem with my 2007 Prius not heating only cold air coming and everything works fine blower motor work ac motor work electric water pump working I can see I have gas on the small glass on the pipe but I noticed there is small pipe coming from core which is drain pipe draping coolant very slowly please help to fix this problem thanks
Hi Wayne! Thanks for the video its been really helpful but I have a question. I just removed sub structure and I’m not brave enough to go further with my current skills. As I only want to replace the evap valve and both actuators, is it possible to replace them without taking out the whole assembly?
Also do you have a video for the reinstallation? I know its the reverse of what you’ve done but it would definetely helpful to have a video for that part as well. Thank you and have great day.
Sorry for a late reply, hopefully it’s not too late. You could possibly remove the blower housing on its own, allowing you room to replace the expansion valve and actuators separately.
Unfortunately, I do not have an installation video.
great video bro . i got gen 3 prius , do u think its the same procedure ? time wise and job volume ?
Can't say for sure, but I think it would be slightly easier.
Hi mate saw your video thought you might give me some idea on this ….I used crc foam spray to clean my car air vents Prius gen 2… I followed all the instruction, now my car has p lock error, check ac connection error and not going into drive mode engine not kicking in… any views about that? Thanks!
I wonder what would be the best method to keep track of all the screws and bolts you take off from all the parts during disassembling. I am thinking about bagging each part with its screws or bolts in case I loose track of them. Wayne, Do you have any thoughts on this?
That’s always a very good method, possibly the best. There’s not too many screws in total, so alternatively, you could lay them out by location.
Do you think it is possible to replace just the expansion valve without removing the entire dashboard? Is it possible to remove this part with the blower and the cabin filter without disassembling everything?
Yes. The blower housing and ECUs must be removed, but they can be removed separately from the evaporator housing and dash structure. The service manual states you’ll need to remove the dash sub assembly (the large black “skeleton” seen in the video), but I don’t see why it would be necessary. They do want you to remove the fresh air duct, so that might be why, or else its to allow enough space to remove the blower housing. I think you could work around complete removal though.
@@fixaday Nice. Thx bro ;)
I attempted this with my Prius. Unfortunately my ABS and brake lights are on and the door locks don’t work trying to figure out what my best options are…. But my ac blows great cold air :)
This video is invaluable and very appreciated. I'm working through the repair right now. One thing I'm discovering is getting the a/c lines disconnected requires a special tool or some improvising. The a/c lines disconnect under the hood by the firewall. Hopefully that's where I'm supposed to unhook them, but if I'm wrong I'll find out soon. There's a clamp on the high and low lines holding them in place. This video helped my understand how to open them: ruclips.net/video/EFWOPu-WbwI/видео.html Basically get an eye glass repair kit flat head screw driver from dollar tree or something similarly sturdy and narrow, find the holes closest together and push in them till the A/C line clamp opens. You only have to push in one hole.
Where are you located? Do you do this on the side?
Is there anyway way of cleaning this without dismantling the dash? Like with the ac sanitiser foam spray?
Not sure. If it comes with a straw to send it up through the drain tube, that would be the recommended way. The only other way I can think of is through where the cabin air filter goes, and only while the blower is running to prevent puddling. I don’t recommend that method though since it’s a foaming cleaner.
Wayne.- how many times have you done this? I'm thinking about tackling it this fall/winter as a project. I believe the last time I added freon I could audibly hear a hissing so i'm pretty sure the evap is toast! Thanks for the video!
Just this once. Go for it! Read through the comments, many people have followed this video to success, so I think you can too!
Very useful video👍
This awesome thank you for this video, how much would be fair to pay for this Job to get done by a professional technician? TIA
You get what you pay for to a certain extent, but I would say no less than $700.
@@fixadaythank you for everything, I really appreciate you God bless you 🙏 with all this knowledge 🙏
Be careful removing the vents. Its easy to break if you tilt it up a little, comes out straight.
Where are you leaving?
Just a quick question, where did you put the Hybrid air con oil when you put back the evaporator (pour it in the evaporator or expansion valve) ??? thanks
Yes, I poured it in the evaporator.
thanks mate.... it might be on my project list :( @@fixaday
thank you so much for making this i just bought a prius and the ac only kinda works and im pretty sure thats the problem. Do you have a auto repair back ground? Do you know how safe the air bags are when removed?
