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Intermittent A/C problems & red triangle of death

Discussion in 'Gen 2 Prius Main Forum' started by shelbyelan, Aug 12, 2012.

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  1. shelbyelan

    shelbyelan Junior Member

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    The fans have to be removed from the motors leaving the motors where they are, and changing over the fans.
    Thank you
     
    #21 shelbyelan, Aug 13, 2012
  2. Britprius

    Britprius Senior Member

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    Please keep us informed of any results thanks.

    John.
     
    #22 Britprius, Aug 13, 2012
  3. shelbyelan

    shelbyelan Junior Member

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    I can't get it into the shop until Wed., but will update afterwards.
     
    #23 shelbyelan, Aug 13, 2012
  4. shelbyelan

    shelbyelan Junior Member

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    I took it to a different dealer and they'll look at it tomorrow. I'm uneasy because they said it will cost $200 just for them to look at it, but they did say that they'll apply that toward any work that they do. I asked them to start with looking at the fans to see if they're switched. So, I may be checking in tomorrow. My fingers are crossed.
     
    #24 shelbyelan, Aug 13, 2012
  5. SageBrush

    SageBrush Senior Member

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    Kudos to BritPrius for coming up with this answer!
    If it turns out to be correct, the body shop should pay all the bills(s).
    Anybody know if switched fans throws a code ?

    OP, when you said the right-side coolant was boiling, did you mean passenger or driver side ?
     
    #25 SageBrush, Aug 14, 2012
  6. Britprius

    Britprius Senior Member

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    I do not think the fans being switched would through a code but, they could easily cause overheating of both the inverter and the engine and in turn those could through codes.

    The MFD outside air temp would also be haywire and this information is fed to the engine ECU.
     
    #26 Britprius, Aug 14, 2012
  7. shelbyelan

    shelbyelan Junior Member

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    OP, when you said the right-side coolant was boiling, did you mean passenger or driver side ?

    It was on the driver's side.
     
    #27 shelbyelan, Aug 14, 2012
  8. shelbyelan

    shelbyelan Junior Member

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    The MFD outside air temp would also be haywire and this information is fed to the engine ECU.
    Outside air temp was haywire. I should have made the connection. I knew it was hot, but not THIS hot! 122 (2).jpg
     
    #28 shelbyelan, Aug 14, 2012
  9. shelbyelan

    shelbyelan Junior Member

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    So, they said that the fans were switched and they'll fix that. They were checking the wiring, too, because they thought there might be a problem with that as well. You all are awesome!

    Also, they said I was low on freon. Now that confuses me. It was checked and filled on June 20 at Dealer 1. Afterwards they said perhaps it was overfilled. They checked it again in July and said it was fine and there were still no leaks. Week before last Dealer 2 said that pressure tests and freon were both fine. Can anybody help me understand that one?

    Estimate so far for this work is $475 bringing this problem to a total of about $800 and 6 trips to the shop. I'm truly grateful to you for giving me hope it might finally get fixed.
     
    #29 shelbyelan, Aug 14, 2012
    SageBrush likes this.
  10. shelbyelan

    shelbyelan Junior Member

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    #30 shelbyelan, Aug 14, 2012
  11. SageBrush

    SageBrush Senior Member

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    The freon was getting awful hot; I'm not surprised to hear some was lost.
    It is amazing actually that the fan switcheroo did not fry the car. Superb Toyota engineering.

    OP: Go after the doofuses who repaired the car wrong.
     
    #31 SageBrush, Aug 14, 2012
    shelbyelan likes this.
  12. shelbyelan

    shelbyelan Junior Member

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    Thanks, again.
     
    #32 shelbyelan, Aug 14, 2012
  13. lech auto air conditionin

    lech auto air conditionin Senior Member

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    About the refrigerant being LOW and then maybe OVERFILLED, this is a vary tricky situation on inverter electric compressors. With the test and spec that toyota gives you can only get a close estimate of OK. It will change with out humidity and TEMP. " THERE IS ONLY ONE TRUE WAY TO TELL, RECOVER THE REFRIGERANT AND WEIGH IT !!!... and only using a vary accurate scale, not using a old recovery and recycle unit from 5, 10 or 15 years ago. I have and use on every recharge gram weights to check calibration on all small refrigerant capacity cars, its that important.
    Just this year the EPA and the S.A.E in collaboration with M.A.C.S world wide have passed new laws, rules and regulations governing recovery, recycle, recharge machines, new leak tester, new weight accuracy for the new hybrid cars and much more having to do with car A/C ( HVAC )
    The accuracy is only as good as the machine and the TECHs procedures.
     
    #33 lech auto air conditionin, Aug 15, 2012
  14. Britprius

    Britprius Senior Member

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    Glad you have now got it sorted and I agree not an obvious problem, but shoddy work by the body shop that should have noticed that the fans are different, and should have taken the time to discover why. I would pursue the body shop for all out of pocket expenses on this problem.

    The fans have a different number of blades and rotate in different directions to stop the pulsing droning noise that would happen when two sounds of close frequency mix.

    Again hope this is the end of your problems.

    John.
     
    #34 Britprius, Aug 15, 2012
  15. snijd

    snijd DIY or die

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    FWIW, the misplaced fan blade problem seems to send dealers on a wild goose chase. On my car, they replaced a wiring harness and the inverter cooling pump, but never found the real problem. I found it after experiencing intermittent A/C, high outside air temp readings, and the red triangle of death on one occasion. It's a very easy fix, not even requiring fan motor removal.
     
    #35 snijd, Aug 15, 2012
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