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Driving uphill Overheating issues

Discussion in 'Gen 3 Prius Care, Maintenance & Troubleshooting' started by Virgil Orly Dela Pena, Aug 11, 2024 at 6:35 PM.

  1. Virgil Orly Dela Pena

    Joined:
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    Location:
    Las Vegas Nevada USA
    Vehicle:
    2012 Prius
    Model:
    Four
    I live in Vegas where temperatures often exceed 100°F. My 2012 Toyota Prius tends to overheat when driving uphill. The overheating light turns on, and my scanner shows the temperature rising to 220°F. I have the AC running and am driving at around 75 mph during this test.

    I replaced the water pump and cleaned the entire EGR and air intake system. This helped somewhat, but the temperature still reaches 214°F, and the overheating light continues to activate.

    Are there any aftermarket modifications I could consider? For example, an engine oil cooler, an all-aluminum and wider radiator, or adding a secondary radiator (such as a large transmission cooler)?
     
  2. Virgil Orly Dela Pena

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    Location:
    Las Vegas Nevada USA
    Vehicle:
    2012 Prius
    Model:
    Four
    [​IMG]
    [​IMG]

    This is what I think. The upper radiator hose is positioned in the middle of the radiator, which can be a design flaw. In this setup, the area where coolant flows quickly through the radiator is smaller compared to a traditional radiator where the upper hose is located at the top. In a traditional design, coolant enters the radiator from the top, ensuring it is evenly distributed across the entire surface, which improves cooling efficiency. However, with the hose in the middle, the flow may be less efficient, leading to potential cooling issues.
     

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  3. Virgil Orly Dela Pena

    Joined:
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    Location:
    Las Vegas Nevada USA
    Vehicle:
    2012 Prius
    Model:
    Four
    It doesn't even matter what I replace, even if this car was brand new. It would still overheat because it has a design flaw that causes inefficient cooling.
     
  4. AzusaPrius

    AzusaPrius Senior Member

    Joined:
    May 27, 2020
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    Location:
    California
    Vehicle:
    2010 Prius
    Model:
    IV
    Search "custom radiator project"

    You will see what I am doing.

    Funny you are a new member here and bringing this up.
     
    Virgil Orly Dela Pena likes this.
  5. Tombukt2

    Tombukt2 Senior Member

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    Location:
    Durham NC
    Vehicle:
    2009 Prius
    Model:
    Base
    I wonder if anybody makes a double pass core that would fit this chassis so that the water makes two passes like the old VW radiators at the drag racers use with big block whatever they're running those things would cool anything all aluminum so on. I'm sure I have one in my Corolla on old Corolla not relevant here but I have aluminum desert cooler double pass radiator made by someone in China but apparently did a pretty good job because this thing is 25 years old and the car barely makes half gauge to the floor and running uphill of course it's not a hybrid either but I'm just wondering if anybody has retrofitted such a thing into a Prius it doesn't seem like it would be that hard and there is room I'm not sure what a z u s a is working on I guess I'll have to go take a look I'm not sure that any duct work or higher capacity fans are going to make any difference You're going 75 mph down the road that's 25 mi shy of 100 in any degree weather that ought to get you to regular operating temp not the necessarily the high end of operating ice temperature either although it's been years since I've lived in Arizona or out there in the west I really didn't have many overheating problems in any of my Toyotas but they were also not hybrids then.