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

low coolant, no leaks

Discussion in 'Gen 4 Prius Care, Maintenance and Troubleshooting' started by thomassster, Mar 3, 2022.

  1. thomassster

    thomassster Member

    Joined:
    Nov 2, 2015
    238
    80
    0
    Location:
    Colorado, US
    Vehicle:
    2019 Prius
    Model:
    XLE AWD-e
    So I noticed my coolant being a little bit extra low today, about an inch lower than the minimum line, my car being a 2019 AWD-e. only about 22000 miles with oil changes done 3 times already so I don't feel it should be head gasket issues. It's about a year ago that I brought my car in for a Toyota care check so I'm assuming they verified it then. I see this other TSB linked below which is concerning to me. I don't feel any other issues, performance seems to be okay. No leaks apparently anywhere. I know I can go about filling it up again and waiting to see if coolant is disappearing out of nowhere. Does anyone have any experience with this TSB or possibly unknown low coolant?
    https://attachments.priuschat.com/attachment-files/2021/11/215475_Coolant_Leak.pdf

    related thread: https://priuschat.com/posts/3207176/
     
  2. thomassster

    thomassster Member

    Joined:
    Nov 2, 2015
    238
    80
    0
    Location:
    Colorado, US
    Vehicle:
    2019 Prius
    Model:
    XLE AWD-e
    I’m assuming this is low based on the markings are on the tank to the left and not the right? I talked to someone on the dealership and they stated that my vin isn’t associated with any known issues, but I’m assuming they may not link all tsb issues to everyone’s vin info?
     

    Attached Files:

  3. sam spade 2

    sam spade 2 Senior Member

    Joined:
    Mar 31, 2018
    7,035
    2,780
    0
    Location:
    USA
    Vehicle:
    2017 Prius c
    Model:
    Four
    Is it COLD there now ?
    That will make the level a bit lower.
    Would you have noticed it if it was at the low mark.......say a year ago ?

    Probably no cause for worry. NOT at all unusual for it to be there after 3 years or so if you check it when it is cold out.
    Top it off and watch it.
     
  4. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

    Joined:
    May 11, 2005
    107,571
    48,862
    0
    Location:
    boston
    Vehicle:
    2012 Prius Plug-in
    Model:
    Plug-in Base
    looks like you need to print out the tsb and take it in to the dealer
     
  5. thomassster

    thomassster Member

    Joined:
    Nov 2, 2015
    238
    80
    0
    Location:
    Colorado, US
    Vehicle:
    2019 Prius
    Model:
    XLE AWD-e
    now it is 65 degrees and at that level. It was single digits last week though. Unless when you mean cold, that it has been sitting there undriven, which yes, that picture is the case. I’m not sure if I may have overlooked the low coolant some time ago, I’m currently doubting whether I verified it before. I don’t have heat problems and I don’t see any smoke or smell. I have an appointment with dealership on Monday and I’ll print out the tsb to ask them about typical symptoms.
     
    #5 thomassster, Mar 4, 2022
    Last edited: Mar 4, 2022
  6. sam spade 2

    sam spade 2 Senior Member

    Joined:
    Mar 31, 2018
    7,035
    2,780
    0
    Location:
    USA
    Vehicle:
    2017 Prius c
    Model:
    Four
    I think you are making WAY too much out of simply needing to add a little coolant.
    But it certainly won't hurt to get an opinion from a shop.

    Please let us know the result of your shop visit.
     
  7. sclevine

    sclevine Active Member

    Joined:
    Dec 23, 2016
    110
    133
    2
    Location:
    Northeast Florida, USA
    Vehicle:
    2024 Prius
    Model:
    XLE
    I can tell you from experience, you will only have heating problems when the coolant tank is EMPTY! And no dash indicator as well until coolant tank is EMPTY. Happened to me recently, sadly.
     
  8. thomassster

    thomassster Member

    Joined:
    Nov 2, 2015
    238
    80
    0
    Location:
    Colorado, US
    Vehicle:
    2019 Prius
    Model:
    XLE AWD-e
    i most likely think so, but according to one of our members on our forum, that works at a dealership, he has seen and fixed a lot of those issues. If I go to them and they have a high suspicion it is the heat exchanger issue, then I get a new heat exchanger and get a revised one. I need to stop by and pick up some coolant anyways. But if they tell me that low coolant is normal and chances are that I need to top it off, then I’ll just bail and monitor some more.
     
