Losing Coolant

https://static.nhtsa.gov/odi/tsbs/2019/MC-10166037-9999.pdf

 

Welcome Maria

I don't know how all these so called "mechanics" are messing up a coolant pressure test. This test tells you there's a leak, but NOT where the leak is. Once a leak is verified, clamp-off the exhaust gas heat exchanger hoses. If the leak disappears, that's where it is.
RRxing is correct; it's a leak into your exhaust gas heat exchanger. I believe Ri is a CARB state and covered under the extended emissions warranty under CARB regulations. Take the car to another Toyota dealership and tell them to TEST for a leak in the exhaust gas heat exchanger. Print out RRxing pdf and show it to them. You need to FIRST get someone to confirm that leak, BEFORE the work can be done under warranty. Once confirmed; go to Toyota corporate, if the local dealership gives you any trouble or ask to escalate to state consumer protection bureau.

PS. You should be able to get re-embursed for the dealership diagnostic; that was messed-up, since it is a covered warranty issue. That may be why they claimed that there's no leak????

Good Luck.....

 

Blocking off the flow going into and out of the Exhaust Heat Exchanger is one possible diagnostic test if the leak stops. Another would bypass the Exhaust Heat Exchanger if heater function was needed during the test.



A coolant pressure test normally would be good enough unless the tech was not waiting long enough or was confused because he did not see coolant leaking anywhere.

A pressure test really should be done on a cold system which generally means leaving it overnight.

An Exhaust Heat Exchanger leaks coolant into the exhaust pipe and vaporizes it out the back as steam. No obvious leaks.



If the dealer were to find the leak in the Exhaust Heat Exchanger but somehow disqualified your car from the free repair, I would have an independent shop bypass that system. There are two ways to do it, one under the car and another under the dash in a relatively labor intensive location. Either way works.

However Rhode Island should be covered for 150k miles.

If it was a head gasket leak the cold start noise caused by misfires would be obvious to anyone and would be the complaint.

 

I don't have high hopes; since at least two mechanics couldn't find that leak already.

 

The first independent guy is understandable. The second dealer "tech" was probably a junior maintenance guy who gets paid by the job, not by the hour, so he easily could be inexperienced or uninformed as well.

With better information now, the op should see the Service Manager (not Advisor who often are not mechanics) and find the obvious problem, hopefully before the engine is ruined. Which is exactly what I would tell the Service Manager, find it before my engine is ruined on your watch.

 

Sounds like she's on top of it; Since most people won't even pop open their hood. Just point fingers and blame everyone around them.
It's just sad that people can't or won't do basic diagnostic and testing. I'd cut them some slack, if they didn't charge the hundreds in diagnostic fee - BUT if they billed it - I WOULD EXPECT THE WORK TO BE DONE!!

There's hope for the next generations....