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CEL Code P2601-Mechanic Replaced Aux Coolant Pump-No Go

Discussion in 'Gen 2 Prius Care, Maintenance and Troubleshooting' started by Hunterea15, Oct 28, 2016.

  1. Hunterea15

    Hunterea15 Junior Member

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    This is my first post so please excuse my ignorance.

    I own a 2007 2nd Gen Prius. I purchased it used from a Toyota dealership 1 year and two weeks ago. I have had a few issues with this car and the dealership. Crack in the windshield at purchase, caliper was too tight, headlight went out as soon as I drove it off the lot, dead battery within the first month.

    6 months ago I get a CEL. I went to Auto Zone where they read it off as P2601-Coolant Pump control circuit range/performance.

    I kept driving with it. I know I should not have. Finally I bucked up the courage to go to pepboys. They looked at the code immediately told me they had to replace the water pump-that the cost of the pump was $300 and total with labor would be around $700. I laughed. I asked them if they knew which pump-and the guy just stared at me. I told him the codes been on since Feb and that I've seen no leakage when I've looked under the hood or under the car. He said it was leaking everywhere but they couldn't see from which pump. An hour later they said they can't figure it out and didn't charge me.

    Ok. So I call a local mechanic recommended to me by a coworker (it is not October and apparently in the state of IL you need to get emissions tests to renew your tags! News to me!)

    I tell the mechanic the situation as well as the code and he quickly gets me in and replaced the Aux Coolant Pump. $227 out the door. Cool. Light is off I am happy.

    This morning I turn on the car and BOOP there is the light! I called the mechanic he said to bring it in that maybe its a new code or that what they did didn't fix it...and I go 'what do you mean didn't fix it? you told me you knew what the problem was'

    So my question: What should I say to the mechanic to 'direct him in the right direction'. I've researched up and down this forum that it could be faulty wiring, it could be the inverter pump (do not ask me what that is I have no idea)

    I am very ignorant when it comes to cars so I apologize if this post is cringe worthy or irritating to you all who know the inside and out of your lovely vehicle. Any advice, knowledge or previous experience would be greatly appreciated.
     
  2. ericbecky

    ericbecky Hybrid Battery Hero

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    It can be tricky to get all the air bubbles out of the coolant lines on a Prius.

    Depending on his process he may need to have another go at purging the air out.

    There is more discussion here on PriusChat . I don't have time right now to chase down the links. Do a Google search for bleeding air Prius coolant .
     
  3. Patrick Wong

    Patrick Wong DIY Enthusiast

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    You need to be clear on exactly which coolant pump was replaced. The North American 2G Prius has four coolant pumps: engine coolant, inverter coolant, cabin heater core, coolant heat recovery system.

    The pump that needed to be replaced is the coolant heat recovery system pump which is located in the driver's side fender, in front of the tire, hiding behind the fender lining. If that pump was replaced but the same DTC P2601 remains, the mechanic may not have purged air out of the system.

    I posted on how to replace engine coolant, and how to exercise the coolant heat recovery system pump to get air out of that loop. See my posts 22 and 42 here:
    Changing engine coolant | Page 2 | PriusChat
     
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  4. ericbecky

    ericbecky Hybrid Battery Hero

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    Thanks for posting the link.
    It is one of the best resources on the topic.
     
  5. 08PriusXSJ

    08PriusXSJ Junior Member

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    Any follow up on the light with P2601 code?
     
  6. Hunterea15

    Hunterea15 Junior Member

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    The coolant heat recovery system pump ok I will keep that written down. The pump that was replaced was the "aux coolant pump" at least that was what was written down on the paper. I have an appt with the dealership for February, but I am every so tempted to take it to that local mechanic...I am currently still driving on the car with the CEL still on and yes I know I deserve bad prius juju for the rest of my life for doing it-I simply cannot afford it and I am still trying to recover the $500+ loss on new parts that didn't fix the problem. Thank you for your insight I will certainly think this over but either case I will be using your words as a piece of knowledge when discussing this with either mechanic. THANK YOU!
     
