Check engine light & water sensor # 16670-21010

It is hard to comment on your situation without knowing the DTC logged by your car. If that was provided to you, please post.

However, the particular part that you listed, which is the valve for the engine coolant heat recovery system, is a known trouble area so it's possible that part is causing the check engine light to come on.

BTW, the MSRP for that part is $72.01 so the price of $529 is quite excessive. $300 (which would provide for 2 labor hours) would be more reasonable.
Champion ToyotaWorld

 

One possibility is that your coolant level is low, due to a (very) slow leak in the engine water pump.

 

From wikipedia:

Just ask the dealer for the codes including any sub-codes and post here. Good luck!

 

It should be on your estimate paperwork already, such as P1121

 

I agree with Patrick Wong's statement 100%.

My wifes 2009 Gen II Prius had the same problem. The DTC code is P1121.

Check Engine Light was on at the time the code was retrieved at Teyas Toyota here in Humble, TX.

Repairs were as follows with part number and prices.

Part # 16670-21010 Valve Assy, Water $72.01
Part # 00272-SLLC2 Super Long Life C $21.51
Total on Parts $93.52
Labor $193.19

Grand Total of Repair $286.71

Tejas Toyota Humble, TX Date of Repair 7/11/11

As Patrick stated and others have said elsewhere in the forum, this is a common item to be repaired on Gen II Prius.

IMHO, you should go back to the dealer who quoted that price and verify the DTC Code. If they don't tell you the code that Patrick and I quoted, go elsewhere and start over. If they do say the code is P1121, then find a dealer that will do the job for less. $529 is NOT a good price.

 

The DTC is consistent with the diagnosis and the suggested replacement of the coolant heat recovery system valve. The quoted price is quite high; perhaps you can call around to other Toyota dealers in your locale and get a better price.

 

Where ever you take it for service, ask them to inspect the engine water pump (not the one that you just had replaced). How many miles on that 2005? If it is more than 80,000, I would take a very close look at that engine water pump. If they find the engine water pump to be bad (leaking), have them do that job first. This also includes a drain and fill+bleed of the engine cooling loop. It is still possible that there just isn't any coolant in the thermos -- also consistent with 1116 and 1121.

 

I called the tejas toyota dealer today to get a price on the labor for the coolant valve... they said labor alone would cost $410.00. How did you get such a break?

 

Good question. I would suggest you call back and ask for Kim. Give her the part #'s of the valve, and ask her what the labor rate is. $410 sounds a little high for that job.

The only thing I can say is that they were doing regular service work for me, plus any repairs I could not handle on my own. Why they quoted you $410 labor I haven't a clue. I don't think their labor rate has changed that much in the last two years.