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2013 c inverter pump location and replacement?

Discussion in 'Prius c Technical Discussion' started by Terryweasely, Sep 20, 2023.

  1. Terryweasely

    Terryweasely New Member

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    I have a 2013 C and am changing inverter coolant, inverter pump and transaxle fluid at 140,000 miles. I can find numerous videos on Gen 2 regular Prius' (or should it be Prii?) and several on replacing the coolant and the drain valve on the C, but nothing on the location of the pump and how to get to it. I don't want to just start tearing things apart to find it.
     
    #1 Terryweasely, Sep 20, 2023
  2. Sonic_TH

    Sonic_TH Active Member

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    Why are you changing it? my 2012 Prius C has almost 145,000 miles and the ICE coolant pump, inverter coolant pump, and the transaxle fluid are the original ones from 2012. They do not fail at all especially the inverter coolant pump.
     
    #2 Sonic_TH, Sep 25, 2023
  3. ChapmanF

    ChapmanF Senior Member

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    There are numerous threads on PriusChat about failed pumps, both for the engine and for the inverter.

    Not so many I would try to scare people about it or anything, but it is a thing that can happen, and some people prefer not to wait for it.
     
    #3 ChapmanF, Sep 25, 2023
  4. Terryweasely

    Terryweasely New Member

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    It has started making a high pitched whining noise and if it fails and I don't catch it in time I lose the inverter. Dealer wants the inverter coolant and transaxle fluid changed 100K so I decided to do the pump also. Transaxle fluid does turn dark which means breaking down or contamination. The transaxle change is fairly simple.

    My original question is where is the coolant pump located on a 2013 C?
     
    #4 Terryweasely, Sep 25, 2023
  5. Sonic_TH

    Sonic_TH Active Member

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    Those threads are about gen 3 Prius, not the Prius C. There have been cases of failed ICE coolant pumps in the Prius C, but is not so common. Keep an eye on ICE coolant temperature using an OBD2 scanner and the hybrid assistant or Dr. Prius application.
     
    #5 Sonic_TH, Sep 25, 2023
  6. ChapmanF

    ChapmanF Senior Member

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    Prius c came out in 2012 in the middle of Gen 3, and pretty much all of its technology parallels that in the Gen 3 liftback, though applied to the smaller 1.5 L engine.

    Number of reports of issues may be related to number of cars on the road. I don't have those numbers. But there don't appear to be significant differences in how the pumps are built.
     
    #6 ChapmanF, Sep 25, 2023
  7. Sonic_TH

    Sonic_TH Active Member

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    Not all the technology, gen 3 Prius had issues with the inverter which needed a recall and a software update, Prius C did not needed that. Gen 3 Prius also has had far more ICE coolant pump issues for some reason even though it looks like they share the same pump.
     
    #7 Sonic_TH, Sep 25, 2023
  8. ChapmanF

    ChapmanF Senior Member

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    No, really, pretty much all the technology.

    What you're talking about are different rates of problem reports on PriusChat, which can reflect a variety of things.

    As you've mentioned yourself, it looks like they share the same pump.
     
    #8 ChapmanF, Sep 26, 2023
  9. Sonic_TH

    Sonic_TH Active Member

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    There are less cases of inverter failures in the Prius C, there are Prius C with 200,000 + miles that run better than any gen 3 with the same mileage and never had issues with their engine / inverter / coolant pump, the Prius C electric motors use flat windings which are more robust and efficient than the previous ones. The Prius C has proven to be far more reliable, that would not be the case if the same technology was used.
     
    #9 Sonic_TH, Oct 4, 2023
  10. ChapmanF

    ChapmanF Senior Member

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    so many assumptions there it's hard to know where to start
     
    #10 ChapmanF, Oct 4, 2023
  11. Sonic_TH

    Sonic_TH Active Member

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    I have seen here in Puerto Rico a lot of Prius C with 200,000 miles or more, and no issues. It might be the most reliable Prius after gen 4. The only thing is that the brake booster and brake pump fail the same way it does in gen 3 apparently.
     
    #11 Sonic_TH, Oct 4, 2023
  12. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

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    maybe the head gasket is the biggest difference
     
    #12 bisco, Oct 4, 2023
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