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invert reservoir tank low

Discussion in 'Gen 2 Prius Care, Maintenance and Troubleshooting' started by hilore, Mar 3, 2006.

  1. hilore

    hilore New Member

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    I inspected my Prius yesterday, after a diy oil change, I
    noticed the inverter reservoir tank is below the low marker.
    It's the pink oil.

    I have not noticed any oil leakage on the ground.

    Any suggestion on what I should do?

    --Hilore
     
    #1 hilore, Mar 3, 2006
  2. tochatihu

    tochatihu Senior Member

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    Please say year of your Prius, odometer, and if you you have recently had coolant changes.

    The inverter coolant is of the same composition as the engine coolant, not an oil. If this coolant has been changed, there is the possibility that the system was not sufficiently air-bled, as this is apparently not so easy to do correctly.

    You are definitely going to take this to your Toyota shop. If it were me, I would take a turkey baster and transfer coolant from the radiator overflow tank to the inverter coolant reservoir, filling the latter to its full line, with the car switched off. Try to keep track of how much fluid you have transferred. Bring the turkey baster to Toyota so they will be clear on what you have done. If you are not ABSOLUTELY CERTAIN on what is the radiator overflow tank, DO NOT do what I just described.

    The worst case scenario if the inverter coolant loop is providing insufficient cooling, is a warning display on the screen. If this happens, park the car as soon as you can safely exit traffic and call for a tow.

    Please report back on cause and resolution of this situation.
     
    #2 tochatihu, Mar 3, 2006
  3. galaxee

    galaxee mostly benevolent

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    are you sure you're supposed to check it cold?
     
    #3 galaxee, Mar 3, 2006
  4. hilore

    hilore New Member

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    It's an 05 with 13k on it. Nothing unusal beside the
    low inverter reservoir. I checked it when hot and cold.
    The level are the same, below the low marker.

    No water or oil stain on the garage floor. I wonder
    where it disappear to.

    Thanks for the input, everyone. I guest I better
    take it to Toyota pronto.


    --Hilore
     
    #4 hilore, Mar 3, 2006
  5. Frank Hudon

    Frank Hudon Senior Member

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    wife's 2k4 was the same and I put in about 1/2 pint of Toyota SLLCoolant and it's stayed there for at least 6 months. I was wondering if it was the dreaded inverter housing leak but nothings happened yet.
     
    #5 Frank Hudon, Mar 3, 2006
  6. hilore

    hilore New Member

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    I didn't know I can get these coolant.
    I am not sure I want to fill up the coolant myself
    or to have Toyota check it out first.

    --Hilore
     
    #6 hilore, Mar 3, 2006
  7. hilore

    hilore New Member

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    I visit Toyota today, unscheduled. I was told not to
    panic. I was asked if I had noticed if the reservoir before
    until recently. I told them I have not noticed until last week.
    I usually only check the buttom of the engine
    for any leek when I check the oil myself.

    The tech inspect the car. Nothing out of ordinary found,
    it took like an hour. I wasn't watching, so I don't know.

    They filled up the reservoir and told me to keep an eye on them.
    If it drop below the low market again, they will have to keep it
    over night to inspect it.

    No charged, still under warranty.

    While waiting for the car, I asked the parts clerk how much is
    the Toyota Supper Long Life Coolant. They want $29 for a gallen
    of that pink liquid.

    --Hilore
     
    #7 hilore, Mar 6, 2006
  8. tochatihu

    tochatihu Senior Member

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    OK Hilore, I guess you are assigned the task of watchfulness. At 13k miles the coolant should not have been previously changed, which removes the possibility of a previous incomplete air-bleed. $29/gallon sounds about like prices I have heard before.
     
    #8 tochatihu, Mar 6, 2006
  9. galaxee

    galaxee mostly benevolent

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    ya, it's not cheap stuff. keep an eye on it and let us know.
     
    #9 galaxee, Mar 6, 2006
  10. Danny Diesel

    Danny Diesel Junior Member

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    <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(hilore @ Mar 3 2006, 03:37 PM) [snapback]219828[/snapback]</div>
    Does anyone know were to get the inverter coolant, besides toyota and does it have a SAE or some engineering designation besides SLL coolant?
     
    #10 Danny Diesel, Jul 5, 2006
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