Problem

[SSimon]

Last year, my car started making whirring noises behind the mileage display. The noise is intermittent and sounds like a fast spinning disk with friction. The noise only occurs upon cold starts and is only evident upon start up. Once the car warms after about 30 seconds, the noise terminates. While the noise is occurring, I can feel vibration when my hand is place on the display.

So far, they've replaced the brake actuator twice - once last winter and again just this month. They suspected the first brake actuator that they replaced was defective. Then they replaced the radio and just today they've replaced a resistor. I just went out to start it up and see what happens and the car is still defective. It doesn't matter to me that this car still runs as this noise is atypical and it's obvious to me that there is a defective part that will probably cause me problems later.

Questions:

• What do you folks recommend?
• Do any of you have any knowledge of what could be wrong with this car?
• Are any of you able to recommend a dealership in the Chicago area that houses a very knowledgeable Prius technician?
• Anyone want to trade cars w/ me?

Frustration has ensued. Any suggestions would be more than appreciated. I've just e mailed Toyota Corp. to see what they may add for my benefit.

[galaxee]

wish we could say something... but without hearing it and being there in person, it's near impossible to tell you what's going on there...

can you hear it outside the car at all?

[donee]

Hi SSimon,

Complete guess - check out the ventilation fan. Its behind the lower glove box. You can remove the glove box and the air filter is back there too. See if there might be something in there that would swell when frozen. Leaves would be my guess.

The reason I guess this is that you actually have vibration in the dash board that you felt. The fan is connected to all the ducting that runs all through the dash. Only where the ducting could rub up against something would the noise come out. Which could be behind the mileage display. Or, the defroster vents acting like a sound waveguide..

[donee]

Hi Again,

Another thing is that there is an electric motor which pumps the coolant to the heater core. I do not know where it is, but the core is up there inside the car. And the vibration could be transmitted througth the coolant into the core, which would vibrate up in the dash.

[SSimon]

Galaxee, Whenever I start the car, and the noise occurs, the ICE is running. I cannot hear the noise from outside the car, but don't know if it would be audible if the ICE weren't running.

Thanks, Donee. Since the noise certainly seems like it's coming from some kind of a motor, it does seem that your one scenario may be possible. I'll ask them if they've checked out all of your suggestions.

I feel a little better as I called my dealership yesterday and I'm bringing the car back there on Wed night and leaving it there until it's fixed (now will I ever get the car back?!?!?!). They're giving me a loaner until they fix this thing. The one thing I heard that made me confident they'd get to the root of this problem is that they said they'd get California involved if they cannot locate the issue. If I find out what this is, I'll post back in case someone else encounters this problem.

Thanks, guys.

[SSimon]

OK. I'm bringing my car in on the 4th of February, again. What is this, the sixth or seventh time now? I completely lost count. Anyhoo, they've called to schedule this appointment as the case manager will be in on this day. He'll be working w/ the engineers in California (if he's unable to diagnose the problem) and will hopefully be able to fix it this go around. I'm not hopeful, unfortunately.

Now that the temps are around 1 degree, the noise takes a while to reveal itself. When near freezing, the noise will start at power up. Now with these real low temps, I power up and start driving and the noise doesn't occur until about 30 seconds into my trip. I'll advise them of this and see if that helps them diagnose the problem any better.

All I can do is hope for extreme cold that day..........

[prim2]

Have they checked the brake accumulator pump?

[richard schumacher]

Does it *ever* happen when you shut the car off? If not that argues against the coolant transfer pump, but I suppose it could still be that...

Are you still taking it to the same dealer that thought it might be the radio? I'd take it to another dealer. Shotgunning is unfortunately a very common diagnosis and repair technique but this dealer sounds a little more clueless than average.

[SSimon]

Not of which I'm aware. Something else to inquire about....

[SSimon]

Richard,

I must've been posting when you posted 'cause I just saw your post. The noise does sometimes occur after I shut the car off. And yes, I'm still taking it to the same dealer. I contemplated going to a different dealer but after all the time I've vested with my current dealer, I'm just going to let them try to figure this out. If I had to go through the same crap of ensuring appropriate temperatures and making sure that I'm there to ensure that the new tech hears the correct noise, I'd go nuts.

I am now in a Ford Focus that they gave me as a rental and they must be as sick of seeing me as I am of them as they told me I'm not getting my car back until they can figure this out. The case manager was in yesterday to assist but not much progress has been made as I still don't have my car back. The tech called yesterday to say that they're nearly certain this problem has to do with the brake actuator.

*If* I get my car back and *if* they figure this out, I'll post. I'm seriously considering the extended warranty due to this experience.