Attention: If you have a squeaky CHS water pump! New TSB

[redhandeddenial]

TheForce i also have that noise in my 06 and just assumed it was the generator spooling down

[ny biker]

This is great, thanks.

Any idea how to get them to confirm that the noise is coming from the CHS pump if it only happens on a cold start and even then it doesn't happen every time?

[Sufferin' Prius Envy]

Originally Posted by ny biker

Any idea how to get them to confirm that the noise is coming from the CHS pump if it only happens on a cold start and even then it doesn't happen every time?

It doesn't "only happen(s) on a cold start."

The TSB states:
Some 2004 – 2008 model year Prius vehicles may exhibit a “squeak” type noise during vehicle startup or shutdown. AND . . . during cold ambient temperature conditions.

Your use of the term "cold start" can also be confusing to some, as the TSB says "cold ambient temperature conditions," not a cold engine.

[hobbit]

What's mildly bizarre about this from my experience is that when
it's *really* cold, the pump doesn't even try to pump. Not
because it's failed in any fashion, but because the car doesn't
bother. Like it thinks there's nothing worth using in the bottle,
or something. Even odder is that if I give it a short period
of block-heater, which tends to warm up the engine coolant temp
sensor fairly quickly, *then* it will pump and my temp gauge
proves that there was *plenty* of hot stuff available in the
bottle after all. I'm thinking of adding some sort of ECT fakeout
for those winter startups when I can't use the EBH just so I
get the preheat I went to all that trouble of driving to generate
and store.
.
Oh, and yes, the thing sounds horrendous in cold weather but
since it's only occasionally run, I'm not going to worry about
it until it really fails. I'm over 60K at this point so it would
cost me $.
.
_H*

[Ichabod]

My car would qualify, since it clearly makes a squeaky noise during operation of that pump. I even took it to the dealer's shop a month or two ago and they told me it was "normal" and didn't do anything about it.

My questions for the experts:

1. Should I have this done? i.e. Is this just an annoying sound, or does it lead to failure of that pump?
2. Would it be better to wait around for my warranty to be near expiration? I'm at 24k miles now and 2 years, so not too close to the 5yr/60k mark.
3. It's not cold now, so how are they going to verify the noise if I take it in?
4. Since it's something I already took it in for, are they going to say "we already told you no," or should I just refer to T-SB-0087-08?

p.s. TheForce, your recording sounds downright pleasant compared to how mine sounds in cold weather!

[TheForce]

Originally Posted by Ichabod

p.s. TheForce, your recording sounds downright pleasant compared to how mine sounds in cold weather!

Well mine sounds a lot worse in cold weather too. I'll have to record it again when the weather gets cold.

[ny biker]

Originally Posted by Sufferin' Prius Envy

It doesn't "only happen(s) on a cold start."

The TSB states:
Some 2004 – 2008 model year Prius vehicles may exhibit a “squeak” type noise during vehicle startup or shutdown. AND . . . during cold ambient temperature conditions.

Your use of the term "cold start" can also be confusing to some, as the TSB says "cold ambient temperature conditions," not a cold engine.

Okay I will clarify. I hear the noise when I first start up the car after it has been sitting for a long time, such as overnight. If I drive a few miles, such as to the dealership, power down and then power up again, the noise does not happen.

Also, this has not happened since the warmer weather kicked in. With temps in the 50s or lower I was hearing it, but not with temps in the 70s or higher.

[galaxee]

i suspect they're going to want to confirm the noise is due to the water pump before going ahead with the replacement under warranty. of course, now that it's warm out this will be damn near impossible to prove.

the squeak on ours happens when the car was shut down during cold weather. (ie, if yours does this, you can take it to the dealership, park it, wait for the tech, then shut down and listen for the noise.) no signs of impending failure or anything, and it's been 3 winters now. DH has tested the thing and saw no problems.

now that there's a tsb out, once you can demonstrate the noise they should take care of it.

[Danny]

I thought I just had a beta version of the Prius with a "pedestrian warning system".

Thanks for the info, galaxee!

[Nords]

Originally Posted by ny biker

Okay I will clarify. I hear the noise when I first start up the car after it has been sitting for a long time, such as overnight. If I drive a few miles, such as to the dealership, power down and then power up again, the noise does not happen.
Also, this has not happened since the warmer weather kicked in. With temps in the 50s or lower I was hearing it, but not with temps in the 70s or higher.

Well, looks like this won't be a problem in our climate...