1. Attachments are working again! Check out this thread for more details and to report any other bugs.

Any idea what could've caused this?

Discussion in 'Gen 2 Prius Care, Maintenance and Troubleshooting' started by insaner, Dec 2, 2015.

  1. insaner

    insaner Junior Member

    Joined:
    Dec 11, 2013
    96
    14
    0
    Location:
    Atlanta, GA and Huntsville, AL
    Vehicle:
    2007 Prius
    Model:
    N/A
    The car did overheat recently and hasn't done it since.
     

    Attached Files:

    #1 insaner, Dec 2, 2015
  2. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

    Joined:
    May 11, 2005
    109,401
    49,735
    0
    Location:
    boston
    Vehicle:
    2012 Prius Plug-in
    Model:
    Plug-in Base
    how many miles on her?
     
    #2 bisco, Dec 2, 2015
  3. 2k1Toaster

    2k1Toaster Brand New Prius Batteries

    Joined:
    Feb 14, 2010
    6,035
    3,855
    0
    Location:
    Rocky Mountains
    Vehicle:
    2006 Prius
    Model:
    Three
    Well that's the rubber strip right above the radiator right? Between it and the hood? I would say overheating plus soft rubber equal deformity. It's not a big deal though, just cosmetic if that's the piece I'm thinking of.
     
    #3 2k1Toaster, Dec 2, 2015
    uart likes this.
  4. valde3

    valde3 Senior Member

    Joined:
    Jun 28, 2014
    2,002
    745
    0
    Location:
    Finland
    Vehicle:
    2004 Prius
    It might just have happened regardless of overheating. From the pictures it doesn’t even look like a problem.

    Just out of curiosity:
    What did overheat?
    Inverter? Cause of faulty inverter coolant pump?
    Engine? Cause of faulty thermostat or air in cooling system?
     
    #4 valde3, Dec 2, 2015
    uart likes this.
  5. Dion Kraft

    Dion Kraft Member

    Joined:
    Nov 16, 2015
    272
    79
    1
    Location:
    Washington, UT
    Vehicle:
    2004 Prius
    Model:
    Two
    Just make sure the coolant is full
     
    #5 Dion Kraft, Dec 2, 2015
  6. insaner

    insaner Junior Member

    Joined:
    Dec 11, 2013
    96
    14
    0
    Location:
    Atlanta, GA and Huntsville, AL
    Vehicle:
    2007 Prius
    Model:
    N/A
    Coolant never even leaked. The dealer couldn't recreate the issue and it's never overheated since. The inverter pump is operating properly. They diagnosed a problem with the throttle body which I replaced myself. The problem never repeated. Car hasnt run the same since. It is relatively sluggish now and getting about 5 less mpg. Oil is at proper level. I'm not sure that burn even happened at the same time. I don't think the coolant ever overheated. I'm pretty stuck on all of this. I bought the throttle body at a junkyard so that could have something to do with the mpg. It's possible I guess that the inverter pump is bad and I've mistaken that. Hard to see the fluid moving but I can feel the big hide vibrating well at the pump and the reservoir. Clueless. The 12v is also brand new. 175k. Car also makes a strange chirping noise at full speed that only happens with light acceleration that goes away instantly if I coast. Brakes were done recently by the dealer also but I think that's irrelevant.I wonder if the ECU could stand to be reset? I put the throttle body on after the battery was replaced.
     
    #6 insaner, Dec 3, 2015
  7. Dion Kraft

    Dion Kraft Member

    Joined:
    Nov 16, 2015
    272
    79
    1
    Location:
    Washington, UT
    Vehicle:
    2004 Prius
    Model:
    Two
    What did the dealer say was wrong with the ThrottIe body which you replaced from the wrecking yard?
     
    #7 Dion Kraft, Dec 3, 2015
  8. The Electric Me

    The Electric Me Go Speed Go!

    Joined:
    May 22, 2009
    9,083
    5,798
    0
    Location:
    Undisclosed Location
    Vehicle:
    Other Non-Hybrid
    Model:
    N/A
    Mothra.
     
    #8 The Electric Me, Dec 3, 2015
    insaner likes this.
  9. insaner

    insaner Junior Member

    Joined:
    Dec 11, 2013
    96
    14
    0
    Location:
    Atlanta, GA and Huntsville, AL
    Vehicle:
    2007 Prius
    Model:
    N/A
    They said a bunch of stuff I didn't understand until I researched it about the resistance. I tired testing the junkyard one with my multimeter and it seemed ok but I really couldn't tell. I took the old one back to have them show me on their tool how it was out of range. I was not satisfied that it was malfunctioning or that I even new if the used one was either but i already had it on so...

    I also took the used and mine to a couple of shops but everyone was pretty clueless. I used the Toyota shop manual to see the proper ranges but I'm not great with electrician stuff. Not sure if anyone got the proper reading. I still have the original one.

