San Diego area, help for young Prius driver

Picture? Not normal for inverter coolant to be that low unless there's a leak

 

If your referencing the main engine coolant level by looking at the plastic overflow tank that's really not the true level of the level of coolant in the system. The g2 is a little weird in that the overflow tank does not reflect the true coolant level in the rad. You have to pop the black plastic cover off the top of the rad and underneath that cover is the cap to the rad. On a cool engine take that cap off and All that matters is where that engine coolant level is there. I never replaced those hold down screws for that cover. It just sits on top of the rad and is trapped by the hood when you close it. When i want to check the engine coolant I go right to the rad cap.

The Inverter coolant is a completely different system has nothing to do with the engine coolant. They don't interact. If the Inverter coolant level is low in the Inverter reservoir buy some Toyota LLC coolant and fill it up to the full line on that reservoir. Its rare that system has a leak. It probably means its been low for a long time. Which is hard on the pump. And the Inverter. And the trans.

I know this is complicated based on the daughter long distance thing. Good luck.

 

Your welcome.

It’s helpful to clean that inverter reservoir and mark the full line which is on the passenger side of that tank with a black sharpie.

That reservoir should not lose a drop of coolant ever. Mine has been right at the full line for 11 years.
Same with engine coolant.

If engine coolant losing coolant the engine water pump off the fan belt is weeping coolant like any old engine.
That’s easy to see get a fkashlight and look for dried red coolant specks in the fan belt area. Really easy to see. Should not be one red speck in there. Not one, if any the pump is shot.

 

That is not low, it's pretty much where it's suppose to be

 

Both those seem exhorbitant. I would question if new rotors are truly needed, and $44 to replace a license plate bulb??

 

I had 5 of these at one point, the level your coolant is at is pretty close to full, off by maybe 10 ounces

 

Only 5?

 

5 2nd gen ones. But who's counting

 

I rarely disagree with JC but it is below the low line.

The problem is that circuit should not be using a drop of coolant so its going somewhere. Haven't topped off my Inverter coolant in 5 years.
No reports of that circuit leaking on this site just pumps pumps pumps. But maybe it got the recall on the pump done years ago and it was never topped off.

Top it off to the full line and watch it. Btw its looks very old too. That coolant is bright red in that tank.

 

When the recall for the pump was done, hoses were pinched to get the pump changed. It probably lost the few ounces that the reservoir is missing. But from what I can tell on your picture, that little will not do any harm. You'll only need about 10 ounces to get it back to the full line. These pumps normally last 100k miles

I don't think this is an issue with your car. Move on to the next item lol

 

It was never topped off after the pump or minor air was induced and it finally settled down to that level.If it had a leak it would be empty since no ones checking it so it should be fine. The inverter coolant loop is an excellent system I have not had to top off my invert coolant in years and years.It does not lose a drop. Same with the engine coolant. I dumped the rad on mine about 2 weeks ago and it was full to the top of the cap for years also. Doesn't lose a drop.

Btw when they replaced the pump they just duckbill off the hoses and slap it in. No coolant change so this car probably has the original Inverter coolant.

Best way to change the engine coolant on a g2 is just dump the rad only. Then do it again in a few months. Substantial amount of new coolant doing that and no air is induced.

 

Sorry I do not own a G3 others will chime in soon.