Inverter Pump Failure - again! (200k miles later)

A couple days after I made the 350k update of my 1/3 million thread, I (actually, my wife) got the entire panel of dash lights and the CEL. My wife was driving in the 110 degree SoCal heat, idling in a drive through with the AC on when this happened. So it was hot. When I got there, I pulled the codes with a non prius-aware scanner and pulled the 3130 code. After it cooled down, I was able to reset the code. At that point, there was turbulence in the reservoir, so I chalked it up to possibly just being too hot. I drove it short distances over the next couple days, and all was fine.

Then, on Saturday, I drove it about 30 miles in the mid-day heat and the warning lights and 3130 code reappeared. After it cooled down (after my round of golf, actually) I was able to clear the codes/warning lights, but this time there was no visible flow/turbulence in the reservoir, so the pump is apparently shot. It was pretty cool by then, and it was mostly downhill to my house, so I was able to drive it home with no issues.

I replaced the inverter coolant pump once before, at about 157k miles. I can't believe I have driven this car almost 200k miles since I replaced the pump in 2009. I bet not too many owners have worn two of these things out.

Yesterday, I got it taken apart and ready for the replacement pump. I've seen the pump for around $115 from a couple of online parts houses. Anyone have a recommendation for one of these places that they have been satisfied with?

 

Thanks. That's one of the places I saw. Do you (or anyone else) have experience with them?

 

Awesome. I wonder if the coolant can be shipped. That would get me over the $150.

 

OK, I ordered the part and will buy the coolant from the local dealer.

When I did this before, I remember having some sort of guide on how to do the bleeding after I change the pump. I can't seem to find whatever it is I had. Anyone have any good advice on making the bleeding easier? I seem to remember it taking a long time, and never really seeming like I really got all the air out (I must have done ok, my inverter is still functioning 200k miles later).

I found this thread. I will go with Patrick Wong's bleeding procedure in that thread unless I get any other good advice.

Thanks,

 

1st replacement pump at 150k miles, 2nd at 350k miles. Next pump at 500k?

3rd pump installed this weekend. Somehow much easier to bleed this time. Old coolant looked perfectly clean after 200k miles.

 

Yep, I am not a stickler for fluid change intervals! I drained it into a clean, white pan, and was amazed that the old fluid looked exactly like the new fluid. No (observable) evidence of any debris or corrosion after 200k miles.