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Water slush sound under dash on initial ICE startup

Discussion in 'Gen 3 Prius Care, Maintenance & Troubleshooting' started by TCW1184, Apr 20, 2015.

  1. TCW1184

    TCW1184 Junior Member

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    Has anyone else ever noticed a water sloshing sound coming from under the dash on initial start up when the ice engine comes on? I found a few things from searching, but nothing really conclusive. I didn't think much of it at first. Like maybe water was just coming up into the heater core or something. It doesn't do it all the time, but often enough that I'm starting to wonder if I should get it checked out. Anyone else ever noticed this?

    t ro
     
    #1 TCW1184, Apr 20, 2015
  2. Yakoma

    Yakoma Active Member

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    If it's a gurgling sound, check your coolant levels. You may be low or have air in the system. There are a number of posts here regarding that symptom. Don't delay, because running your Prius with low coolant could significantly damage expensive systems.
     
    #2 Yakoma, Apr 20, 2015
  3. TCW1184

    TCW1184 Junior Member

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    More of like water running then gurgling.

    All my fluid levels look good.
     
    #3 TCW1184, Apr 20, 2015
    Last edited: Apr 20, 2015
  4. Aaron Vitolins

    Aaron Vitolins Senior Member

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    I experienced this once when I was a little bit low on ICE coolant. Due to a small water pump leak. Added some more coolant and after a couple drives it was gone. That's just my experience
     
    #4 Aaron Vitolins, Apr 20, 2015
  5. Yakoma

    Yakoma Active Member

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    Seems to me you have two possibilities here.

    1) You have a leak or somehow rainwater has collected in your car - either in or under your front tray somehow. Perhaps you have a clog. Or the water is elsewhere in the car - it just SOUNDS like its in the dash. There have been numerous instances of water collecting in the spare tire area due to seam weld cracking and leaking. Search this and you will see them.

    2) You have a low coolant issue in or need to purge air from one of the two coolant reservoirs. This seems the more likely scenario to me. Even if the levels look good, you could have trapped air bubbles in one of the cooling systems. You can search for this scenario as well.

    Reading through those two scenarios for similar symptoms should lead to some insight for your particular case. I know it's not a definitive answer, but I hope it helps.

    Like Aaron, I had a low coolant situation in my Prius that caused gurgling. I determined that I had a faulty radiator cap that was allowing seepage. I replaced the cap and topped off the coolant and have not had that issue since.
     
    #5 Yakoma, Apr 20, 2015
  6. Mendel Leisk

    Mendel Leisk Senior Member

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    Might also be the air conditioner fluid flowing. Are you running AC when you hear this?
     
    #6 Mendel Leisk, Apr 20, 2015
  7. wjtracy

    wjtracy Senior Member

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    I am thinking you have heat on and it is low coolant level...you can have air trapped in there, I think the fix is to add coolant but you gotta get the air pocket out of there and I don;t know how on a Gen3 but Gen2. Where do you live...cool climate I am thinking.
     
    #7 wjtracy, Apr 20, 2015
  8. TCW1184

    TCW1184 Junior Member

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    Thanks everyone for the replies.. Seems like the general question of 'is it normal', the gist is no. The car is a 13' with 20k miles so I'll make an appointment with the dealer to have them check it. Which, of course, means they won't hear it and tell me it's normal. That being said, I'm in FL so it's not cold and the air isn't on when I hear the sound. It's right on initial startup and I only hear for a second or two ( like water quickly running down a pipe) and then I don't hear it after that. The levels are max so they're not low, but I suppose air in the system is possible.


    iPhone ?
     
    #8 TCW1184, Apr 20, 2015
  9. Mendel Leisk

    Mendel Leisk Senior Member

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    Just being a grumpy old man: you do know the sun doesn't rise and set only in the United States of America. Priuschat has members from all corners of the globe. A two letter acronym is a bit esoteric for a lot of them.... Done. :p
     
    #9 Mendel Leisk, Apr 21, 2015
  10. GrumpyCabbie

    GrumpyCabbie Senior Member

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    The very fact a member doesn't put their location usually indicates they're from the US ;)

    Oh and ML, you don't have the monopoly on here for being grumpy (y)
     
    #10 GrumpyCabbie, Apr 21, 2015
  11. TCW1184

    TCW1184 Junior Member

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    Are you sure? I'll keep that mind.


    iPhone ?
     
    #11 TCW1184, Apr 21, 2015
  12. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

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    maybe you hear the inverter pump.
     
    #12 bisco, Apr 21, 2015
  13. Mendel Leisk

    Mendel Leisk Senior Member

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    Like London I guess. What do you guys call it: the City? ;)
     
    #13 Mendel Leisk, Apr 21, 2015
  14. TCW1184

    TCW1184 Junior Member

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    Just realized I never gave an update to this. Just in case anyone looked back I wanted to give the resolution. It took an while but the dealer finally heard the sound I was describing and fixed the issue. They said the thermostat was sticking opening and I likely had some air in the system (that part I already knew). They replaced the thermo and purged the coolant. Been good so far.


    iPhone ?
     
    #14 TCW1184, Dec 24, 2015
    Former Member 68813 likes this.
  15. Former Member 68813

    Former Member 68813 Senior Member

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    interesting, i have the same symptom in a non-hybrid car.
     
    #15 Former Member 68813, Dec 24, 2015
  16. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

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    software should require, city, state, country.
     
    #16 bisco, Dec 24, 2015
    GrumpyCabbie likes this.
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