My car was hungry?

A funny thing happened to me today. I had stopped for about 15 minutes to pick up some take out. When I was getting back in the car, I heard this strange sound. The sound lasted for almost 10 seconds, had a somewhat regular oscillation and seemed to be coming from the dash area.

Just to be on the safe side I turned to my passenger and asked if it was her and she replied: “No. It’s your car!â€

I swear it sounded like my car’s stomach was growling. She said it sounded more like gas. :\

Has this happened to anyone else? Is this something that I should be concerned about?

i'd run for my life, but that's just me

It sounds like the batteries/hybrid system doing their "thing".
Like other posters had written, the Prius, as well as the Camry Hybrid and Highlander Hybrid, will go through a sequence to keep the battery performing optimally. I think the sounds are cool.:rockon:

I suspect it was the brake acumulator pump. It will run when the drivers door is opened ready to give you brake boost when you drive away.

This is the most likely explanation. It makes a ratcheting/growling/buzzing sort of noise from someplace down in front of the driver's foot well.

Tom

I agree with Qbee42! You will several different sounds. When I turn off my car after arriving home and parked in the garage...I will hear a few "clicks" and few other sounds. I know one of them to be related to the gas recovery/Tank recovery....I think the other is the Hybrid Battery.....

The car sometimes makes you think it's having Indigestion!

But It's just doing it's thing....nothing to worry about..

You will hear a low growling-type sound when the car is off if you have the solar ventilation enabled and the car is in direct sunlight. It comes and goes periodically, and you may also notice the light breeze out of the vents (it's very light).

I noticed you have a solar package. Chances are, it was your servo-system making adjustments to bring fresah air into the cabin. It makes sort of a 'groaning" sound. It's normal, and nothing is wrong. If you look in the manual, they mention the sound...

To put this all in a nutshell for you, your Prius has a minimum of 4 sources that can emit odd noises:
* Your Solar System and its air ventilation
* Your Brake Acumulator (for pressurizing the brakes)
* Your Gas Tank's vapor recovery system
* Your Hybrid Battery system's relays

Your Hybrid Prius is completely different from the average car, and as a result, does NOT act or sound like a conventional car. Even the Owners Manual says your car can make some strange noises, and that these sounds are normal!

David (aka Blind Guy)

Thank you all for the great feedback and perspective!

I knew that I would be experiencing some new and strange noises so I was not really freaked out. It may have also been my phone's data connection interfering with the electronics as I entered the car.

I have heard both the solar and break systems working and I am confident that it was not one of them. As far vapor recovery or the hybrid relays, I have not heard those yet so one of them may be the cause.

Considering the circumstances though, it was quite hillarious! J

It's just your dashboard warming up for the rattles symphony...

Thanks for not offending me by saying fart. I really appreciate it. :thumb:

I am half tempted to come to Indy to meet you to hear your Symphonic Car! The rattles you describe have me Curious and concerned...Mine is good, so when does the bomb explode?

Another possibility could be the air conditioning system, after it is turned off. I've heard this on my G2 before. It is the sound of the coolant expanding in the AC system. Sounds like the car is flatulent.

You are probably right about the coolant. I forgot that I had turned the solar roof off the day before to preserve the new car smell as long as possible. I know the brake pump sound and it is much softer than what I heard.

If it happens again I will try to record it and find some way to post the sound.