1. Attachments are working again! Check out this thread for more details and to report any other bugs.

Featured Prius 2011 spitting out reservoir coolant

Discussion in 'Gen 3 Prius Care, Maintenance & Troubleshooting' started by Aftab Ak, Jul 12, 2020.

  1. Aftab Ak

    Aftab Ak Junior Member

    Joined:
    May 22, 2018
    46
    10
    0
    Location:
    Pakistan
    Vehicle:
    2011 Prius
    Model:
    N/A
    Hi everyone,
    My prius 2011 with 115k miles on it. Check engine light is on with warning light. It stops when I drive it with some other lights on the dashboard gets on. I disconnect the 12v battery then i drive for a minute or so and again all the lights comes on and the car stops, it also spitting out engine coolant reservoir,
    It's been two years and I am fed up with the prius issues, I have changed 4 water pumps in this time. It often turns on check engine light.
    Can the engine heats up with a bad hybrid battery???
    what's the main issue any ideas please help
     
  2. Mendel Leisk

    Mendel Leisk Senior Member

    Joined:
    Oct 17, 2010
    54,473
    38,105
    80
    Location:
    Greater Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
    Vehicle:
    2010 Prius
    Model:
    Touring
    Engine coolant is coming out where? From under the cap of the reservoir?

    With check engine light there will be codes. Get them read and post? Even a basic obd port code reader should get some. Probably not all the info, but at least a start.
     
  3. Aftab Ak

    Aftab Ak Junior Member

    Joined:
    May 22, 2018
    46
    10
    0
    Location:
    Pakistan
    Vehicle:
    2011 Prius
    Model:
    N/A
    Well I dont have an obd as I have lost it so unable to get codes, will take it to the workshop tomorrow then will read and post all the codes.
    Not from under the cap of the reservoir but when the cap is off, the coolant comes out like boiling water.
     
    Mendel Leisk likes this.
  4. Aftab Ak

    Aftab Ak Junior Member

    Joined:
    May 22, 2018
    46
    10
    0
    Location:
    Pakistan
    Vehicle:
    2011 Prius
    Model:
    N/A
    The car it heated I think but dont know why? Can bad hybrid battery cause the engine to heat???
     
  5. AzusaPrius

    AzusaPrius Senior Member

    Joined:
    May 27, 2020
    1,639
    766
    0
    Location:
    California
    Vehicle:
    2010 Prius
    Model:
    IV
    Dont unplug battery so codes can remain in memory.

    Leave overnight and should be able to drive until next overheat, it is your waterpump.

    When replacing the waterpump if you dont burp the system there will be more failed waterpumps.
     
    Aftab Ak likes this.
  6. Aftab Ak

    Aftab Ak Junior Member

    Joined:
    May 22, 2018
    46
    10
    0
    Location:
    Pakistan
    Vehicle:
    2011 Prius
    Model:
    N/A
    It sounds good, I didn't get "burp the system" what does it mean? Please give some details as I have replaced 4 water pumps in the last two years. It's now annoying me.
     
  7. Trollbait

    Trollbait It's a D&D thing

    Joined:
    Feb 7, 2006
    21,595
    11,218
    0
    Location:
    eastern Pennsylvania
    Vehicle:
    Other Non-Hybrid
    Burping means getting all the air out.
     
    Aftab Ak likes this.
  8. Aftab Ak

    Aftab Ak Junior Member

    Joined:
    May 22, 2018
    46
    10
    0
    Location:
    Pakistan
    Vehicle:
    2011 Prius
    Model:
    N/A
    Okay great, but I dont understand why my water pumps fails so often infact every 4 to 5 months and it's too much costly. I replaced 4 of them the image is attached
     

    Attached Files:

  9. AzusaPrius

    AzusaPrius Senior Member

    Joined:
    May 27, 2020
    1,639
    766
    0
    Location:
    California
    Vehicle:
    2010 Prius
    Model:
    IV
    After a drive or putting the car in maintanence mode and letting it get to normal temp, then shut it off and open the coolant reseviour and you will hear the pressure escape.

    Do that after each drive and eventually you will get all the air out.

    Sorry you have spent so much money on OEM parts, I put in a cheap $125 aftermarket waterpump and all is good.
     
  10. Trollbait

    Trollbait It's a D&D thing

    Joined:
    Feb 7, 2006
    21,595
    11,218
    0
    Location:
    eastern Pennsylvania
    Vehicle:
    Other Non-Hybrid
    Air in the lines can lead to the pump overheating and burning out the seals.
     
