Just calculated 43 mpg with cargo topper. Summer 2023 we got p3006 again, and Dr. Prius showed a bad module and overheating pack (all 3 sensors reading over 125 degrees F) after a short drive. I will be attempting to whack a mole the module out and put a working one in, its on the side so it should be easier to fix without removing everything. This fix should give some months or maybe a year. Stay tuned.
I have a 2002. the inverter pump went out .they're easy to change, they don't cost a lot of money ,but after I had changed it and remove the air and all of that,i still had no movement in the inverter Reservoir .I just couldn't figure it out ?nothing I did worked. so I said a prayer to the angels. my car has been sitting in the garage and I was just able to start it everyday, but I couldn't run it very long cuz there was no movement in the inverter coolant. so I told the angels look I can't figure this out. I've done everything I know to do, I need you to help me out here. the next morning, when I went to start the car the auxiliary battery was dead! That was the angels helping me. once I disconnected the auxiliary battery to charge it up on a charger and then hooked it back up, I had movement in the inverter Reservoir !because it reset the ECM or whatever it needed to reset. when I disconnected the auxiliary battery and I haven't had any more problems so far.
Hey Eric! I just remembered you made this. My bad! Awesome update. My Gen1 is still doing like it always did. 42MPG pretty consistently. Nice to know the roof rack did not effect your MPG much! I may try that some time myself. A few comments to ad about your issues: Get a headlight cleaning kit. Easy to clean up fogged headlights yourself! In your climate you will need to do this every couple years. Lots of sunlight there. PS error codes: Even though the screen told you PS, this is a generic Toyota system error too. If the code in the computer doesnt tell you anything specific then just reset the computer and carry on as usual since the early Prius develops little ghosts. LoL Hood paint chips. Repaint the hood at a reputable paint shop. Same for the nicks in the bumper. Pearl Opalescent is the color you have I think. One of my Gen1's (I have 2 of them) has the same color. My other Gen1 is metallic grey. Battery spillage in rear seat floormat. Kick your brother in law in the ass, hard. Make him pay you for the new mat too. Seatbelt stickers on visor: I think you can order a sticker from Toyota and just cover up what is left of the old sticker. Techstream software: I have honestly never needed techstream to work on my car. Maybe I am just lucky, who knows. But if you dont have a real need for techstream dont bother. It is a pain to use unless you are also a automotive technician...it is a pain then too. LoL Inverter pump. The thing you took the cap off under the hood is NOT the inverter pump. The pump is behind the left headlight, mounted to the car frame. Not fun to get at but if it has not failed there is no need to do anything with it anyway. Make sure the pink fluid is high enough in the reservoir (which is the thing you took the cap off of in the video.) I am sure more than 3 people watch your Prius videos! Maybe even 80. ;-)
Not sure if I'm gonna get a reply but I might as well shoot since you seem to be knowledgeable on gen 1s. I have one myself that I try to take the best care of that I can and was wondering about how the first gen does on road trips. Going in the order of maintenance that I know of since I'm the second owner as of a couple years back; the previous owner got a new big battery at around 120k miles (I'm at 195k now), I got a new inverter pump about 1 year and a half back, and a few weeks ago I had a new catalytic convertor assembly installed (absolute tank to the wallet), as well as new sparkplugs/ignition coils. I keep up with oil changes and other general maintenance which I hope is extending the life of the car but for this road trip (which is from Phoenix to LA) it'd be around 7 hours and change depending on traffic which makes me a tad anxious. I'm planning on making the majority of the trip during the night, leaving AZ at around 1-2am and by sunrise I'm hoping to be a couple of hours out from my destination. In your experience with these gen 1s, do you think I could reliably make it there and back. P.S. I have a cat shield now after some rats stole my OEM one recently. TL;DR= Would a well maintained 03' prius make it from Arizona to LA and back
@@GapedProlapse Seems to me that you are throwing the "parts cannon" it your Gen 1 a bit much. At 195k there is still little that really needs any attention. My Prius has about 230k now and still has the original plugs, coils, main battery too. Going strong at some 400 miles per week commute. So in my opinion your LA/AZ trip is a piece of cake. Just make sure your coolant, oil, AC charge is all up to snuff. Take lots of drinking water in case something does happen, eg flat tires and other road mishaps still happen at times. ;-)
Thanks for the advice! Battery codes went out this summer on the car, had to pull cells and pop "new" ones in. I remembered the orange hazard HV plug this time =) Been driving good ever since...EXCEPT the inverter overheat code/shutoff just happened to me on the highway. Ordered a new inverted pump and put it in today, everything back to normal now. 150k+ going strong Cheers!@@michael47lamb
At least one person will use a vid on replacing the lock actuators. The passenger side on my 2002 has been out for the past few years, which was fine, but now the driver's side works intermittently. I checked out your earlier 2002 vids and am glad to see you're still happy with it! RUclips has become one of the best places to find DIY for my old car, so thank you!