No problem, I’m glad it was useful!
I have ~9 years personal experience, 1 year at a dealership, and 1.5 years at a technical school. Disconnecting the battery ensures no communication with the airbag modules. The only risk of detonation after that point is static electricity or any electrical source connected to the airbag’s terminals. Static still presents a low chance of detonation, but it’s recommended to use a grounding strap during removal. Alternatively...just be careful and don’t touch the connector pins or bump them into anything and you’ll be fine 😉
Lastly is basic safety, always place the base of the airbag down when storing. This ensures that during an accidental/unintended detonation, the entire airbag module doesn’t become a projectile. Think of an exploding balloon and a baking sheet: if the sheet is under the balloon, it doesn’t go anywhere; whereas if the sheet is on top of the balloon, it will fly away.
Awesome! Thank you for sharing! I can really use this! How did you learn to do this?
No problem! Prior experience with other vehicles, some technical college education, but most importantly, a factory service manual.
Hey csn youbtell me how long the service calls for? Ibam about tonbe tackling this job and am confident in doing so but dont know the exact hours i will need to get the job done. And replaced.
Took me around 9 hours while filming, so possibly around 7
How much would you charge for this?
On my own doing it for someone? Around $300-$500.
Professionally doing it for someone? Around $600-$700
As an avid DIYer this repair makes me want to die! lol Last week i replaced the blower motor on my prius and after words my car stopped blowing cool air so i took it to the shop and just watched a ton of gas poor out of what looked like the interior of the car, dude at the shop slammed the hood grumbled evap coil and told me they could'nt work on it cause "hybrid". At first i thought maybe i tightened down a bolt to hard on the blower fan with the impact and some how punctured the coil but looking at your video i dont think that is any where near it and i didnt smell the anti freeze smell you described at all or hear anything pressurized being punctured.
True, I don't think the blower could of had anything to do with it. However, the incident that caused the blower to fail might be related to the evaporator failure. In the end of the video I briefly showed where a mouse had chewed a hole through my fresh air door. When I first got the car it had a slight mouse odor, the previous owner told me the car had sat for a while since they bought a new one. Well, that's where the mouse went. I'm almost certain it was mouse urine that corroded the evaporator to the point of leakage.
Sir, at 30:44 you opined that you could have removed the bar before removing the unit from the vehicle. Since I'm almost 80, I want to conserve as much energy as possible.
Question: if I remove the bar while in car, is it possible to remove only the rt side containing the EVAP core as a single assembly rather than both sides held together by the bar?
Also, I must compliment you on your writing ability. You write very well! Compliments to you, your parents, and/or teachers!
You can certainly remove the bar prior to removing the housing, it sheds ~12 lbs from the assembly, which makes it much easier to handle. As far as removing only the evaporator housing thereafter, the bolts at 30:10 and 31:00 need removed. Due to how the evaporator case is fitted to the firewall, there may not be enough space to wiggle the case away from the blower housing. However, you could possibly remove the blower housing first, then the evaporator housing, assuming you could get to that lower, rear screw. It’s near the drain tube.
Thank you for your compliment! I didn’t do well in grade school, but for some strange reason English and grammar stuck pretty good! 🙂
@@fixaday You're the BEST man! I will remove the bar first. I will "play it by ear" thereafter. 💙💚💛❤️
Hey dude. I know this is a long shot but I got my 2005 prous all the way back together and hooked the battery back up. The lights, and locks work. But if I insert the key (I have 2 keys) the power button does not illuminate and nothing happens. Any idea? Is there an antitheft on a base model? I put my charger on the 12 volt. I did nothing with the hv battery.
I can’t recall the power button having an illumination with only the key inserted, but it did go to amber/green once turned on.
However, with it not turning on, it’s possible that the power button or key receptacle wasn’t connected properly or something like that. There is an anti-theft, I’m not sure how it would work on a base model but if I remember correctly with mine, if the key wasn’t present, a yellow key indicator would light up on the cluster when I pressed the power button. I sold the car about a month ago, so unfortunately I can’t go test it for you.
@@fixaday thanks for responding. I looked at it again. The word pwr is actually back lit but when pressed nothing happens. The small light on the button doesn't turn on. I dread trying to figure this out.
