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

Heat sign flashing

Discussion in 'Gen 4 Prius Care, Maintenance and Troubleshooting' started by mytoyota, Dec 8, 2020.

  1. mytoyota

    mytoyota New Member

    Joined:
    Dec 8, 2020
    2
    0
    0
    Location:
    Scotland
    Vehicle:
    2016 Prius
    Model:
    IV
    Hello

    I've a Toyota Prius 2016 (Gen 4). For last few days I noticed that heat sign starts flashing for few seconds while I'm driving and then it disappears before flashing again. It almost always happens when I start the car in the morning.

    I've made a video
    .

    Any suggestions?

    Thanks.
     
    #1 mytoyota, Dec 8, 2020
    Last edited by a moderator: Dec 8, 2020
  2. CooCooCaChoo

    CooCooCaChoo Active Member

    Joined:
    Jan 7, 2015
    888
    494
    0
    Location:
    Cow-lee-fornia
    Vehicle:
    2023 Prius
    Model:
    LE
    Blown head gasket. No, the radiator is low on coolant. You should get it checked out because that means that its leaking somewhere. Most likely at the part that is connected to the exhaust pipe.
     
    #2 CooCooCaChoo, Dec 8, 2020
  3. jerrymildred

    jerrymildred Senior Member

    Joined:
    Oct 28, 2016
    11,491
    14,100
    0
    Location:
    Tampa, FL
    Vehicle:
    2017 Prius
    Model:
    Two
    Yup!! Better get that coolant system checked out like yesterday. Hopefully, it's not too late to prevent a warped head and a blown head gasket. If the engine coolant it low, top it off with the pink Toyota SLLC. Don't just throw in water or (worse yet) some random and possible incompatible coolant.

    It would appear that you have a leak somewhere. Hopefully, just a hose or fitting. Could be a head gasket, though. But it seems odd that it would happen soon after start-up.
     
    #3 jerrymildred, Dec 8, 2020
    alanclarkeau likes this.
  4. alanclarkeau

    alanclarkeau Senior Member

    Joined:
    Feb 24, 2016
    7,041
    7,580
    0
    Location:
    near Brisbane, Australia
    Vehicle:
    2016 Prius
    Model:
    N/A
    Or - it could just be a sensor problem. I had one go bad on a VOLVO - it told me that I was overheating, but fixing the dodgy connection fixed it.

    I'd get it checked either way. As Jerry suggested - yesterday.

    I also notice the Passenger Airbag light on - is there a story with that?
     
    #4 alanclarkeau, Dec 8, 2020
    jerrymildred likes this.
  5. orenji

    orenji Senior Member

    Joined:
    Aug 17, 2013
    5,884
    3,486
    0
    Vehicle:
    2010 Prius
    Model:
    Three
    Your probably just low enough that it trips the
    Sensor and goes off as it warms up - probably need to top it off.
     
    #5 orenji, Dec 8, 2020
    krmcg likes this.
  6. mytoyota

    mytoyota New Member

    Joined:
    Dec 8, 2020
    2
    0
    0
    Location:
    Scotland
    Vehicle:
    2016 Prius
    Model:
    IV
    Thanks for your replies. I'll start off with getting coolant checked out.
     
    #6 mytoyota, Dec 9, 2020
(You must log in or sign up to post here.)