Mines worse, first one went out was drivers, then a few month's passengers. Today the back seat on both sides. Basically now none of the lock actuators work now lmao.
We have the same car - same color as yours and recently had to give up our 2001 Prius. Mileage just turned over 164,000. Looks and drives absolutely great. Yes, actuators were a problem for me as well: definitely 3 - maybe all 4 - went out one by one beginning in 2010. In 2005, we had the main battery replaced for free because there was a recall, but, since then, this battery has stayed fully charged. Yes, because of the nature of the hybrid, you cannot let it just sit without running for months like that. I don't know what happened to your screen going out (??!!!) - very strange. Under our passenger seat we have a big chunky disc player for navigation. You can't get updated DVDs for it anymore - and nobody uses a DVD anymore to do that, so it just sits. Also, I still use both the cassette and the 6-disc built-in disc player that came with it. The speckling (mold?) must be from the coating that first owner put on it. I've never seen anything like that. One tip: when you have to get a new 12V battery, make sure that the part number is correct (if you're ordering from Toyota), because they will try to give you an old battery that's been sitting on their shelf and you will get it home and find out it is dead, so double check that part number (it isn't necessarily gonna match your current battery in the trunk). In the early days I used to get around 50 mpg., but I've learned how to properly drive to save gas and my yearly averages rose to upper 50s (about 58.4 to 59.3 mpg). Still love this car! Thanks for the vids on when you bought it and the 5-year update. Regular basic care goes a long way. Synthetic oil once a year (about 5000 miles) when I go in for my inspection. Also: Toyota does not recommend that you mess with the transmission at all, so no putting fluid in and so forth.
My 2002 Prius I have had for two years Bought it with 48,000 miles on it and a couple dents I’m going on 70,000 now and I’ve had no problem and we just change the oil simple enough 530 synthetic The short wheelbase makes it a little Squirrley and I put on the biggest tires I could fit Love the car
The great Toyota Car Guru Scotty Kilmer who loves Toyota says unplugging the battery and turning on the radio to drain all the power off. Let it sit for a couple hours and then plug the battery back up. Drive it around for 25 to get the software to reset its programming will fix a ton of Toyota issues. Check out his channel.
Love it. I have a 2015 & a 2022 Prius(es) and I really want a Gen1 to play with it. I love the color of yours and hope to find one in good shape like it.
Mine is same lovable color and is color most of these were available in. I still ser these on FB marketplace and usually need a battery. I replaced the aux battery ith a $20 lawn battery years ago and have to replace it maybe once a year...
One thing about the Prius , every time you drive the car it’s a game .. how much mpg can you get , how long can you hold that EV mode .. how best can you beat the Prius.. I get 70 mpg in my 2020 Prius , best car I’ve ever owned .. and I come from a jeep lol
I still have my 2003 Gen 1 Prius--bought new! Now 20 years old with 210K miles and never pampered. Same issue with headlights and door locks. Still on the original (big) battery and brakes too, but gone through two inverter pumps. Interior still great, just a worn driver floor mat. Love the car still and still getting 40-45MPG (less during the winter in Colorado). Bet I've spent less than $2,000 in non-scheduled maintenance in that 20 years. Working on a last hurrah with a pic of it at Key West last year (southern most US road) and hoping for a pic at the Arctic Circle in Alaska this summer. Thinking of finally retiring it for a 2023 Prius Prime, but not sure if I'll be able to. I wonder if any car could serve me as well as this one still is!
