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Prius Quacking...like a duck

Discussion in 'Gen 3 Prius Technical Discussion' started by Spenny, Jul 15, 2019.

  1. Spenny

    Spenny Member

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    My car has suddenly decided it identifies as a feathered creature.

    I was walking up to my car yesterday and it legitimately quacked. I don’t mean a squeak, I mean it sounded like a duck was trapped under my vehicle. I thought I was being pranked because of how realistic it sounded but after looking around, I didn’t see anyone filming.

    I saw a post about this before but most people described the brake actuator or pump as a squeak...not as quacking. Could this be the same part as the warranty extension I received in the mail? They said the brake booster and brake pump may need to be replaced. I am hoping this is related since I’m cheap.

    I called the closest Toyota dealer and they said I had to bring it in before they could tell me anything. They of course want to confirm it before replacing but it happens infrequently. I also work out of town so it’s not easy for me to bring it by just for them to test and then order parts.....
     
    #1 Spenny, Jul 15, 2019
  2. Pluggo

    Pluggo Senior Member

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    Let's hear the quack.
     
    #2 Pluggo, Jul 15, 2019
  3. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

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    there are posts hear describing it as a honk, if not a quack. i don't think it is an issue, if you can live with the sound.

    except, i have never read about anyone saying it honked/quacked as they were walking up to it. i thought it happened when they stepped on the brake
     
    #3 bisco, Jul 15, 2019
  4. Spenny

    Spenny Member

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    Well it sensed my key or the unlock and I think tried to pressurize. It really was the oddest thing. It happens so infrequently that it’s hard to capture.
     
    #4 Spenny, Jul 15, 2019
  5. Spenny

    Spenny Member

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    #5 Spenny, Jul 15, 2019
  6. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

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    yep, but usually with foot on brake

    when you open the door, it energizes the pump, but that's not the same as stepping on the brake
     
    #6 bisco, Jul 15, 2019
  7. ChapmanF

    ChapmanF Senior Member

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    Brakes quacking/honking/barking/grunting I've heard of. Different people hear all those sounds (was that dress white or blue, anyway?).

    But without a foot on the brake? Never have I ever.

    Still, couldn't hurt to ask your brake computer for its firmware revision, and see if it is at least the anti-quack/honk/bark/grunt revision (be sure to compare to the proper revision for your wheel size).

    If it isn't, your dealer can flash an update. It's not a safety recall, so they'll charge for maybe an hour of shop time, but it's otherwise straightforward.

    Goes a bit faster if you don't have the back full of stuff, because their procedures require them to attach a power source to the aux battery to reduce the chance of mid-flash power drops. Also, unhook any power-hungry mods you might have added that they won't know about, that might spring to life during the reflash.
     
    #7 ChapmanF, Jul 15, 2019
  8. CR94

    CR94 Senior Member

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    Mine quacked (or grunted, or whatever we call it!) not as I stepped on the brake pedal, but as I released it. Past tense, because it hasn't quacked in a few weeks.
     
    #8 CR94, Jul 15, 2019
    bisco likes this.
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