I’m not sure what could of happened, but I would start with checking fuses. There’s one panel under the hood and one to the left of the steering column.
In addition to that, on the positive terminal of the 12v battery is a white connector that is the main power for most of the modules, I’d make sure it didn’t come unplugged. There are also a couple fuses in the block that it connects to, I would check those too. If all fuses are good, there may be a harness ground that got left off.
@@fixaday thanks for responding I figured it out this morning! Plug wiggled loose behind airbox running now thanks
Nice! Glad you figured it out and happy you got back to share the news!
Excelent 👌👌👌👌👌
Hey man! Sorry to bother you. Like yours, my bolts that go through the expansion valve and into the evaporator core were extremely rusty and rough looking (seen about 36:54 here) - one of them refused to go in when I was reassembling, so I idiotically drove it in with an impact driver. Unsurprisingly, after reassembly, the system is not holding a vacuum, or even really pulling a vacuum at all. Do you think forcing that bolt in is the reason for that? I know I shouldn't have forced it in, I was just so tired of dealing with the whole thing at that point. Moment of weakness. I'll probably have to redo the replacement, but the thought of that is pretty horrendous.
Edit: I actually bought an expansion valve to also replace at the time, but did not end up replacing it because I wasn't sure what the black substance stretching over the top was, the replacement part did not have that, and I wasn't sure how important it was or where to obtain that to put on the new piece
Ouch, that is unfortunate; but I can totally empathize with you about the frustration when you’re that deep into a project like this.
Assuming you got the two line connections at the firewall back together and your manifold set is in good working order, it’s likely that questionable connection. Fortunately you can drill/tap it to a new size or use a thread insert, but that does suck. I think what happened was the bolt never bottomed out/clamped the hold down plate. You could try connecting an air compressor to your manifold set and hop inside to listen for hissing.
About the black goo, I’m not 100% sure what it is either, but I suspect some type of insulation for thermal performance or noise.
@@fixaday good thoughts, thank you so much for taking the time for such a informative response. Emotions can be pretty dumb, right? Obviously, when you're that deep in a project, the last thing you should be doing is something that will make you risk having to repeat it, but oh well. When you replaced your expansion valve, did you transfer the black substance/did your new one come with it pre-applied?
No problem!
Yeah, it happens to everyone! It’s just a natural sign to step back and take a quick break 😉 Really hard to step back sometimes though.
I actually encountered the same scenario as you: the new valve didn’t have it. I weighed my options and decided not to replace it. Expansion valve failures are pretty uncommon, and since mine was working fine before, it would just be another variable to replace it. It was a gamble for sure, but sometimes new parts are a gamble too. Your results may vary 🤷♂️
@@fixaday You're absolutely right. And ha! I appreciate that we both had the same exact thought process and end decision looking at the new and old expansion valves. Exactly why I didn't replace mine in the end.
Anyone knows what’s the average price for a job like this? At a shop? (California)
Assuming a shop labor rate of $175/hr, 9 hours of labor, and parts + shop supplies, somewhere around $1,800-$2,200.
Great video! Did you purchase the OEM part from Toyota or an aftermarket one. Just curious on the cost of the part.
Aftermarket from O’Reilly Auto Parts. With a discount, it was $103; but regular price is $138.
@@fixaday thanks! I may be taking on this challenge shortly. Do you know what it costs to have someone fill/charge the ac after the repair?
@Brandon F
I don’t off the top of my head. With current prices, I would guess around $175. You have to be careful not to get overcharged by a shop however. It’s a simple vacuum/recharge, if they try to claim it’s different because it’s a hybrid, either take it somewhere else or show them the sticker under the hood, it’s nothing special besides the oil type.
38:16, so relatable!
I'm not sure my Prius is worth this much trouble, I have oil coming out my heater box condensation line, I assume it is the evaporator. I've already rebuilt the hybrid battery once and it's still solid after 3 years, I know that the AC is life and death thing for the Prius in 90+ degree weather.
I assume I have to go through with this deep of a fix if oil is coming out the condensation line. I bought my Prius new, it has just under 160kmi on it.
I might get a newer plug in hybrid and keep the Prius for cooler days and winter which it excels at with snow tires. It can't sit too long though for hybrid battery life. Decisions decisions...
How many hours do you have in the evaporator change?
