2009 Maintenance Recommendations

[michaelahess]

I have a new to me 2009 Yaris Hatchback 2 door.

It has 91000 miles and other than oil change and front brakes/rotors that I changed, no idea what's been done to it.

Had three recalls done at the dealership just yesterday and they had a list of crap to do to it. Told them no as I can do a lot of this, just wanted to know what I should do/check to be on the safe side. Here's the list with notes:

Spark Plugs (should be at 120k miles) $161.84
Fuel Tune (99% sure not needed) $145.00
Service MAF (replace? not sure) $99.00
Trans Flush (I've done these before) $334.39
Coolant Flush (I've done before) $133.90
Diag TPMS Light (lol no sensors in tires) $90.00 (HAHAHAHAHA!!!!!!!!)
Oil Change (yeah, no) $35.00
Rotate tires (nope) $20.00

So my real concern is the MAF, trans, and coolant flush. Recommendations on those? Every item on here I've done at some point on all my other vehicles so I just wanted some advice on what I should worry about. I find it interesting the serpentine belt wasn't mentioned, figured it may be up for a change. I get around 36mpg so I think it's running fine as is. Any thoughts are appreciated!

[bronsin]

Negative Trans Flush

Negative MAF Service (you can r and r it and check for crap in the wires)

Negative Fuel Tune.

Check the front brake pads. Check the AF and cabin AF. Check the accessory belt for cracks. Open the hood a couple of times a year and check the bottom of it for pink coolant stains (water pump shot) Anti seize plugs they ll seize if left for 100k

Negative coolant flush but you can change it yourself.

Good luck and tell us what happened!

[NEexpat]

Lower control arm bolts.

Written about extensively here on this forum, I don't where you are in the U.S. but can be a serious issue especially in 4 season regions.



Welcome

[michaelahess]

Awesome! Thank you both! I'll get under there this weekend and check on the bolts. I definitely see all four seasons. ;)

bronsin, what do you mean by this "Anti seize plugs they ll seize if left for 100k"

I assume you mean the spark plugs? I've heard putting anti seize on them is bad, just back them out and back in to break up any crud maybe?

[bronsin]

I let the plugs in my wife's 05 Camry go 100+k miles and now I can't get em out. I put anti seize on my 09 Yarisp lugs this summer at 44 k miles.

Maybe you could just R and r them.

Maybe...

Why do you think antiseize is bad? :iono:

[michaelahess]

As soon as you add a liquid to the threads you screw up your ft/lb of torque on the bolt. Actual torque goes up with a liquid vs what your torque wrench would indicate. And if it's not conductive grease you reduce the ability of the plug to do it's job.

I may be wrong on this but the way I understand it is that the liquid (un-compressible for the most part) gets trapped in the inconsistencies of the thread, the torque wrench reports the torque on the liquid, well that liquid has to "go" somewhere, so it's deforming the threads as it pushes away.

Granted, it's probably such a small possible issues, it's mostly irrelevant. It's far more critical with fasteners that need a lot of torque.

This is also why you aren't supposed to use anti-seize on wheel nuts. Just the mating surface between wheel and hub for example.

I noticed NGK states their plugs metal alloy is an inherent anti-seize design.

I've never used it on any of my vehicles, but I've also never had a vehicle go 100k between changes.

[bronsin]

You are right lube on threads willlead to over tightening if you use a torque wrench and follow published figures.

Which is why I don't use one relying instead on 40 years experience tightening fasteners by hand! :thumbsup:

Lug nuts.

I used wheel bearing grease on em in the 60s growing up in upstate NY. IF YOU didn't corrosion from salt would seize them. If u then used a torque wrench yes you risked damaging them.

Sparkplugs. If you leave plugs in for 100k miles deposits from the combustion chamber builds up. That's what does the seizing. Just try ang get the ones out of my wife's car after 135k miles! I don't think special plating prevents the deposits. Anti seize will prevent it.

[michaelahess]

Went ahead and replaced them, used anti-seize and dialectic grease appropriately. Looks like some previous owner replaced them but they were worn down a bit. How many miles do you guys suppose these had?

I think the engine is idling a bit smoother, could be the placebo effect though. No other difference that i can detect in performance.

These appear to be a level lower than what I took out actually. Probably won't make any difference though. Right? RIGHT? :)

[bronsin]

You want the plugs the manufacturer recommends!

Period!

It's not ok to use another heat range...long term. Short term...not a problem.

Unfortunately I don't know what the manufacturer specs...

I would re gap and put the old ones back if the new ones are not as spec ed.

[SirDigby]

335.00 to drain and fill transaxle?????? what a rip-off! idk what kind of transaxle you have, but less than $50 to do it yourself. fuel tune??? buy a can of BG 44k: $30. drain and fill your own coolant: $30. remove MAF and clean with MAF cleaner: $12

[michaelahess]

You want the plugs the manufacturer recommends!

Period!

It's not ok to use another heat range...long term. Short term...not a problem.

Unfortunately I don't know what the manufacturer specs...

I would re gap and put the old ones back if the new ones are not as spec ed.

This was one of the plugs NGK had on their site for this vehicle. So I feel ok with it. Obviously the other NGK's were doing their job. I only use OEM for the cars I care about, this is just my daily get around vehicle, so I'm less concerned about it blowing up. :)

The new plugs are gapped in spec, the old were a hair out, like .45 vs the recommended .41-.44, IIRC.