  7. Hunterea15

    Hunterea15 Junior Member

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    I applied for a 4 month extension of my tags at the DMV and haven't thought of it since unfortunately. I have made an appt with the dealership to see if they can help me out, but due to Patrick Wong's assistance I may take it back to the original mechanic because they are relatively cheap and closer to my work. On the sheet of paper for the pump replacement that I got from the mechanic it reads "Aux Pump replacement" so I am not sure what the hell that means lol as that is not one of the four pumps Patrick Wong listed. I am a bad prius owner and I am very very sorry to come on here and ask for advice, I know ignorance is not a becoming quality.
     
  8. andrewclaus

    andrewclaus Active Member

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    In addition to verifying which pump was replaced, you need to find the code(s) for the check engine light. Are we assuming it's the same code? The post hoc ergo propter hoc fallacy may apply here.
     
  9. edthefox5

    edthefox5 Senior Member

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    It is one of the pumps Pat mentioned.

    The aux pump is the inverter coolant pump. That pump and it's fluid reservoir cool the inverter and transmission. The pump is mounted right behind the drivers side headlight.
    You can check its proper operation by looking at the pump coolant flow.

    Get a flashlight. Open the hood. The inverter is the big square aluminum cover on the right. Mounted on the left of that square cover is a white plastic tank with a black cap. It should be filled with red fluid. Go start the car.
    Take black plastic cap off and with flashlight look down inside of that white tank at the red fluid. Fluid should show aggressive bubbling which reflects good pump flow. No bubbling and no fluid movement the pump is dead.
    THere is a full line on side of tank. Clean tank off and with black sharpie
    HighLight the full line, I have done that to all plastic tanks.
    Report back on coolant flow. Keep that coolant at full line. It's Toyota SLLC
    coolant. Buy it at the dealer by the gallon like $25 or so.

    No inverter pump the inverter and trans will overheat....it will throw a master caution alarm on the dash and eventually the inverter will crowbar and the car will shut off.
    Literally thousands of posts about it.
     
  10. Hunterea15

    Hunterea15 Junior Member

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    It is the same code.
     
  11. Hunterea15

    Hunterea15 Junior Member

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    Thank you for giving me a step by step on how to look at the pump coolant flow. I will certainly do this this weekend and take advantage of the 50+ degree weather! The Aux Pump (or as you have stated the inverter coolant pump) was the one that was replaced. with a brand new inverter pump. Once I go through this process that you've listed, I may go back to the mechanic and suggest they flush any of the air out along with what Patrick Wong has stated. Thank you again for this plethora of knowledge. I am motivated to take some sort of auto mechanic class at one of the local community colleges this summer just to understand my car better (And save some money which is my biggest motivation)
     
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  12. Hunterea15

    Hunterea15 Junior Member

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    Also to be honest I have been driving with this CEL for almost a year now :/ My ignorance says (and prepare yourself for cringe) 'it can't be THAT bad if its been driving fine for a year' but yes this does need to be taken care of.
     
  13. andrewclaus

    andrewclaus Active Member

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    If your mechanic replaced the inverter coolant pump to address a P2601 code, you may need a different mechanic.

    The CHRS system, which the code refers to, is indeed an auxiliary system not needed for safe operation of the car. It stores and provides some heat to reduce emissions on a cold start.
     
  14. andrewclaus

    andrewclaus Active Member

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    If you'd like to understand the Prius better, try to find the Bentley repair manual for it. While it's limited in scope of actual repair and inferior to internet resources, it does have a decent introduction to the Toyota hybrid system. You might be able to find a YouTube tutorial on it, too. Couple that with a hand-on course on basic mechanics, because the Prius still has moving parts and an internal combustion engine.
     
  15. Hunterea15

    Hunterea15 Junior Member

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    That is why I have better hopes for the dealership (although my wallet doesn't) The mechanic I first took it too was confused as to why the car wasn't 'running' when sitting idle. I had to explain it was a hybrid and that the engine wouldn't kick on until the heat/ac was running or if the car itself was using the engine. They were BAFFLED-and bothered that they couldn't leave the car running to see IF the CEL would kick back on. Thank you for this information-it seems I have a lot to consider and investigate personally with my car before I make a decision of who to take it to for repairs.
     