@@fellowstranger7549 It is still on the original battery! I just got my 2023 "Pretty" Prius Prime a few weeks ago and handed my old Prius off to a nephew, so it lives on still.
I have one...and its in quite good shape, much better shape than my 2010 with same 280k miles I replace 2 rear bearings, abs accum and pump and always had to rebuild the battery. Sat 2 years with dead traction battery but bought the 3 year Greentech battery and it works perfect. Got a cat ineff alert the other day but was reset and no more Had to replace the ac blower fan which was a bit of a bear but Im 68 with peripheral neauropathy and still did the work myself. Oh.. replaced the ac accumulator I think years ago ...myself as well. I changed the brake linings myself as well.Other than that its been a great car and looks really good other than a few small paint issues and drives/rides better than the 2010. Always lived my little 'blue bug' or 'lectro-beetle'. One more issue. Shifter park linkage grommet broke so I temp have to stomp parkbrake as park locking pin is not being actuated.
I’ve been waiting so long for this! I no longer have my 2002, currently own my 2016 Prius I bought new, currently at 38,000 miles still from sitting in my garage, but my daily is a Mirai. The door lock actuator’s should not be too hard to replace, I’ve even purchased the electric motors and kept the original housings. cost me $3 to replace all 4 actuators. Took a lot of time though.
What roof rack did you get that fits the 1st gen Prius? i looked all over and it seems no one made a compatible system. Any info would be appreciated, thanks!
Btw. 35-41 mpg typical with lots of idling as wife and dog need the ac while they sit and wait. Lots of trips to mtns after fillup at 43 mph with little idling
My favorite car vlog! Hate to see you letting that creampuff 1st gen Prius deteriorate cosmetically. SAD! Hyped to see you bring it back to life 😁 FUN FACT... The touchscreen in your 1st gen Prius is the same touchscreen in my Lexus LS430
Just calculated 43 mpg with cargo topper.
Summer 2023 we got p3006 again, and Dr. Prius showed a bad module and overheating pack (all 3 sensors reading over 125 degrees F) after a short drive. I will be attempting to whack a mole the module out and put a working one in, its on the side so it should be easier to fix without removing everything. This fix should give some months or maybe a year. Stay tuned.
This car was way ahead of its time ! It’s good to see that it isn’t causing major problems
Yes And the thumbnail 🔥
@@thecollegepicker your idea 💡 made it awesome !
I have a 2002. the inverter pump went out .they're easy to change, they don't cost a lot of money ,but after I had changed it and remove the air and all of that,i still had no movement in the inverter Reservoir .I just couldn't figure it out ?nothing I did worked. so I said a prayer to the angels. my car has been sitting in the garage and I was just able to start it everyday, but I couldn't run it very long cuz there was no movement in the inverter coolant. so I told the angels look I can't figure this out. I've done everything I know to do, I need you to help me out here. the next morning, when I went to start the car the auxiliary battery was dead! That was the angels helping me. once I disconnected the auxiliary battery to charge it up on a charger and then hooked it back up, I had movement in the inverter Reservoir !because it reset the ECM or whatever it needed to reset. when I disconnected the auxiliary battery and I haven't had any more problems so far.
Hey Eric! I just remembered you made this. My bad! Awesome update. My Gen1 is still doing like it always did. 42MPG pretty consistently. Nice to know the roof rack did not effect your MPG much! I may try that some time myself.
A few comments to ad about your issues:
Get a headlight cleaning kit. Easy to clean up fogged headlights yourself! In your climate you will need to do this every couple years. Lots of sunlight there.