[michaelahess]

335.00 to drain and fill transaxle?????? what a rip-off! idk what kind of transaxle you have, but less than $50 to do it yourself. fuel tune??? buy a can of BG 44k: $30. drain and fill your own coolant: $30. remove MAF and clean with MAF cleaner: $12

Yeah this dealership is notorious for excessive pricing. Had my '06 Dodge MegaCab in for Takata airbag recall, they wanted over $600 to replace my leaking low pressure steering pump hose. I knew it was leaking, just kept topping it off. Figured I'd replace it, $23 on Amazon, about $12 in fluids and an hour of my time. They had around 2k in "recommended" services on that visit, all upsell BS.

[RichardPan]

The prices do seem excessive, even by dealership standards. Here's what I paid for 2007 Yaris in Canada, parts and labor combined, in CDN, recently (worth about 75 cents, shop labor at 120 CAD/hr nominal):

Replace coolant: 88.93
Transmission flush: 123.65
EFI system service: 150.90

And the dealership charged $25 for the labor, for replacing cabin air filter. I find them a little excessive, based on the opinions on this forum. Your numbers seem a little extreme.

[zoidberg444]

What exactly is involved in a fuel tune anyway?

I run a bottle of snake oil injector cleaner through every service but that's about it.

[dogsridewith]

What is the "flush" in a Toyota trans fluid replacement? (Of course, what it should be and what it actually is could be two different things.)
(If it isn't more than just drain and fill, then why call it "flush?" Flush to me would mean something like circulating additional fluid--trans fluid or something w/ solvent qualities-- between the drain and the fill.)

[bronsin]

What exactly is involved in a fuel tune anyway?

I run a bottle of snake oil injector cleaner through every service but that's about it.

I think if you read your owners manual they don't recommend additives to oil or fuel.

"Fuel tune" is pretty much widely recognized as a fleece of the public.:eek:

As is "EFI" tune.:eek:

[Tapokata]

You may have TPMS. I have a similar base '09, in service date of 12/08, and bought new the only options were AC and an auto transmission, but it has TPMS. That being said, if the light is on, check for a low tire. There is no other service.

I'd look at shocks and front struts, and battery age and condition, but otherwise change the coolant at 100K, then every 50K miles thereafter (per the service manual). Plugs should be changed at 125K miles, and PS you don't gap iridium plugs. MAF service is a scam, as is fuel tune up. Change the oil and filter every 5K (per the manual). Rotate Tyres about every 8K miles.

The only recalls were for the passenger seat adjustment springs, power window regulators (which I don't have) and the passenger side airbag replacement, which won't be fixed until the next millennium.

I have 155K miles on the clown car, still going strong as my daily driver.

[KimmoKekki]

I think if you read your owners manual they don't recommend additives to oil or fuel.



"Fuel tune" is pretty much widely recognized as a fleece of the public.:eek:



As is "EFI" tune.:eek:


No lead substitute to fuel tank it means !
No heav metal substitutes to motor oil etc. etc.
Heavy metals obstruct lambda sensors!
Injector cleaners and engine flushes can be used ...

[CoryM]

What is the "flush" in a Toyota trans fluid replacement? (Of course, what it should be and what it actually is could be two different things.)
(If it isn't more than just drain and fill, then why call it "flush?" Flush to me would mean something like circulating additional fluid--trans fluid or something w/ solvent qualities-- between the drain and the fill.)

Typically there are no "flushes" anymore but instead "fluid exchanges". The word "flush" has just stuck around. Fluid exchange means hooking a pump up to the AT system and pushing new fluid in while old fluid comes out. It allows you to get much more of the old fluid out than a drain and fill. Typically you would have to do a drain and fill 3-4 time to get the same results as an exchange. Same goes for coolant exchanges.

Stay away from fuel services/additives. The Yaris has no need for them so long as you run decent fuel. The only modern engines I can think of that benefit from fuel cleaners are GDI and some Fords.

[SirDigby]

MAF service is a scam, as is fuel tune up. Change the oil and filter every 5K (per the manual). Rotate Tyres about every 8K miles.




wrong. MAF needs to be cleaned every so often. dust and moisture WILL make it through your filter and end up coating the platinum sensor wire causing the engine to run richer when less flow is sensed from wire. it will even throw a code eventually after lots of build up.
fuel WILL eventually cause a gumming or varnish build up in injectors if you are not running them 24/7/365. when you turn off the engine, it will start the varnishing cycle. it may take 10+ years, but it will cause a fuel atomization issue in the spray pattern.
you can use brake cleaner on MAF, but MAF cleaner is specially formulated not to strip coating from sensor wire wile cleaning all debris from sensor.
a high quality fuel cleaner is easy to add to the fuel tank, like BG44k. the fuel line hook-up works good too, but is kind of a pain in the butt sometimes to set-up.
can of 44k is like $25
can of MAF cleaner is like $12
i'd recommend spending $37 every 2 years on your air and fuel system.

[zoidberg444]

I thought the Yaris only had a MAP and not a MAF?

[KimmoKekki]

I think we in europe only have MAP versions

[SirDigby]

oh wow! that'd be nice! I don't know if those ever need servicing. my last Honda was MAP and it never had an issue/service in the 340,000 miles I had it. I believe it was a Denso part, but it might have been an Asian part. (Factory) what's great about those is you don't need a metered air orifice opening.