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Hot Coolant Transfer Pump issues, part 2

Discussion in 'Gen 2 Prius Care, Maintenance and Troubleshooting' started by jeromep, Dec 5, 2005.

  1. Tideland Prius

    Tideland Prius Moderator of the North
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    Hmm, alright jeromep. Thanks.

    The thing is, my car wasn't the first that he did. He did the first Prius update last week. Also, this dealer does the servicing for the Prius cabs too.
     
  2. efusco

    efusco Moderator Emeritus
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    They probably have the car in READY mode for extended periods of time. That'll allow the battery to drain down to 1-2 bars while "idling" but the ICE will start enough to maintain the charge at 2 bars or so.

    Mine always seems to come back "In the Pink" too...only reason it frustrates me is that I always take about 0.5mpg hit when I go to the dealer for anything...argh!
     
  3. hdrygas

    hdrygas New Member

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    Did you explain to your dealer that this is unacceptable?
    B)
     
  4. efusco

    efusco Moderator Emeritus
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    Darn right I do...and I make them replace the 1/4 teaspoon of gas too! ;)
     
  5. Tideland Prius

    Tideland Prius Moderator of the North
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    Yeah, just my luck, most of the times were in the beginning of a tank.


    The thing is, if that happens under regular servicing, how 'bout now that they fried my ECU and my Prius is just sitting on the lot. Would there be enough charge since someone said the flash is done in s IG-ON mode which we know is similar to Neutral in that the engine can't charge the battery.
     
  6. IsrAmeriPrius

    IsrAmeriPrius Progressive Member

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    Last time I had my car serviced I took an almost 60 MPG hit, from about 80 MPG to 22 MPG. Of course, I dropped the car at the dealer after driving it only one mile after I filled it up at the gas station and for most of that mile the car was in electric mode.
     
  7. galaxee

    galaxee mostly benevolent

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    about the battery, tideland prius... one sat on DH's lot for a month and was fine after the new ecu. they probably pushed it out, but if it was underground, they may have needed a lot of guys to do it! they might have a car mover too. like a grocery cart pusher but on a bigger scale :)

    thing about the bars of battery charge is, most dealers/techs don't get it. they don't drive one. they don't realize that your all-important mpg is at stake, those bastards! :lol:
     
  8. Tideland Prius

    Tideland Prius Moderator of the North
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    The HV battery right? alright, thanks galaxee.


    Yeah, that's the thing. Every time I get the car back, I have to start from 6L/100km and bring it back into the high 4s if I ever can. I gave to them at 5.0L/100km, I wonder what it is at now...

    Only one more day before I get my Prius back. (assuming all goes well)
     
  9. greengecko

    greengecko Junior Member

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    I took my prius in for this a month ago and of course it warmed up to 50 that day and the sound went away. Told them to keep it overnight, and they heard the sound and parked my car next to another brand new prius and heard the same sound for it, so they gave me the car back saying there was nothing wrong with it. I'm thinking that the problem is something BOTH cars have in the cold. Now that it is 15 degress out it REALLY makes a lot of noise. Sad, crying for help kind of noise. Sounds less like air being pumped than the bearings in the pump giving out, perhaps because the lube is too solid in the cold? But as someone else pointed out, why didn't it do this last winter?? Thick lubricant would also explain why after the pump is used recently, the noise is quieter.

    Anyone know the magic words to get the dealer to replace the pump? Or since I have 18 months on the warranty, should I just wait until it fails completely?--which seems imminent, given the awful sound. Can one get stuck in a complete failure? What is the capacity of the thermal bottle? Is it high enough that the car will be short on coolant should the pump fail completely with the bottle full?

    I feel bad for my car...help!
     
  10. Frank Hudon

    Frank Hudon Senior Member

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    at this point in time no one has reported a coolant leak just the squealing noise. If this pump leaks coolant the ICE will be short of coolant as the pump is down low behind the LH headlight. Just make sure no red coloured puddles under the car when you back out of the garage/carport/parking spot/gas startion/etc.
     
  11. greengecko

    greengecko Junior Member

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    What I'm wondering is slightly different than a leak. When the car shuts off, it puts X liters of coolant into a thermal bottle. If the next time I start the car the pump has completely failed that coolant is stuck in the bottle and is missing from the system. How much coolant is it that will be missing? Is it enough to matter? I bought the special red coolant at the dealer. I'm assuming the car will draw from the overflow in such a situation and I can top that up to travel....? Got a lot of holiday driving coming up and if history is any lesson, it will be in the middle of a snow storm.
     
  12. Frank Hudon

    Frank Hudon Senior Member

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    non is missing as the system is a closed loop. The pump circulates coolant depending on which source is hotter. The ICE or the thermous. There is temp senders in both the engine and the thermous and the coumputer determines which source is hotter and pumps from the thermous if it's the hotter and doesn't pump the ICE coolant if it's hotter on start up. On shut down if the ICE is hotter the pump circulates the hot coolant to the thermous and the cooler fluid in the thermous is sent to the ICE.
     
  13. galaxee

    galaxee mostly benevolent

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    well, if you want a new pump, all you have to do is ask. but if there's nothing wrong with it, it's not going to be covered by warranty.
     
  14. Tideland Prius

    Tideland Prius Moderator of the North
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    Well Frank, they did say I was a little low on coolant. No drops or marks on the floor either so I have no idea where it went. That or it wasn't filled properly in the first place and no one noticed it til now.
     
  15. greengecko

    greengecko Junior Member

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    Ah, thanks. That's good to know.

    And yes, I could certainly pay for a pump, but since brand new Prii have the same trouble, I'll wait until it fails, which should be before the warranty is out but after they fix the problem so the new one doesn't have it.
     
  16. Tideland Prius

    Tideland Prius Moderator of the North
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    $!%^!%$!^

    Now they tell me it won't be done til Monday cause the technician isn't here. Well, why didn't you say so when we called this morning for a status update?
     
  17. galaxee

    galaxee mostly benevolent

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    ay! sorry they have no communication skills over there either, Tideland Prius...

    think you should definitely go elsewhere next time!! yikes.
     
  18. Tideland Prius

    Tideland Prius Moderator of the North
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    Quite. I'm annoyed. All my stuff are still in the car, I haven't touched it since Monday. Argh. It better be done first thing in the morning.
     
  19. Frank Hudon

    Frank Hudon Senior Member

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    where did I say to take it? Apparently he's one of the best on the lower mainland but it'd be an even bigger problem if he killed it as it's at least 30 miles from your place. There used to be a good Prius tech at Grandville Toyota but I can't remember his name so couldn't call and see if he's still there. YC15 use to use him all the time and as Andrew isn't associated with YC15 anymore can't call and find out who the hot tech is anymore. Sorry that your Priusless for the weekend.
     
  20. Frank Hudon

    Frank Hudon Senior Member

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    I notice a new avitar, is there a little one in the galaxee?