PS error codes: Even though the screen told you PS, this is a generic Toyota system error too. If the code in the computer doesnt tell you anything specific then just reset the computer and carry on as usual since the early Prius develops little ghosts. LoL
Hood paint chips. Repaint the hood at a reputable paint shop. Same for the nicks in the bumper. Pearl Opalescent is the color you have I think. One of my Gen1's (I have 2 of them) has the same color. My other Gen1 is metallic grey.
Battery spillage in rear seat floormat. Kick your brother in law in the ass, hard. Make him pay you for the new mat too.
Seatbelt stickers on visor: I think you can order a sticker from Toyota and just cover up what is left of the old sticker.
Techstream software: I have honestly never needed techstream to work on my car. Maybe I am just lucky, who knows. But if you dont have a real need for techstream dont bother. It is a pain to use unless you are also a automotive technician...it is a pain then too. LoL
Inverter pump. The thing you took the cap off under the hood is NOT the inverter pump. The pump is behind the left headlight, mounted to the car frame. Not fun to get at but if it has not failed there is no need to do anything with it anyway. Make sure the pink fluid is high enough in the reservoir (which is the thing you took the cap off of in the video.)
I am sure more than 3 people watch your Prius videos! Maybe even 80. ;-)
Not sure if I'm gonna get a reply but I might as well shoot since you seem to be knowledgeable on gen 1s. I have one myself that I try to take the best care of that I can and was wondering about how the first gen does on road trips. Going in the order of maintenance that I know of since I'm the second owner as of a couple years back; the previous owner got a new big battery at around 120k miles (I'm at 195k now), I got a new inverter pump about 1 year and a half back, and a few weeks ago I had a new catalytic convertor assembly installed (absolute tank to the wallet), as well as new sparkplugs/ignition coils. I keep up with oil changes and other general maintenance which I hope is extending the life of the car but for this road trip (which is from Phoenix to LA) it'd be around 7 hours and change depending on traffic which makes me a tad anxious. I'm planning on making the majority of the trip during the night, leaving AZ at around 1-2am and by sunrise I'm hoping to be a couple of hours out from my destination. In your experience with these gen 1s, do you think I could reliably make it there and back.
P.S. I have a cat shield now after some rats stole my OEM one recently.
TL;DR= Would a well maintained 03' prius make it from Arizona to LA and back
@@GapedProlapse Seems to me that you are throwing the "parts cannon" it your Gen 1 a bit much. At 195k there is still little that really needs any attention. My Prius has about 230k now and still has the original plugs, coils, main battery too. Going strong at some 400 miles per week commute. So in my opinion your LA/AZ trip is a piece of cake. Just make sure your coolant, oil, AC charge is all up to snuff. Take lots of drinking water in case something does happen, eg flat tires and other road mishaps still happen at times. ;-)
Thanks for the advice! Battery codes went out this summer on the car, had to pull cells and pop "new" ones in. I remembered the orange hazard HV plug this time =) Been driving good ever since...EXCEPT the inverter overheat code/shutoff just happened to me on the highway. Ordered a new inverted pump and put it in today, everything back to normal now. 150k+ going strong Cheers!@@michael47lamb
At least one person will use a vid on replacing the lock actuators. The passenger side on my 2002 has been out for the past few years, which was fine, but now the driver's side works intermittently. I checked out your earlier 2002 vids and am glad to see you're still happy with it! RUclips has become one of the best places to find DIY for my old car, so thank you!
I need to do those still =)
Mines worse, first one went out was drivers, then a few month's passengers. Today the back seat on both sides. Basically now none of the lock actuators work now lmao.
A video on how to replace the lock actuators would be superrr useful can't seem to find any tutorials online :/ love the channel!