    bisco likes this.
  9. thomassster

    thomassster Member

    Joined:
    Nov 2, 2015
    238
    80
    0
    Location:
    Colorado, US
    Vehicle:
    2019 Prius
    Model:
    XLE AWD-e
    so here is the update. Went to the dealership with a copy of the TSB. I reported to the service manager that my car is 2.5 years old, had my car in the dealership last year, part of Toyota Care 15k miles service routine so the coolant should have been filled up then. My car was fresh hot when I drove in and the coolant still did not meet the low fill line and showed it to them. They had a service tech inspect my vehicle, and they stated it'll be a free check. One thing to note about my vehicle is that it does have a miller cat security shield which blocked any viewing or getting into the cat. After 2 hours of waiting in the lobby, they came back to me and provided me with the scoop. The service manager stated the tech inspected it and saw no signs of any leakage. therefore, they plan to execute the fix per the TSB. they further explained that there is a minor leak happening and that they will replace the parts listed on the TSB. The parts were back-ordered so I would need to wait until the parts come in to repair which maybe couple of weeks. They did state I can keep the car and top off the fluid if it ever got too low. And once the parts come in, then they want me to bring back the car in order to make the updates.

    I was surprised by the result considering I was expecting push back, but this dealership has been very good with the treatment of their customers, well at least for me. I didn't bother to ask any additional questions in order to not provoke any disagreements with their decision. Like whether they actually took out my miller cat shield to inspect or whether they used a scope to evaluate any signs of coolant leaks. All they stated in the report was that there were no signs of a coolant leak.
     
    bisco likes this.
  10. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

    Joined:
    May 11, 2005
    107,571
    48,862
    0
    Location:
    boston
    Vehicle:
    2012 Prius Plug-in
    Model:
    Plug-in Base
    good deal (y)
    it must be a very tiny leak in the exhaust pipe system
     
  11. sam spade 2

    sam spade 2 Senior Member

    Joined:
    Mar 31, 2018
    7,035
    2,780
    0
    Location:
    USA
    Vehicle:
    2017 Prius c
    Model:
    Four
    Coolant does NOT flow in the "exhaust pipe system".
     
  12. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

    Joined:
    May 11, 2005
    107,571
    48,862
    0
    Location:
    boston
    Vehicle:
    2012 Prius Plug-in
    Model:
    Plug-in Base
    thank you for your edification
     
  13. dacoobob

    dacoobob Member

    Joined:
    Dec 29, 2021
    83
    45
    0
    Location:
    Kansas City, MO
    Vehicle:
    2016 Prius
    Model:
    Four Touring
    Yes it does. There is a heat exchanger just aft of the second cat, which harvests heat from the exhaust stream to get the coolant up to operating temp faster. These get leaks sometimes. I had the same issue recently-- coolant leaking into the tailpipe from a leaky heat exchanger.
     
    bisco likes this.
  14. sam spade 2

    sam spade 2 Senior Member

    Joined:
    Mar 31, 2018
    7,035
    2,780
    0
    Location:
    USA
    Vehicle:
    2017 Prius c
    Model:
    Four
    Oops. Forgot about that.
    Does that exist on all years and all models ?
     
  15. thomassster

    thomassster Member

    Joined:
    Nov 2, 2015
    238
    80
    0
    Location:
    Colorado, US
    Vehicle:
    2019 Prius
    Model:
    XLE AWD-e
    If we are talking heat exchanger, that is present in gen 3 and 4. Gen 2 had a really loud coolant tank design.
     
    bisco likes this.
  16. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

    Joined:
    May 11, 2005
    107,571
    48,862
    0
    Location:
    boston
    Vehicle:
    2012 Prius Plug-in
    Model:
    Plug-in Base
    sam spade wrong again. huh, who would have thunk?
     
  17. douglasjre

    douglasjre Senior Member

    Joined:
    Sep 13, 2008
    1,743
    613
    0
    Location:
    Orlando, FL
    Vehicle:
    2010 Prius
    Model:
    ----USA----
    Just confirming you have 22K miles?
     
  18. thomassster

    thomassster Member

    Joined:
    Nov 2, 2015
    238
    80
    0
    Location:
    Colorado, US
    Vehicle:
    2019 Prius
    Model:
    XLE AWD-e
    I was a bit off, but still close. More like 20k miles. I just got the repair done from the dealership yesterday.
     
  19. BiomedO1

    BiomedO1 Senior Member

    Joined:
    Mar 27, 2021
    1,263
    691
    0
    Location:
    SacTown, Ca
    Vehicle:
    2021 Prius Prime
    Model:
    LE
    The dealer did a cooling system pressure test to determine that it was leaking. Since nothing was hitting the ground, the coolant could only go two other places - into the oil or out the exhaust. Since the engine was running fine; that only left the exhaust heat ex-changer.
     
  20. dacoobob

    dacoobob Member

    Joined:
    Dec 29, 2021
    83
    45
    0
    Location:
    Kansas City, MO
    Vehicle:
    2016 Prius
    Model:
    Four Touring
    they could have just stuck a borescope up the tailpipe. if coolant is leaking, residue will be visible.