LSC A0N - HV (Inverter) Water Pump; Dealer Letter and Technical Instructions

Thanks, Patrick. Question for you and others:

I contacted my local dealer and scheduled a visit to verify / replace the pump. First, I was surprised that this tech was unfamiliar with this issue. Second, he indicated that I would have to sign an agreement that if they determine that my pump is not faulty, they will charge me for a $110 service call. I then asked whether the process is simply comparing the noisy sound of my shut-down with that of another comparable Prius? He was unsure, but I believe that is all that is required (or else Toyota pays for the diagnostic -- not me).

If it is a recall process, authorized by Toyota via the TSB, why do I need to pay the dealer to verify? -- he/they should know what to listen / look for. I am not inclined to pay $100+ dollars for their verification -- they could simply say that they do not hear the noise (impossible) or some other explanation to avoid doing the job, and then charge me the bill. I believe they are more honorable than that, but I have not have a recall experience before, so do not know if this transaction is easy or nuanced.

Has anyone else had a similar dealer experience? I intend to ask them to listen first before signing any form. Other advice?

Thank you.

 

The dealer needs to run your VIN to verify eligibility for the campaign.

MB860 ? 2

 

Thanks. Yes, he did so and I am eligible.

 

I'm confused. LSC AON is a recall and will be replaced at no cost to you without any verification other than VIN number. The heat recovery pump is not a recall, but a TSB to help the technician identify if there is an issue. If you are under warranty AND there is an issue, then the replacement will be covered by that warranty, otherwise you have to pay out of pocket for it to be fixed (probably not worth it IMHO). They can charge you a diagnostic fee if they feel that you brought in a car for an issue that is not covered under warranty.

Were they saying he wouldn't preform the factory campaign LSC AON unless there was an issue with the coolant pump already? If that is the case, I would investigate a different dealer if at all possible.

Which is he saying

 

I assume that your question relates to the engine coolant heat recovery pump noise, not the inverter coolant pump.

It is customary for the dealer service writer to tell you that the service dept will charge you for one labor hour, for a no-trouble-found situation. This encourages you as the owner to make sure there is a real problem, so that the service dept tech's time is not wasted.

If you find that your pump is noisy, then you should feel confident in going ahead with your service request.

Note that a TSB is not a recall. Rather, a TSB documents a known issue and describes what should be done about the issue as well as what the applicable warranty coverage is. A repair action is performed only if a given vehicle demonstrates the issue.

A recall means that a repair action is performed, whether or not a problem actually has occurred with a given vehicle. For example, Toyota is replacing inverter coolant pumps on all Prius within a given model year range regardless of whether a failure actually occurred.

 

Thanks for yr information. By the way i am having another question does this pump running continuously?

 

If you are referring to the inverter coolant pump, then yes, the pump runs continuously whenever the Prius is either READY or IG-ON.

If you are referring to the coolant heat recovery system pump, this is found only on North American 2G Prius and that pump runs only for a few seconds upon start-up and shut-down.

 

Thanks, and apologies for the confusion. Yes, covered under warranty.

I since took the car to local dealer, the technician heard and verified the sound and I am scheduled for a replacement install next week.

Thanks again to all!

73.

de KK7PW

 

I just replaced my pump tonight and have the same problem. did you every figure out the problem? I am not sure where to go from here. My pump is vibrating and seems to be working but there is no flow at all!

 

I would guess that there might be some air left in the system that still needs to be removed. I have seen some posts that indicate that even the dealer mechanics did not get all the air purged properly.

 

Does anyone know if Canadian cars qualify for this replacement? Are the bulletins numbered differently? Guess I could give my local dealer a call and see if they've heard of this LSC.

 

I took my '08 in today for an Oil Change, $17, I supplied the parts. As we were discussing the maintenance, he noted the water pump was leaking, but no problem, free fix, scheduled an appointment for next Thursday! Serpentine belt will also be replaced at that time!

 

Got a 2009 toyota Prius servco toyota change my 12v battery when I dropped of my car I had cold ac then when I picked my car up it was blowing only both air so upset I took it back the next day an they quoted me 1,200 to change my inverter water pump.
I don't have money to pay for it why should I fix something I didn't brake ? Shouldn't toyota have to fix it ??

 

It's an 11 year old car, how many miles? Toyota usually commits to fixing things without charge for a certain period. Sometimes they extend the period, but there's nearly always a limit. Nobody sells anything that never wears out.

$1,200 sounds awfully steep for replacing the pump though. Do you know anybody handy with a wrench and hose clamp pliers?