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Engine Rattle when sitting in heavy traffic

Discussion in 'Gen 1 Prius Plug-in 2012-2015' started by 14 plug in, Oct 23, 2021.

  1. 14 plug in

    14 plug in New Member

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    2014 Prius Plug in. 170K miles.
    Engine has a Rattle if car sits in heavy traffic. Noise goes away once I start driving. Does not make this noise at start up.

    Car still has plenty of power and gets 46 mpg. Does have the oil consumption issue.

    Anyone experience this?
     
  2. Mendel Leisk

    Mendel Leisk Senior Member

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    How long have you had it, and how much of that would be EV mode? A regular 3rd gen hybrid Prius would be well along with EGR clogging by those miles.
     
  3. 14 plug in

    14 plug in New Member

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    It' been doing this for well over a year but not very often since it mostly does highway miles. It does use oil so I thought it might be related to the EGR. Just wondering why it only does it when it sits in heavy traffic. Was concerned about a heating issue but car has zero error codes or dash lights on
     
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  4. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

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    probably just the nature of how the egr valve operates
     
  5. Mendel Leisk

    Mendel Leisk Senior Member

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    Try again: do you plug it in often, or just use it like a regular (hybrid-only) Prius?
     
  6. 14 plug in

    14 plug in New Member

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    I rarely plug it in . I did when I first bought it . Is it bad to not plug it in regularly?
     
  7. Mendel Leisk

    Mendel Leisk Senior Member

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    Just trying to get a sense of the regular, non-electric miles on it. If it's done most of it's 170K miles like a regular hybrid Prius, you better get on EGR (Exhaust Gas Recirulation) and intake manifold cleaning. More info in first link in my signature. Opportune time to do it would be 100K, then every 50K thereafter, IMHO.

    If it's left long enough head gasket failure is happening, reported here a lot with 3rd gen's. How's the coolant level in the engine coolant reservoir, failrly stable?
     
  8. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

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    no, it isn't bad not to plug it in, it just behaves like a regular prius, and thelithium battery prefers to be discharged anyway.
    the point is, until you have cleaned the entire egr circuit, you can't eliminate it as a possibility, and it needs to be done anyway.
     
  9. Hokie-Dave

    Hokie-Dave Member

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    Have you checked underneath for a loose catalytic converter shield? They will sometimes rattle if they get loose. Usually most noticeable when sitting in traffic, not/barely moving.
     
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