We have the same car - same color as yours and recently had to give up our 2001 Prius. Mileage just turned over 164,000. Looks and drives absolutely great. Yes, actuators were a problem for me as well: definitely 3 - maybe all 4 - went out one by one beginning in 2010. In 2005, we had the main battery replaced for free because there was a recall, but, since then, this battery has stayed fully charged. Yes, because of the nature of the hybrid, you cannot let it just sit without running for months like that. I don't know what happened to your screen going out (??!!!) - very strange. Under our passenger seat we have a big chunky disc player for navigation. You can't get updated DVDs for it anymore - and nobody uses a DVD anymore to do that, so it just sits. Also, I still use both the cassette and the 6-disc built-in disc player that came with it. The speckling (mold?) must be from the coating that first owner put on it. I've never seen anything like that. One tip: when you have to get a new 12V battery, make sure that the part number is correct (if you're ordering from Toyota), because they will try to give you an old battery that's been sitting on their shelf and you will get it home and find out it is dead, so double check that part number (it isn't necessarily gonna match your current battery in the trunk). In the early days I used to get around 50 mpg., but I've learned how to properly drive to save gas and my yearly averages rose to upper 50s (about 58.4 to 59.3 mpg). Still love this car! Thanks for the vids on when you bought it and the 5-year update. Regular basic care goes a long way. Synthetic oil once a year (about 5000 miles) when I go in for my inspection. Also: Toyota does not recommend that you mess with the transmission at all, so no putting fluid in and so forth.
My 2002 Prius I have had for two years
Bought it with 48,000 miles on it and a couple dents
I’m going on 70,000 now and I’ve had no problem and we just change the oil simple enough
530 synthetic
The short wheelbase makes it a little Squirrley and I put on the biggest tires I could fit
Love the car
The great Toyota Car Guru Scotty Kilmer who loves Toyota says unplugging the battery and turning on the radio to drain all the power off. Let it sit for a couple hours and then plug the battery back up. Drive it around for 25 to get the software to reset its programming will fix a ton of Toyota issues. Check out his channel.
Appreciate it!
I wouldnt trust Kilmer's advice about a hybrid car at anytime! He is mostly bs on good days.
Thanks for the video .
I have a 2001
I haven’t even hit 90k miles yet . 🤙🏼
Whoa! Yours is just a baby. Im almost at 170k now
Wow I had no idea you live in Florida and so close to Tampa. I’m in zephyrhills man.. small world
My dad lives in Zephyrhills, small world!
Love it. I have a 2015 & a 2022 Prius(es) and I really want a Gen1 to play with it. I love the color of yours and hope to find one in good shape like it.
Mine is same lovable color and is color most of these were available in. I still ser these on FB marketplace and usually need a battery. I replaced the aux battery ith a $20 lawn battery years ago and have to replace it maybe once a year...
One thing about the Prius , every time you drive the car it’s a game .. how much mpg can you get , how long can you hold that EV mode .. how best can you beat the Prius.. I get 70 mpg in my 2020 Prius , best car I’ve ever owned .. and I come from a jeep lol
I still have my 2003 Gen 1 Prius--bought new! Now 20 years old with 210K miles and never pampered. Same issue with headlights and door locks. Still on the original (big) battery and brakes too, but gone through two inverter pumps. Interior still great, just a worn driver floor mat. Love the car still and still getting 40-45MPG (less during the winter in Colorado). Bet I've spent less than $2,000 in non-scheduled maintenance in that 20 years. Working on a last hurrah with a pic of it at Key West last year (southern most US road) and hoping for a pic at the Arctic Circle in Alaska this summer. Thinking of finally retiring it for a 2023 Prius Prime, but not sure if I'll be able to. I wonder if any car could serve me as well as this one still is!
Hey I’m thinking about buying a 2001 Prius. How long did your big hybrid battery last?
@@fellowstranger7549 It is still on the original battery! I just got my 2023 "Pretty" Prius Prime a few weeks ago and handed my old Prius off to a nephew, so it lives on still.
That gen 1 is a trooper! So glad you are keeping it in the family.
I have one...and its in quite good shape, much better shape than my 2010 with same 280k miles
I replace 2 rear bearings, abs accum and pump and always had to rebuild the battery.
Sat 2 years with dead traction battery but bought the 3 year Greentech battery and it works perfect. Got a cat ineff alert the other day but was reset and no more
Had to replace the ac blower fan which was a bit of a bear but Im 68 with peripheral neauropathy and still did the work myself.