Approximately 9 hours, video filming included. So without that, I’d guess around 7-8 if taking your time.
@@fixaday just started taking mine apart last night. Spent hour and a half trying not to break all this plastic. Air vents are so brittle and the upper glove box is almost a lost cause. Lol
Yeah, those were pretty frustrating with how brittle they were. I removed them on a different Prius before and things went flawlessly, like they were very strong; but on the car in the video...more brittle than glass.
Could anyone refer to me a video on how to disconnect the lines from the fire wall?
ruclips.net/user/shortsavsIFnP15fE?si=KPO6Ta4b1OzTt0l8
@@fixadayHey so I just did this job and I'm in a real bad spot. I've lost track of where three plugs go and even after disassembling the dash AGAIN and rewatching your video a couple of times I'm not seeing where I messed up. Any chance you could be of any assistance? Great video by the way, very helpful in making this project manageable.
@@fixadayruclips.net/video/ZqguD6ujIuI/видео.htmlsi=gNrO-b_HbcBV8IiR
First wire, white one near arm brace, does not plug into anything (verified by taking apart by second prius). Second wire, ? - maybe down into the wiring box behind the steel plate/dimmer switch. Third wire, Black one at bottom, goes into the back of the air sensor - next to the white flex pipe. @@4125tech
@26:42 missing a bunch of removal steps
I wish to contact you to learn much more
Did it take only 45 minutes to do this job? I am grinning ear to ear if that's true!
Noooo, 8 hours unfortunately!
@@fixaday Sir, you are a great teacher and a great human being! Thanks so much for showing us how to do this. I am interested in the couplings at the firewall. Special tools required for that? Frankly, I wasn't sure that I would have to do this job until you mentioned the smell. I've got that and no AC! I'm a very old dude. But, you gave me confidence. Will let you know what happens.
No problem! All things considered, this is likely only a 6 hour job. It was 8 for me due to filming.
For the connectors, yes, actually, there is a special tool. Most auto parts stores sell it for ~$15, but It’s not completely necessary, I just used a pick. You can search “Unlock Toyota A/C Lines” on RUclips and there are many helpful videos on how they come apart.
I look forward to hearing how it goes!
@@fixaday ❤️💛💚💙
@@fixaday special service tool is "TOY 200"
Great video! Two things that slowed down my reinstall. First, the air sensor (ruclips.net/video/QUI0Cm3cx6E/видео.html) has a black power cable that plugs into the back of it. Second, I had a white connector that was not plugged into anything. It came off the large cord to the right of the brace (ruclips.net/video/QUI0Cm3cx6E/видео.html). I eventually took apart my second prius only to find that same connector unplugged in the same spot.
Thank you again for recording this - if you are ever in south Georgia, hit me up and I'll buy you lunch!
I also ran into that surplus white connector, I must of searched for 30 minutes looking for its mate to no avail. I ended up taking the risk of moving on. There were no adverse effects, so I'm relieved to hear you've verified its necessity!
Glad it helped you!
Wow. That is a ridiculous amount of disassembly to get to the evaporator core.
Step one: remove the rear bumper cover…
It’s like they started building the car with the evaporator core and built the rest of it around that.
Don't do it. This horrible fate may not be for you.
My issue was the A/C but it was not the evaporator core.
Screwlership misdiagnosed me and almost charged me the maximum possible of $3533.04 to part replace everything. If the following is true it's not the evaporator core.
1. Use cheap $14 eBay endoscope at Evaporator Core drain to see it's clean.
2. The A/C leak was too sudden.
3. No sweet smell in the car.
Caution: Don't let mechanic touch your a/c system with non-electric A/C compressor gauges or oil dye. Toyota Dealer will at least not contaminate the A/C gauges with non-prius refrigerant oil or dye. My issue was a leak on one of the pipes: ruclips.net/video/mupA0GR6QbA/видео.htmlsi=YtwoLUXl3jbcmdRD You can use Alumbond aluminum putty repair kit potentially for my issue or part replace it for $20 at junkyard like I did.
What was the problem
@@Jtacyt It was only a ruptured A/C pipe which caused the refrigerant to leak out. Pipe was rubbing for a long time on a metal bracket and over enough time was able to cut a hole in the pipe with the car's vibration.
And suddenly, I’m okay with no AC
Zahid Auto car Ac
Thanks!