Inverter pump failed after two months

Yes
Yes - their job is to provide the website.
Why not buy the correct Toyota part? It is not great but better than aftermarket.

 

The bracket looks exactly like the one on the pump we had installed at a Goodyear store near Tampa, Florida about 6 months ago. So far that pump has not failed. Have you confirmed that your customer's pump is not working (i.e. Did they bring it back to your shop)? Also, did you replace all the coolant when the pump was replaced, and if not, are you certain the coolant was Toyota SLLC and was still flowing freely? We had left a couple of gallons of Toyota SLLC with the Goodyear shop when we dropped off our car, and I was a little concerned when all of it was returned unopened, although I did have a complete change of both ICE and inverter coolant a couple of years ago at our local Toyota dealer, so perhaps Goodyear determined that a change was not necessary this time.

When our pump failed, I was expecting I would not be able to find anyone to change it, so we parked the car and rented an SUV to get down to where we were going in Fort Myers. It was late on a Friday afternoon (Fort Myers Toyota parts department was already closed), so I called around but could only find the pump at one Fort Myers auto parts store, an Autozone. It cost almost $200, I believe, but I was desperate so I took it. Then the following day, after calling some repair shops near where we had left the car, I found the Goodyear dealer who agreed to do the job for about $350 part included, so I took the car to them. I'm sure for that price they used the cheapest part available, but we've had no issues since, and I was able to get a full refund on the pump I bought from Autozone, so I was happy about that.

 

For a buck ten, you can get the OEM pump delivered to your door. https://www.amazon.com/Toyota-Electric-Inverter-04000-32528-G902047031/dp/B00OW32Z68/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=Genuine+OEM+Toyota+Prius+Electric+Inverter+Water+Pump+04000-32528+G902047031&qid=1567085817&s=automotive&sr=1-1

I know everyone's situation is different but my self-imposed labor rate is greater than $70 USD so an OEM pump it was for me. This one has been humming right along for 3.5 years since install.

 

Post #4 provided a link to amazon.com

Here is another link to a US dealer's website which shows a price of USD96.89 plus shipping:
2004-2009 Toyota Prius Motor Assembly G9020-47031 | AutoNation Toyota Gulf Freeway

These sites probably will not sell to a customer outside the US, but at least you have the part number so that you can explore parts sites available to your locale. Good luck.

 

If I lived somewhere where it took “several weeks” for parts to arrive I don’t think I would buy the cheap replacement parts. OEM only.

 

might be difficult to get the oem part in some parts of the world...

 

So I got curious/worried about the functioning of that cheap inverter pump and took the cap off the inverter coolant tank the other day after putting the car in IG-ON mode. I hear the pump making that sound like an aquarium pump and can feel the outlet hose from the pump vibrating, but the fluid in the reservoir is certainly not boiling, in fact, I see very little movement. I discovered this after we had come back from the longest trip we have taken in this car recently, about 2 hours each way. I still have not seen any lights on the dash confirming the pump has failed. I am seriously thinking about ordering the OEM pump and keeping it in the back of the car as a precaution, if nothing more. My only hesitation in doing that is based on the car's current mileage of about 278k. If anything fails on the car that would cost more than the $100 or so I would be spending on the pump, the car will be given the last rites and sent to its final resting place.

Can I get some expert opinions about whether or not to order the OEM pump and perhaps even preemptively replace the one that is in the car now? As I side note, I should mention that I have run Hybrid Assistant recently to check on the condition of the HV battery and found the blocks still seem to be well balanced, even if their capacity is reduced. One of the reports shows inverter temperature that stabilized at somewhere between 50 and 60 Degrees Celsius on a 50 minute, 35 mile trip, with outside air temperatures of about 25 Degrees C, so I believe the pump must be still somewhat functional.

 

If the pump is working, there might be a blockage in the plumbing. That could explain why the coolant does not seem to be churning in the reservoir.

 

I guess a blockage would not throw a P0A93 code, correct? The Detection Conditions described in the repair manual for the 2 sub-codes mention water pump or electric cooling fan malfunctions, which would not seem to cover a blockage, but then the Monitor Description also mentions the radiator. I'm trying to figure out if the DTC is triggered by an abnormal current flowing to either the pump or the fan or is it also triggered by an abnormally high coolant temperature? I would expect a P0A93 code to tell me I need to address a problem with the inverter cooling system, but if that code is not temperature driven, perhaps I cannot rely on waiting to see that before I do anything. I will monitor the inverter temperature using Hybrid Assistant for the time being, I'm guessing 60 Degrees C is still OK, but at what point should I begin to worry, and what should I do if the temperature reaches unacceptable levels? Would changing the radiator for the inverter coolant likely solve the blockage problem?

 

It is definitely a good idea monitor the inverter temps, but I'd be inclined not to drive it unnecessarily until it is fixed.

I find the repair manual to be particularly vague with what triggers the DTC. A lot hidden with "Toyota Propriety Information", but fairly sure there is temperature monitoring of the inverter and if it gets too hot it will shut it down, However, the P0A93 seem to be focused on the cooling system and the two sub-codes seem to be focused on either the radiator and the water pump.

I wouldn't be inclined to do something so drastic, and point you to investigate step 2 (Check coolant hose(s)) thoroughly. If that doesn't reveal any blockage, see if you can remove the hoses in and out of the radiator and see if pumping some fluid through it meets any resistance.

I seem to remember a particular thread where a blockage was found and I can't remember whether the poster pumped fluid (from an external source) under higher pressure or whether he used compressed air, but it was on or the other and I'm leaning to the latter. Doing this he clear the blockage, which,IIRC, was internally in the inverter plumbing.

Hope that helps. Let us know your progress.