Oh.. replaced the ac accumulator I think years ago ...myself as well.
I changed the brake linings myself as well.Other than that its been a great car and looks really good other than a few small paint issues and drives/rides better than the 2010.
Always lived my little 'blue bug' or 'lectro-beetle'.
One more issue. Shifter park linkage grommet broke so I temp have to stomp parkbrake as park locking pin is not being actuated.
I’ve been waiting so long for this! I no longer have my 2002, currently own my 2016 Prius I bought new, currently at 38,000 miles still from sitting in my garage, but my daily is a Mirai. The door lock actuator’s should not be too hard to replace, I’ve even purchased the electric motors and kept the original housings. cost me $3 to replace all 4 actuators. Took a lot of time though.
Oh mirai sounds fun! I saw the video on the motor replacements, so smart but you have to split the cases. Ive changed 2 and need to do 2 more.
@@thecollegepicker Tooth picks will help you with the clips you’ve already undone to keep them from re-clipping as you work on the others. Good luck!
Soft scrub or Bar Keeper's friend will remove the fog on the headlights and look good as new!
Will have to try it
Awesome Prius 😊 so reliable 😊
I cleaned my nissan micra headlights with toothpaste and it got rid of the fog
Might have to try
Still loving my 2002. TechStream does work on newer laptops, I installed mine on an old Toshiba machine that runs Windows 10. Keep it green! 🍃
If you dl the later versions , yes and there are keygens for those as well.
What roof rack did you get that fits the 1st gen Prius? i looked all over and it seems no one made a compatible system. Any info would be appreciated, thanks!
Interesting! I have a 2008 gen 2 myself.
2:06 😂😂 Some clever editing
Ayeee 😂😂😂 thanks 😂😂🤣
2:03 gold lol
Btw. 35-41 mpg typical with lots of idling as wife and dog need the ac while they sit and wait. Lots of trips to mtns after fillup at 43 mph with little idling
This is an iconic car.
Paved way for all hybrids then all electric
I have a 2016 Pruis and love it. I drive like a banshee and still get 48.8 miles per gallon.
😭 lol like a banshee
Are you going to do the Sodium Ion battery upgrade from NexPower?
Would love to but they are so expensive 😭
Nice thumbnail
Thx 😊
Change the injectors and your mileage will increase to an average in the mid 40’s I have the same car and love it.
I will consider that. Appreciate the tip!
My favorite car vlog! Hate to see you letting that creampuff 1st gen Prius deteriorate cosmetically. SAD!
Hyped to see you bring it back to life 😁
FUN FACT... The touchscreen in your 1st gen Prius is the same touchscreen in my Lexus LS430
Its slowly falling apart 😭. Same screen? I should have cross referenced to maybe get a cheaper one.
Could you please place the link of the mats?
It was the last one available on ebay =(
Thank you ❤❤
My Screen frame is broken How can I buy it online?
That may be a whole new dash thing if the outside is cracked.
Got exactly the same here in UK rhd. It's faultless. Lol. 2001 car. Could be for sale soon? Offers?
@WetLettuce-kc2qm sorry. Southwest in Cornwall.
02 prius have HV battery fan and where is it located?
HELP !!!!
Behind driver side of side of rear seat ( in trunk)
Its behind/under the back seat, seats must come out
I subbed like your content
Thanks!
Do I regret buying an up North truck? A future breakdown. #notificationsquad #cheapcargang
Lol 😂
@@thecollegepicker we have 3 brakes now... Sir. Most people have at least 4! 😂
Just buff headlights with tooth paste and magic eraser then add wax
Please start using Wix or Oem Toyota oil filter. Fram are the absolute worst.
Thx 🙏
@@thecollegepicker thumbnail is hilarious btw 🤣🤣
Did the Prius come with a case of tampons when you bought it?
No tampons.
:)
😊
Yes You do regret to buy a 2002 Toyota Prius
Never 😃
Horrible RANT of a REVIEW..! 👎
Thank you for your review of my review.
Please do a video of making address labels for white envelops with a zebra zp450 with a single roll of labels.