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HVAC system malfunctioning

Discussion in 'Prime Care, Maintenance and Troubleshooting' started by talbritt2199, Apr 10, 2024.

  1. talbritt2199

    talbritt2199 Junior Member

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    I'm hoping to get some insight on what might be causing some issues on my wifes Prius Prime. She has a 2017 Prius Prime that just recently started having the HVAC system act up.
    When she powers on the car the Climate section doesn't respond and it's stuck on auto. You can press buttons and nothing happens. After about a minute the screen starts to respond and you can change the climate settings(temp/fan speed/fan direction) . But it seems to clear the last settings that the system had. The temperature doesn't get very hot/cold like it did before this problem. It acts the same with or without a charge on the plugin battery.
    She just had an oil change at our local Toyota Dealer and it didn't have any reported issues but a recommendation of changing the cabin filter which i did after she started having this issue. I don't have the odometer on the car but i know it's under 90k and ~85k.
    Any suggestions or thoughts on what might be causing this issue?
     
  2. ChapmanF

    ChapmanF Senior Member

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    It would not surprise me if the wiring diagram shows the "A/C amplifier" receiving power from more than one circuit, one switched with the car's ignition, and one always powered, for preserving the "amplifier"'s memory in a sleep mode when the car is off.

    Toyota Service Information and Where To Find It | PriusChat

    The symptom description makes me wonder if there is a problem with that always-powered circuit, so that the amplifier doesn't sleep but fully loses power. then has to boot up again when you turn the car on, and has forgotten the former settings.
     
  3. talbritt2199

    talbritt2199 Junior Member

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    My wife ended up taking her prime into the dealership this morning and got the diagnostic and a repair estimate of $2500. In the diagnostic they said it had codes b1441 and b1448 and recommended replacing no 2 air conditioning radiator damper servo sub-assembly. Is this something that a diyer can do? The part they said was $600 and the rest labor. The repair advisor initially mentioned that the actuator was bad and they’re recommending replacing the whole thing rather than just the actuator. He also suggested can find it somewhere cheaper. Any thoughts or suggestions would be appreciated.
     
  4. ChapmanF

    ChapmanF Senior Member

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    The trouble codes shown do seem to indicate issues with two (not just one) damper servo.

    But damper servo problems alone would not explain all of the symptoms in the first post. Is the system still doing all those weird things?
     
  5. talbritt2199

    talbritt2199 Junior Member

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    We held off on the repairs on getting the servos replaced. The service advisor stated that the console not responding could be tied to the servos needing to be replaced also.
     
  6. powercat

    powercat Junior Member

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    XLE
    There is a youtube on your problem- guy shows the fix with new updated part and does it himself from under dash-doesnt look too hard-good luck, Bob.
     
  7. powercat

    powercat Junior Member

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    Sorry forgot to add how to find post- just go to youtube then using their search function type in : 4th gen toyota prius ac blowing hot air
     
    Mendel Leisk and bisco like this.
  8. Mendel Leisk

    Mendel Leisk Senior Member

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    Hopefully this one
     
  9. powercat

    powercat Junior Member

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    Thats it, just checked price from online toyota dealers- about $170 - so not too bad -maybe you also need that long special carb screwdriver which probably does t cost much, Bob.
     
    Mendel Leisk likes this.
  10. ChapmanF

    ChapmanF Senior Member

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    Yet another spiffy tool I don't have.