1. Attachments are working again! Check out this thread for more details and to report any other bugs.

REALLY BAD sound coming from engine at startup - listen to it here.

Discussion in 'Gen 3 Prius Care, Maintenance & Troubleshooting' started by Steve_in_NJ, Mar 7, 2015.

Page 1 of 2
  1. Steve_in_NJ

    Steve_in_NJ Junior Member

    Joined:
    Mar 7, 2015
    32
    10
    0
    Location:
    Lewes, DE
    Vehicle:
    2010 Prius
    Model:
    III
    Twice in the last month, my 2010 Prius has made this incredibly loud noise when the engine first started up. The noise continues for a minute or two, and then stops. The car then runs as normal. I brought the car to my dealer, who after a brief looking-over could find no reason for it. I shot a video of the car making the sound the 2nd time it happened and brought it to the dealership with me to play for the mechanic. No one who heard it there ever heard anything like it before.

    It has been really cold here this winter, so "cold oil" was one thought, but was dismissed as unlikely. The car gets 0-20 oil.

    Again, this has only happened twice, the second time a month after the first. Please listen and offer an opinion.


    Thanks!
    Steve
     
    #1 Steve_in_NJ, Mar 7, 2015
  2. David Beale

    David Beale Senior Member

    Joined:
    Jul 24, 2006
    5,963
    1,981
    0
    Location:
    Edmonton Alberta
    Vehicle:
    2012 Prius
    It's a "bug" in the system that is known. There is a TSB out on it. Toyota tried changing the manifolds to cure it. Not sure if that did it. Caused by starting the car and shutting down before it warms up, then the next time you start up it -might- do this noise thing.

    If it really bothers you the dealer is the only option. Not sure if this "fix" is time or mileage limited.
     
    #2 David Beale, Mar 7, 2015
  3. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

    Joined:
    May 11, 2005
    107,781
    48,987
    0
    Location:
    boston
    Vehicle:
    2012 Prius Plug-in
    Model:
    Plug-in Base
    some have had luck with the new manifold, some haven't. it's free, so worth a shot. tell your dealer about the tsb. the only known solution is to not shut the car down while the engine is running. how many miles on her?
     
    #3 bisco, Mar 7, 2015
  4. Tande

    Tande Active Member

    Joined:
    Jan 29, 2006
    498
    301
    0
    Location:
    Mich.
    Vehicle:
    2017 Prius
    Model:
    II
    Welcome to the "Hammer/Club"!.......:giggle:
     
    #4 Tande, Mar 7, 2015
  5. Steve_in_NJ

    Steve_in_NJ Junior Member

    Joined:
    Mar 7, 2015
    32
    10
    0
    Location:
    Lewes, DE
    Vehicle:
    2010 Prius
    Model:
    III
    David, thanks! Would you happen to know the # or name of the TSB, or have a link to it? I asked the service guy at the dealer if there was a service bulletin for this problem; he said no. Ugh.

    Bisco, the car has about 66k miles on it.
     
    #5 Steve_in_NJ, Mar 7, 2015
  6. css28

    css28 Senior Member

    Joined:
    Feb 27, 2012
    1,566
    442
    3
    Location:
    Suburban Detroit
    Vehicle:
    2011 Prius
    Model:
    Three
    Just make it a point to idle the car for a minute any time you start it up.
     
    #6 css28, Mar 7, 2015
    orenji likes this.
  7. Steve_in_NJ

    Steve_in_NJ Junior Member

    Joined:
    Mar 7, 2015
    32
    10
    0
    Location:
    Lewes, DE
    Vehicle:
    2010 Prius
    Model:
    III
    I don't THINK I ever ran the car for so short a time that the engine didn't warm up. The shortest trips I ever take are 3 miles or so. I suppose it is conceivavble that at some point I may have started the car, then turned it off before I drove anywhere as I may have had to run inside for a moment, THEN started it again and got the bad sound - can't say.
     
    #7 Steve_in_NJ, Mar 7, 2015
  8. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

    Joined:
    May 11, 2005
    107,781
    48,987
    0
    Location:
    boston
    Vehicle:
    2012 Prius Plug-in
    Model:
    Plug-in Base
    usually, it's someone moving the car around the yard and shutting it down for the night. funny you're just experiencing it after 5 years. the tsb is on here somewhere if you can figure out the search function, or try toyotaowners.com for help.
     
    #8 bisco, Mar 7, 2015
  9. Former Member 68813

    Former Member 68813 Senior Member

    Joined:
    Oct 3, 2010
    3,524
    981
    8
    Location:
    US
    Vehicle:
    Other Hybrid
    Model:
    N/A
    #9 Former Member 68813, Mar 7, 2015
  10. RRxing

    RRxing Senior Member

    Joined:
    Jul 7, 2009
    2,518
    1,790
    0
    Location:
    NEPA
    Vehicle:
    Other Hybrid
    Model:
    Limited
    No worries! It's just the undocumented diesel engine kicking in... :p
     
    #10 RRxing, Mar 7, 2015
  11. Sporin

    Sporin Prius Noob

    Joined:
    Dec 10, 2010
    576
    293
    0
    Location:
    Vermont, USA
    Vehicle:
    2010 Prius
    Model:
    II
    Yup, I found that it was happening when move a car to wash it, move one car to get another in or out of the driveway, etc.. Now I make an effort to always let it warm up.

