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screeching sound from engine after service

Discussion in 'Gen 2 Prius Main Forum' started by Kindke, Jun 24, 2020.

  1. Kindke

    Kindke Member

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    2 weeks ago took my prius 2008 ( 85k miles ) for a service at a toyota dealer, Everything was fine before the service and for about 1 week after. During the service they identified the auxiliary belt (one that drives the water pump ) as needing replacing due age and cracks.

    So 1 week after I start to notice this very loud screeching sound coming from engine area while the engine is running ( especially at high rev;s ) . It sounded like metal grinding on metal at first but after doing some research I learned it is probably the auxiliary/serpentine belt the dealer replaced and that perhaps the tension was not correct and it was slipping on the pulleys's.

    I took my car back to the dealer who said they have replaced the belt again but , that because the old belt was so worn it might have caused damage to the water pump and this might also need replacing. ( which is going to be a big bill )

    Does this sound feasible or are they trying to cover up for not getting the installation of the belt correct the first time? As stated car only has 85k miles and I had it serviced at this same dealer last june at 77k miles.

    Note: this is in London, UK
     
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  2. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

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    if they can't tell if the replacement belt was a problem, and replaced it again, i would look for another dealer.
    it's possible they overtightened the belt and damaged the waterpump
     
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  3. TMR-JWAP

    TMR-JWAP Senior Member

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    Some vehicles have an automatic, spring loaded tensioner to maintain a specific range of tension on an auxiliary serpentine belt as it stretches from wear. The Prius does not have this, and instead it merely has a manual mechanical jacking bolt adjustment. It's not unheard of that this style tensioner would need adjustment within several days after installation of a new belt. New belts tend to do a bit of stretching over the first several days. A Gen 2 Prius tension adjustment should be a 5 minute job.
     
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  4. PriusCamper

    PriusCamper Senior Member

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    Yea... stay away from that dealership... Or as we like to call them stealerships... Because this is a non-hybrid issue any local reputable mechanic can keep everything running properly for the least amount of cost, especially if you make that a priority with them. The dealer, as you're currently experiencing, will do the opposite.
     
  5. fotomoto

    fotomoto Senior Member

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    This is not uncommon. Worn out pump bearings can momentarily freeze, belt squeals, bearings release from all the pressure, squeal stops for a short while till it all repeats again. Pump usually fails pretty quickly thereafter. Same scenario can be applied to tensioner bearings as stated above. IOW, further investigation is necessary.

    Had a gen1 RAV4 whose water pump seizures would snap the internal timing belt. Although that made for an expensive repair, at least that would keep the ICE from continued running and overheating. :coffee:
     
  6. Kindke

    Kindke Member

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    but my problem has occurred within 1 week after a service and getting the belt replaced.

    surely that is far too much of a coincidence.

    as stated the car has been perfectly fine before I took it in for a service, never heard a squeal/screech from the belt ever before.

    it does sound like TMR-JWAP suggested and that the new belt has stretched a bit during its first week of use and needed adjusting.

    --

    Im actually really annoyed now ive had so many problems with my prius since I bought it and its been nothing but a huge money sink, its meant to be a reliable car but the amount of maintenance and repair and things failing and repair costs im just thinking of getting rid of it and getting an octavia.

    its also a prime target for catalytic converter theft which I have to constantly worry about it.

    my first car was a 04 ford fiesta and I never had a SINGLE problem with it. ran perfectly for 2 years before I got fed up of driving a manual transmission.
     
    #6 Kindke, Jun 24, 2020
    Last edited: Jun 24, 2020
  7. bisco

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    but now your on 12 years, and how many miles? prius are very good on average, and there are always outliers, but they'll never save money, just the planet. corolla and etc. if you want reliabilty and cheaper repairs, unless you can do serious diy
     
  8. Kindke

    Kindke Member

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    Just to finish this thread, I had the water pump replaced at £250 at the dealer. engine sounds a bit nicer now lets see how it goes.

    I absolutely love my prius but the repair costs have been outrageous so far. I suppose £250 is cheaper than a new car if I can get a few more years out of it
     
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  9. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

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    all the best!(y)
     
  10. edthefox5

    edthefox5 Senior Member

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    There's alot of annoying things that can happen to a G2 Prius. If your not real handy with mechanics tools and have go to the dealer for everything your going to go broke soon. My dealer charges $150 and hour whats the rate there in US dollars?

    If I had to bring my G2 to the dealer for everything I have seen I would have sold it long long time ago.

    A G2 Prius is usually bought used because people hear what great mileage it gets but one big repair will instantly blow out all those savings like you have learned.

    The most horrifying part lol is the next adventure you will have that just about every single G2 owner either has had or will have including me and that's the hybrid battery failure. The big high voltage battery in the trunk. Its failure is like the #1 post on this site. When that fails the car will not move.

    The sad fact is you have a very low mileage G2 and that does not bode well for the hybrid battery in fact it increases its chances of early failure.The battery's that seem to do best are high mileage cars. Cars that are driven daily good distances so that battery is regulary charged and never sits its always being charged and discharged. The hybrid battery pack likes that. My own bought new 07 G2 started having hybrid battery issues at 125,000 miles mainly because it was not driven daily.

    Peruse the G2 forums and read all the posts about the hybrid battery. Just look for BATTERY posts. Its not good. Its very very common failure in a G2 its a big hassle and an expensive repair.

    If I were you I would fluff it up and sell it asap. Maybe trade it in for a better car. Get a regular car a regular mechanic can work on and find a good independent garage and stay away from the dealer he will kill your wallet.

    Good Luck!.
     
  11. Kindke

    Kindke Member

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    I have been thinking about selling the prius for those reasons you have listed, but hybrid battery failures do not seem to be common in UK , it might be something to do with the climate. Ive also recently put some expensive premium tyres on my prius. I think its in very good shape apart from the body work, with UK summer temps I can easily get 65mpg

    But what other car is worthy to replace the prius? Ive been looking at things like ford focus, skoda octavia, nissan qashqai, Honda civic. I still want good fuel economy so it will have to be a automatic diesel.
     
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  12. dolj

    dolj Senior Member

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    You have to do the miles to make the economy equation work for diesel. 15,000 miles or more per year, and mostly motorway miles too.
     
  13. Data Daedalus

    Data Daedalus Senior Member

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    It might be your mechanical water pump. I have a 2008 Tspirit and changed mine about 2 years ago at 99k miles.

    It made a horrible screeching noise at startup, but initially soon stopped screeching each morning. However, it soon progressively got noisier, and after about a month or so, started to rumble. Scared the bearings might disintegrate, I got extra worried. That’s when I took it in and had it replaced.

    They did the serpentine belt at the same time.
    The Spaceship has run flawlessly ever since.


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  14. Data Daedalus

    Data Daedalus Senior Member

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    That’s cheaper than what I paid - mind you, they did replace my serpentine belt too, and completely replaced the coolant.


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