check engine light + soft whirring noise

Discussion in 'Gen 2 Prius Care, Maintenance and Troubleshooting' started by Danica, Jul 30, 2026 at 6:22 PM.

  1. Danica

    Danica Junior Member

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    LOL... maybe I';m a little too jumpy these days after the week I've had (my phone broke the same day the check engine light came on) but the sound is definitely different than what I'm used to hearing from this car. And right now, anything different feels like a bad thing.
     
  2. saneesh8

    saneesh8 Member

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    Open the hood and listen for this noise. The brake actuator sound will be coming under the windshield area. The coolant pump and all are close to the front of the car.
     
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  3. Dennis Brown

    Dennis Brown Junior Member

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    If you want to determine the life/state of the hybrid battery, use the Dr. Prius software and a proper OBD II doogle interface for a reading the data by a phone. Useful for controlling the hybrid fan, as well. Then test the battery following the instructions. It will tell you what you need to know about that battery.
    As for the ABS system, if no codes, why replace it? Wait for codes to show. I assume the brakes are working fine - that is an easy test if in doubt.
    The inverter coolant pump is easy to tell if working. Remove the coolant cap (for the inverter coolant, NOT the radiator!) You should see motion of the fluid. If not, the pump isn't working.
    Definitely, if the valve was still bad, the code should quickly return.
     
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  4. Danica

    Danica Junior Member

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    Thank you very much for the advice. I am not very well-versed in car mechanics, so your first sentence is all Greek to me. Though it sounds like a great idea, if I can find someone with the know-how to do it.

    I've been trying to educate myself on all this, but from what I've read, if the brake actuator is going off every five seconds, that's a pretty strong sign it's going to fail in the not-too-distant future. The pump is constantly pumping to keep the brake fluid pressure up, right? I'd prefer to get this taken care of before it reaches a critical stage. And it doesn't seem clear how much more time I have before it reaches the critical stage.

    I'm pretty sure I had the inverter pump replaced last year, along with the 12-volt battery. There are so many pumps on this car it's hard to keep them straight sometimes, but I'm pretty sure it was the inverter pump.
     
  5. Dennis Brown

    Dennis Brown Junior Member

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    The car has a ODB II port under the dash on the drivers side. It is easy to see if you look where the photo shows in your car, you'll see it.
     

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  6. Dennis Brown

    Dennis Brown Junior Member

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    You buy the dongle that plugs in that works for Dr. Prius (their web site explains details) and it shows the hybrid batter charge and many other details on your phone. If you pay for their software upgrade (about $15) to add to their free software, you can test the hybrid battery's condition. They have examples online to watch on youtube.

    By testing the hybrid battery, you'll then know its performance/life-time and if that is an issue that will cause problems sooner rather than later.
     
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  7. rjparker

    rjparker Tu Humilde Sirviente

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    No, the brake actuator/booster/master cylinder pump does not normally run constantly.

    When it was new and for years later, you might hear it when you approached the car or touched the door handle for the first time each day.

    When it runs every 3-5 seconds or keeps running you might be closer to a brake booster replacement. It is not cheap, maybe $2,500 installed at a dealer or a quality independent shop, primarily because there are no rebuilt or aftermarket alternatives.

    For most of the population who don't know an obd2 port from a brake booster, the best thing to do is to spend a little at the dealer or quality independent hybrid shop for a diagnosis. Without warning lights, this is for your own peace of mind.

    Then come back for recommendations for budget options before paying a dealer to repair. This step is important because a dealer may offer unnecessary "preventative" services like fuel system cleaning, alignments or early fluid changes.
     
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