    It happened 3 times to me, twice by accident (1st was a surprise and I thought an anomaly, 2nd made me research the issue) then once I made it happen "on purpose" to test the theory around the conditions causing it.

    I had the new manifold "fix" done on mine (TSB, under warranty) and it hasn't happened since but that might just be because I don't ever shut it down cold anymore.
     
    #11 Sporin, Mar 9, 2015
  12. Mendel Leisk

    Mendel Leisk Senior Member

    Joined:
    Oct 17, 2010
    54,710
    38,247
    80
    Location:
    Greater Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
    Vehicle:
    2010 Prius
    Model:
    Touring
    You have about 15 seconds of electric-only after start-up. I manage to back ours outa the garage, and see-saw into an adjacent driveway parking space, so another car can pull into the garage. It's not pretty, I shut down about halfway through the maneuver, then restart, to get another 15 seconds. Wish it had 60 seconds, that'd be nice.

    And yeah, EV mode is usually on strike. :rolleyes:
     
    #12 Mendel Leisk, Mar 9, 2015
    alekska likes this.
  13. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

    Joined:
    May 11, 2005
    107,781
    48,987
    0
    Location:
    boston
    Vehicle:
    2012 Prius Plug-in
    Model:
    Plug-in Base
    funny, my wives hycam starts as you're halfway out of the garage, and that's how my genii's were as well.
     
    #13 bisco, Mar 9, 2015
  14. Mendel Leisk

    Mendel Leisk Senior Member

    Joined:
    Oct 17, 2010
    54,710
    38,247
    80
    Location:
    Greater Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
    Vehicle:
    2010 Prius
    Model:
    Touring
    So signif less than 15 seconds? Maybe 4th gen they'll increase that grace time again.
     
    #14 Mendel Leisk, Mar 9, 2015
  15. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

    Joined:
    May 11, 2005
    107,781
    48,987
    0
    Location:
    boston
    Vehicle:
    2012 Prius Plug-in
    Model:
    Plug-in Base
    way less. right when the rear tyres hit the 1" lip going from the garage to the driveway. i always feel like the little bump triggers the engine.
     
    #15 bisco, Mar 9, 2015
  16. orenji

    orenji Senior Member

    Joined:
    Aug 17, 2013
    5,884
    3,486
    0
    Vehicle:
    2010 Prius
    Model:
    Three
    You got to let the car run and switch to electric before turning it off, its that simple. BTW if that was my car making that noise, I would not be filming it, I would have turned it off immediately. Who nows what damage is being done.
     
    #16 orenji, May 30, 2015
  17. Steve_in_NJ

    Steve_in_NJ Junior Member

    Joined:
    Mar 7, 2015
    32
    10
    0
    Location:
    Lewes, DE
    Vehicle:
    2010 Prius
    Model:
    III
    Orenji, so what you are suggesting is that the "bad noise" is more likely to occur upon startup IF on the prior shutdown I didn't wait for the car to switch to electric / warm up completely?
    BTW it's been almost 3 months since I posted this video and no problems at all since then.
     
    #17 Steve_in_NJ, May 30, 2015
  18. orenji

    orenji Senior Member

    Joined:
    Aug 17, 2013
    5,884
    3,486
    0
    Vehicle:
    2010 Prius
    Model:
    Three
    Yes, for whatever reason, the rough start seems to be caused when a cold engine is not let to run through the first cycle. Mean going from gas to electric. Glad to hear that it has not happen to you again, Best of luck!
     
    #18 orenji, May 30, 2015
  19. AzWxGuy

    AzWxGuy Weather Guy

    Joined:
    May 22, 2011
    968
    490
    0
    Location:
    Tucson, AZ
    Vehicle:
    2021 Prius
    Model:
    Limited
    I think I may have figured out how to search effectively. Just about everyone that posts for the first time usually prefaces their problem with the fact that they tried using the Search with little to no results. When you click in the search box a dropdown appears where you can select to search only in this thread, or click the More ... for advanced search at the bottom of the window and make a selection in the Forums. Like search all of Generation III. Works great for me.
     
    #19 AzWxGuy, May 30, 2015
  20. Tande

    Tande Active Member

    Joined:
    Jan 29, 2006
    498
    301
    0
    Location:
    Mich.
    Vehicle:
    2017 Prius
    Model:
    II
    Not to worry! .....no damage (I read it on the internet, so I know it's true)....:rolleyes:
     
    #20 Tande, May 30, 2015
(You must log in or sign up to post here.)
Page 1 of 2