  11. bwilson4web

    bwilson4web BMW i3 and Model 3

    Joined:
    Nov 25, 2005
    27,067
    15,372
    0
    Location:
    Huntsville AL
    Vehicle:
    2017 Prius Prime
    Model:
    Prime Plus
    No, the battery is air cooled.

    Can you post a picture of the problem when coolant is spitting out?

    Bob Wilson
     
  12. edthefox5

    edthefox5 Senior Member

    Joined:
    Jul 25, 2007
    10,096
    4,795
    0
    Location:
    Clearwater, Florida
    Vehicle:
    2007 Prius
    Model:
    Two
    May be blown head gasket. What does the oil look like does it look contaminated?

    If you have had some previous bad engine over heats does not take much of that to damage the aluminum head. Before putting any more money in the car get a compression test done on the engine.
     
  13. Aftab Ak

    Aftab Ak Junior Member

    Joined:
    May 22, 2018
    46
    10
    0
    Location:
    Pakistan
    Vehicle:
    2011 Prius
    Model:
    N/A
    20200713_134712.jpg 20200713_134712.jpg
     

    Attached Files:

    Mendel Leisk likes this.
  14. Aftab Ak

    Aftab Ak Junior Member

    Joined:
    May 22, 2018
    46
    10
    0
    Location:
    Pakistan
    Vehicle:
    2011 Prius
    Model:
    N/A
    Hi guys, this was the problem the connector was bad, I replaced the connector resacanned the prius the code water pump malfunction disappeared and the car ran fine. But now I have the issue with 12v battery, the car isn't starting the current isn't coming to the car, may be I have a bad 12v battery? Dashboard lights gets dim and getting a constant beep from the 12v battery, help please
     
  15. edthefox5

    edthefox5 Senior Member

    Joined:
    Jul 25, 2007
    10,096
    4,795
    0
    Location:
    Clearwater, Florida
    Vehicle:
    2007 Prius
    Model:
    Two
    What does that connector lead go to? your seeing a symptom there not the fix there’s a reason it’s burned out whatever it’s powering is bad and pulling a lot of power.

    After fixing that it get a IR thermometer and monitor that plug heat and wire heat if you have no idea what it goes to.
     
  16. ChapmanF

    ChapmanF Senior Member

    Joined:
    Mar 30, 2008
    23,072
    14,975
    0
    Location:
    Indiana, USA
    Vehicle:
    2010 Prius
    Model:
    IV
    The idea is it's the water pump connector. :)

    Burned contacts in connectors don't always have to be caused by some other part. They can begin with a bit of oxidation of the contact. That increases its resistance, driving the heat up. The heat accelerates the oxidation, and the process runs away.

    I think there's been at least one other thread recently involving that same connector, which might already have the part number for the correct repair terminal. Otherwise, you can locate that connector in the Electrical Wiring Diagram as demonstrated here and expand to get the repair terminal and splice sleeve part numbers as shown here. Being a non-interior repair, it will involve a sealant-infused shrink sleeve over the splice.
     
  17. AzusaPrius

    AzusaPrius Senior Member

    Joined:
    May 27, 2020
    1,639
    766
    0
    Location:
    California
    Vehicle:
    2010 Prius
    Model:
    IV
    Great now charge the battery!!
     
    Aftab Ak likes this.
  18. Aftab Ak

    Aftab Ak Junior Member

    Joined:
    May 22, 2018
    46
    10
    0
    Location:
    Pakistan
    Vehicle:
    2011 Prius
    Model:
    N/A
    Thanks buddy, well I installed a new 12v battery and now it's all okay, but as mentioned above it's the second time it has the bad water pump connector, the plug inside the connector heats up and the code water pump malfunction appears, I need a permanent solution for it, why it gets heated, as the temperature here is about 40 degrees. I drove for about 200kms and it was fine today. Need help for its permanent solution. Thanks all of you for your support and help
     
  19. Aftab Ak

    Aftab Ak Junior Member

    Joined:
    May 22, 2018
    46
    10
    0
    Location:
    Pakistan
    Vehicle:
    2011 Prius
    Model:
    N/A
    One other thing the water pump is fine means the issue was with connector, why it didn't demage the water pump???
     
  20. AzusaPrius

    AzusaPrius Senior Member

    Joined:
    May 27, 2020
    1,639
    766
    0
    Location:
    California
    Vehicle:
    2010 Prius
    Model:
    IV
    You will need a donor plug so start looking for a prius in a junkyard or for parts and cut the plug off and put it on your car.
     
    Aftab Ak likes this.