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2006 Prius inverter pump

Discussion in 'Gen 2 Prius Care, Maintenance and Troubleshooting' started by Foreigndriver, Nov 13, 2019.

  1. Foreigndriver

    Foreigndriver New Member

    Joined:
    Nov 13, 2019
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    Location:
    Thailand
    Vehicle:
    2006 Prius
    Model:
    N/A
    I just bought a used 2006 Prius. I'm within my 1 month time frame of returning it here in this country.

    I decided to check under the hood, because I kept hearing a gurgling noise under the hood similar to sucking on an almost empty cup through a straw.

    For disclosure, I've never owned an electric engine/semi electric car before.

    I noticed that the fluid from what I just learned to be the inverter coolant pump was completely empty. Not a drop.

    I haven't had any warning signs display on the dash, and the battery is reading at 13.9v with the engine running as normal. Surely after 3 weeks of driving it on empty, I would have noticed something?

    Given that I live in an Asian country, I was wondering if the people I bought it from could have possibly bi-passed a code somehow. Also, I rarely get the car above 35mph.

    Anybody have any ideas or suggestions? Is this a red flag suggesting that I trade the car back in, even though there has been virtually no warning signs other than the occasional odd suction noise?

    Greatly appreciate any feedback.
     
    #1 Foreigndriver, Nov 13, 2019
  2. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

    Joined:
    May 11, 2005
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    Location:
    boston
    Vehicle:
    2012 Prius Plug-in
    Model:
    Plug-in Base
    welcome!

    it's all very odd. perhaps the slow speed is the cause of no overheating. how have the air temps been?

    have you been using a/c?

    what happened after you refilled it, is it working normally?

    maybe it was working fine, and you caught it just in time.

    how many km's on her?
     
    #2 bisco, Nov 13, 2019
  3. fotomoto

    fotomoto Senior Member

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    Apr 22, 2009
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    Location:
    So. Texas
    Vehicle:
    Other Hybrid
    Maybe the "thermos" bottle. When the car is turned off, it pumps hot coolant into the thermos container and then pumps the coolant back into the coolant loop upon next startup so the gasoline engine can warmup quicker. It has its limits and was not used on later generations.

    This is the second, separate coolant loop just for the electronics (inverter mainly). Sounds like both coolant systems are critically low or even empty. I don't know of any sensors for coolant levels on the Gen2 just temperature sensors. Cases of the inverter (and car) continuing to work when the pump has failed when driven at lower speeds especially when the weather isn't overly hot have been reported here including myself. Since the pump is electronic, those failures do throw a code.

    GOOD LUCK
     
    #3 fotomoto, Nov 13, 2019
    vvillovv likes this.
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