2010 prius inverter coolant temp affecting ac opperation?

Discussion in 'Gen 3 Prius Care, Maintenance & Troubleshooting' started by trozei123, Jul 27, 2026 at 7:38 PM.

  1. trozei123

    trozei123 Junior Member

    Joined:
    Sep 13, 2024
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    Location:
    Olivehurst CA
    Vehicle:
    2010 Prius
    Model:
    Four
    This whole summer, my wife's 2010 prius has been having intermittent periods where the ac will just stop working and blow hot air. i have tried diagnosing the issue using the Hybrid Assistant app that monitors the temps of the engine, electric motor, inverter, and hybrid battery. during the day, i have seen the inverter temp get as high as 158f, so i suspect that this is the problem. i have topped off the coolant in the inverter reservoir and also checked to see if the pump could be bad. i do see a slow rippling of coolant inside, and i am wondering if it should be more turbulent to indicate the pump is working. no engine light and no codes pertaining to an overheat condition.

    i have had the ac compressor replaced last year, and the ac does work when the temp outside is cooler, but this is my wife's dedicated work car since she does delivery work for doordash and grubhub. any ideas on how i can address this issue?
     
  2. BiomedO1

    BiomedO1 Senior Member

    Joined:
    Mar 27, 2021
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    Location:
    Left Coast
    Vehicle:
    2021 Prius Prime
    Model:
    LE
    Sorry; that's not a diagnosis - but a guess. You need to take it to a shop or have a friend that KNOWS what they are doing help you. One quick test is to turn on the AC - full blast and check the engine cooling fans are turning. Dead cooling fans won't allow the heat exchange to take place.

    Good Luck...