I'm new to learning about cars in general. I just got a 2011 Prius and now I've been fascinated about how it works. I haven't found anything completely listing the components under the hood for the 3rd gen Prius. So I thought I'd post here and check to see if I've correctly identified everything visible. 1) HSD coolant? 2) wiper fluid 3) Air intake muffler? 4) HSD 5) Air filter 6) Inverter 7) Inverter coolant 8) Brake fluid 9) ECU? 10) fuse box?
Pry #4 up and you'll see it's a piece of show-biz plastic, over the engine valve cover I believe #1 is the regular coolant, for the circuit that runs through the engine, and #7 is the coolant for the electric motor circuit. #10 is indeed the fuse box (there's another under dash), and there is an electrical contact point in there you can use for connection positive jumper or charger clamp, under a little red lid. Just to left of the orange cable is a little metal "tit" sticking out of the side of engine block: a good connection point for negative jumper or charger clamps. *8 is brake fluid, but level check is at a second bottle, further back under the cowl. There's a little plastic door in the cowl that flips open if you need to top up brake fluid.
Just change 1 to ICE collant and 4 to ICE and your good to go. And any orange cable may have very high voltage in it.
The HSD includes an ICE as well as two electric motor-generators. That's why I put HSD instead of putting ICE. You may be right about labeling #1 as ICE collant, but would have thought there would be some coolant for the motor-generators as well, and I don't see any special motor-generator coolant, so I was thinking that maybe that coolant is used for cooling all three motors in the HSD.
The other/inverter coolant goes into the trans where the electric motors are. So 1 is just the ICE coolant.
I guess I'm just trying to dodge the technogab, ie: motor = the electrical bit engine = the gasoline bit I hate how "ICE" replaced "engine". A perfectly legitimate word in the english language supplanted by a esoteric 3 word acronym for the same effing thing
Question? I haven't been able to find a light for under the hood...concluding...there isn't one. Is that right...or is it hidden somewhere? I asked about this for future updates...
No please......no light for under the hood.....it would just be another possible cause for drain on the 12 volt battery. Something that it doesn't need. Carry a good flashlight........as all car owners should do
What about #9? Is that actually an ECU? and if so, aren't there multiple ECUs in the Prius? Which ECU is that?
Yes, that is the engine ECU and yes there are MANY ECUs through out the car. You should see what is behind your glove box and behind the driver's side dash. The radiator is where it is on the other cars under that black trim piece in front of the engine/ICE. In addition to the main radiator there is an inverter radiator that sits in front of the main radiator just behind the upper, smaller grill opening.
Hi Prez..., There are two radiators in the Prius. One radiator is a two sectioned unit, having one section for the engine, and the other for the inverter cooling. The second radiator is the Air Conditioning coolant radiator. They are located under the black plastic piece towards the front of the engine compartment.
I agree....to a point. In an emergency or freezing conditions....get under the hood quick and out-of-there. At least give you an off/on switch option.:cheer2:
Is the layout the same (or very similar) on the Gen II? If not, do you know where I can see a diagram for the Gen II?
