My Prius is making noise

Checked out the HV battery fan? Maybe it needs cleaning?

 

Hi shah,

I am going to take a wild guess at this. You might want to check the fan blower for the traction battery.

I am attaching a pdf file that you can look through. It details how to check the blower as well as how to remove it and replace it. It is possible that the blower is stopped up and not spinning properly (noise?). It is important that the fan is operating normally, otherwise the traction battery may not be properly cooled.

I have no idea what the dealer would charge for this service. For some reason Toyota does not have this item in their maintenance schedule, but it does seem to be something that needs to be addressed from time to time.

FWIW, are you getting a good flow now in the coolant bottle for the inverter pump since it was repaired?

Here is a link you can study that discusses the problem.

Luscious Garage | Blog | Prius battery cooling fan cleaning, P0A82

Remember I am only guessing at this point.

Ron

 

The traction battery is the "hybrid one" as you wrote. There are only two batteries in the Prius.

Is there any way we could get together? I might be able to look at some things and maybe help you.

I could meet you at a place you choose if you feel comfortable. You can start a conversation also if you want to keep this private.

The blower motor I mentioned is in the rear of the trunk behind some panels. Mike @ Tejas Toyota quoted me a price of $210 to clean out the blower motor and about $560 to replace it. It would be best if one could do the work themselves especially if the blower only needs to be cleaned out.

Take a look at the link I posted above, it shows what the blower looks like when it is clogged up.

Ron

 

Here is a post I made awhile back with instructions on how to clean your Hybrid Battery Fan. You could use it to replace it as well.

Clean HV fan when changing 12 Volt | PriusChat

 

Did you by any chance upload the pics when you did the second one you mentioned in the above string?

Ron

 

Shah,

Here's the info on the trunk handle rubber. Yeah, it seems to affect certain Prii. Ours is still ok for some reason.

How to Replace the Hatch Opening Switch | PriusChat

If you are good with tools, you can get the part at Champion Toyota and do the job yourself. Talk to Jake at internet sales over there. He is a good guy and can help you get parts at discounted rates.

AutoNation Toyota Gulf Freeway Parts | Toyota Parts - Genuine OEM Toyota Parts and Accessories - Houston, Texas

Ron

 

You have two batteries. Both are in the back. The smaller one is the 12V and is in the right area behind the tail light under the covering. That one runs the electronics to allow the car to go into Ready mode. The High Voltage (HV) traction battery is the hybrid battery and is the larger one (205V) and runs the electric mechanisms and the electric motor. It is located just behind the rear seat under the covering under the hatchback.

With only 38k miles I wouldn't think the fan is clogged unless carrying long haired animals in the back seat is typical. There is a vent opening at the end of the rear seat back on the passengers side. Looks like an air vent. That is the air vent for the ventilation of the HV battery. With the car in the Ready mode and the AC turned off, you may be able to go around there and hear if the noise is coming from within that vent.

Seems like I remember another electrical device in the quarter of the car that turns and off and can sometimes be heard. But I 'm not sure.

 

I kind of feel the same way as you do Steve, with 38K it doesn't make sense unless shah is carrying animals. But anything is possible. That is why I said it was a guess. If I do meet up with him or her (unsure..), I am going to put my ear on the vent duct opening and see if I hear the fan. It can be heard if you do that when the Prius is in ready mode. I would also think that the paper trick would work to check for flow. (Hold a dollar bill in front of the duct, or something similar)

Intermittent noises can be hard for one person to figure out or find. Sometimes it takes two working together to pinpoint the problem child.

Ron

 

I did just check ours with a tissue. The blower will hold the tissue in place when in ready mode, but will fall once the Prius is powered down. That might be a quick and dirty way to see if the blower is working before one tears into the car for the inspection. I am NOT saying that is a proper diagnostic check. I am only saying that it did demonstrate to me that air was indeed flowing through the vent.

Ron

 

Hate to say it, but we haven't done her car, yet... So, no pictures at this time...

 

Understood, if you do please pm me as I am very interested in this project. I don't want to pay the stealer over 2 C Notes for something I can do myself.

Thanks for the reply and the info.

Ron

 

There are 3 batteries in the Prius: Brake booster; 12v and Hybrid. And two coolant loops. And enough computers to run a space station.

And more relays and wires than a Plymouth Fury has atoms of iron...

 

Hi Rich12,

FYI, the "brake booster" which looks like a little black box that resides in the Gen II Prius is really not a battery. It is a series of capacitors. I do agree that it is a power source, but technically speaking it is not a battery.

Refer to section #6 in the following link for more information.

http://www.autoshop101.com/forms/Hybrid16.pdf

Ron

 

Will do!