    Any thoughts on unhooking the battery to reset the ECU?I guess I could just live with the mileage and learn to live with the noise.
     
    #9 insaner, Dec 3, 2015
  10. 69shovlhed

    69shovlhed Surly tree hugger

    Joined:
    May 13, 2012
    2,170
    748
    0
    Location:
    Delaware
    Vehicle:
    2017 Prius Prime
    Model:
    Prime Premium
    put the old one back on and see if the mileage and power improve back to normal.

    before you put it back on, get some throttle cleaner and lint free rags. hose the rags with throttle cleaner spray and wipe off any crud in the throttle body, and on the blade. make sure the blade moves freely.

    if it runs normal, the dealers full of ___
     
    #10 69shovlhed, Dec 3, 2015
  11. Dion Kraft

    Dion Kraft Member

    Joined:
    Nov 16, 2015
    272
    79
    1
    Location:
    Washington, UT
    Vehicle:
    2004 Prius
    Model:
    Two
    Check this article and how to out: also I think Shovelhead has the right idea.

    TB cleaning
     
    #11 Dion Kraft, Dec 3, 2015
  12. insaner

    insaner Junior Member

    Joined:
    Dec 11, 2013
    96
    14
    0
    Location:
    Atlanta, GA and Huntsville, AL
    Vehicle:
    2007 Prius
    Model:
    N/A
    I cleaned it before I replaced it.
     
    #12 insaner, Dec 4, 2015
  13. trungdok

    trungdok Junior Member

    Joined:
    Sep 24, 2015
    45
    2
    0
    Location:
    Boston, MA
    Vehicle:
    2007 Prius
    Model:
    II
    Mileage drop:
    I recently cleaned my throttle body. Instantly mpg dropped from 52 to 49, then 47. After that I disconnected the 12v battery, let it sits for a good 30 minutes (just happen since I was cleaning the battery fan, does not need to be that long) to reset the ECU, then after couple of tanks of gas it's now back to 51 mpg ... in 30F temperature. So, you can try it and wait for a few hundred miles.

    Chirp:
    Where does it seems to be coming from?

    Sluggish:
    Could be because the ECU is not used to the new throttle body. Do the suggestion above.
    Also could be because the new throttle body is sticking and not open as wide as the system thinks it should. Could be the tb is not put on properly causing air leak (not likely, but there's a chance). Just do a thorough double check. Clean the spring on the tb with brake cleaner.
    Could it possibly because the new brake job somehow slowing the car down? Possibly sticky caliber? Sounds like you could coast with no problem so that might not be it.


    Good luck.
     
    #13 trungdok, Dec 4, 2015
  14. Eclipse1701d

    Eclipse1701d Prius Enthusiast

    Joined:
    May 12, 2011
    645
    223
    0
    Location:
    Nature coast, Florida
    Vehicle:
    2016 Prius
    Model:
    Three Touring
    While you are playing with the TB, clean the MAF. That is often overlooked.
     
    #14 Eclipse1701d, Dec 4, 2015
  15. insaner

    insaner Junior Member

    Joined:
    Dec 11, 2013
    96
    14
    0
    Location:
    Atlanta, GA and Huntsville, AL
    Vehicle:
    2007 Prius
    Model:
    N/A
    I cleaned the maf when I switched out the tb. Thanks trungdok I was hoping this worked for someone. I'm going to give that a try.

    The chirping seems like it's coming from the drivers side underneath the hood but it's hard to say. It's making what sounds like 2 chirps sometimes lol. I'd need someone that had the exact same problem to ever figure this one out I bet.
     
    #15 insaner, Dec 5, 2015
  16. valde3

    valde3 Senior Member

    Joined:
    Jun 28, 2014
    2,002
    745
    0
    Location:
    Finland
    Vehicle:
    2004 Prius
    What does the water pump belt look like? Don’t overtighten it! Overtightening will shorten the life of the pump.
     
    #16 valde3, Dec 5, 2015
  17. insaner

    insaner Junior Member

    Joined:
    Dec 11, 2013
    96
    14
    0
    Location:
    Atlanta, GA and Huntsville, AL
    Vehicle:
    2007 Prius
    Model:
    N/A
    I finally got a decent video where you can hear the noise my car has been making. If I had to narrow it down I would say it seems to be coming from under the hood, drivers side. It happens when I lightly press the pedal. When I take my foot off the pedal, it goes away. In the video you should be able to hear it as I'm taking my foot on and off the pedal.

     
    #17 insaner, Dec 5, 2015
  18. insaner

    insaner Junior Member

    Joined:
    Dec 11, 2013
    96
    14
    0
    Location:
    Atlanta, GA and Huntsville, AL
    Vehicle:
    2007 Prius
    Model:
    N/A
    I would really like to post this in its own thread so people with a similar problem would see it. Sorry if that's out of line.
     
    #18 insaner, Dec 7, 2015
(You must log in or sign up to post here.)