  16. 08PriusXSJ

    08PriusXSJ Junior Member

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    I got
    I got this P2601 code also on my 08 Prius. No difference is felt before or after this code appears. Based on my research, the underline problem by this code does not affect the car driving at all (?) except for the emission. I had success without this code coming back after erased by a scanner for 6 days with 500 mile drive. At the end of 5th day before the code come back, all items on the I/M readiness was ready except for the EVAP (which refused to become ready even with 5 day and 500 miles driving). As a sudden, this code came back and also the Check Eng light but then the EVAP became READY.

    The car emission is due on July. Here is what I am plan to do: Option one: Key the code without erased and continue driving the car for at least two weeks to see whether the light will turn off by itself or not. If not, then option two: I will erase the code and drive to see whether all the items on the I/M will become ready before the code comes back. All I need is one of the options works out then I can take the car for emission.
     
  17. Hunterea15

    Hunterea15 Junior Member

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    Alright. So I went to the dealer this weekend to have them diagnose the code as well as figure out what specifically it wrong. I explained to them everything I have listed here. Inverter pump replaced, valve replaced etc. I even told them what everyone on here has suggested. From checking wiring to flushing out the air in the system. They did all that and said everything is running fine, that they cannot see anything wrong with the car and how the coolant system is running. They turned off the light and I went on my way (also no cost they didn't charge me...)
    Sunday morning I rush out to turn the car on (as the CEL usually comes back on in the AM) and NOPE NO LIGHT! Well this morning the CEL came back on and I nearly broke down.

    Now the guy that was assigned to my car, he did tell me that if the CEL came back on (and he said 'I see no reason why it would but just in case') That I need to bring the car back in for a few days so they can take a look at it more, and be there when the CEL comes back on. He told me specifically "I am not going to charge you anything until we start taking parts out of the car." He was EXTREMELY helpful so. Ugh.
     
  18. Hunterea15

    Hunterea15 Junior Member

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    So I have good news...I took the car BACK into the dealership. The same guy took it in and promised to take care of it, they gave me a courtesy car (2017 Corolla XLE it was nice) and sent me on my way. Got a call the next day from the same guy stated that they did a few tests and ran the coolant system in its entirety whilst hooked up to the computer and found that it stopped working at the inverter pump. They investigated and a fuse was blown. They weren't sure if the fuse was blown by the old or the new pump but they replaced it anyway. Cleared the code and it has been...5 days without the light coming back on-and this is in some frigid weather (which is when the CEL comes back on after a cold night and then a cold start up) So...

    With that. I have been driving it around all week/weekend and am hoping to take it into the EPA testing facility today to get my emissions (by the end of February) and then get my tags renewed.
     
  19. edthefox5

    edthefox5 Senior Member

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    Cool...be aware if the car is operating in frigid temp it may get by without that pump being operational or not up to full pumping power. Its easy to check the pumps operation or pumping quality.

    See my post #9. It may be expedient for you to get more involved with your car. I described in post #9 how to check that pump. Sounds like its got issues as that fuse only blows when the pump shorts out. So they replaced that pump and never even checked to see if it was working which makes me pretty sure they never even bled the coolant in that pump for air lock. It must be bled after a pump replacement.
    So...they suck at this.

    You can check that yourself by becoming familiar with the pumps operation by looking at the flow quality and level of coolant in that reservoir.
    It takes literally 16 seconds to do this. This is very important to your wallet because if you repeatedly overheat the Inverter and damage it your are looking at around $4000 to have it replaced.

    Since your saying its a cold morning issue open the hood before starting the car. Then open that reservoir cap and then start the car and look in that reservoir and see if your have good flow in a cold morning.. May not even have anti freeze in it from these bozo's.
     
  20. Keshdog

    Keshdog New Member

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    I've been stumped on mine. Then I saw the connection in the wheel well had been broken. Not even sure what this piece is called to order it. See photo. Anyone have an idea? Thx.