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Small motor/actuator gear nosie on power on

Discussion in 'Gen 2 Prius Care, Maintenance and Troubleshooting' started by Rennie, Aug 29, 2020.

  1. Rennie

    Rennie Junior Member

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    I recently had my blower motor out for maintenance (which went worse than expected, but that's another story), but it's now back in and working fine, however, when I power on the car, there is a short gear/actuator noise, then quickly followed by a longer one ~2s. After that, no extraneous sounds.

    The car didn't used to do this. I don't recall moving anything else mechanical like the linkages in there.
    It's almost like it has to reset something each time car is powered on.

    Any ideas?

    Edit: sound is coming from general area of blower motor on left hand side of car (RHD car). I found a thread that indicates a possible servo motor, though I don;t know why it would start playing up now
     
    #1 Rennie, Aug 29, 2020
    Last edited: Aug 29, 2020
  2. sam spade 2

    sam spade 2 Senior Member

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    Could be a blower door actuator. Try leaving the climate control in different modes when shutting car OFF.......like OFF.

    But it sounds more like the brake booster pump and that is "normal" for most all models.
    Some people hear it and some don't.
     
  3. Rennie

    Rennie Junior Member

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    I don’t think it’s the brake booster pump as that has never made such a sound like the one I’m hearing. And it never does it again, just upon start up.

    I’m going to have another look under there tomorrow to see if I forgot a cable or something else
     
  4. ChapmanF

    ChapmanF Senior Member

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    One option, without employing any contortionist skillz, would be to run the controls through all the inlet-servo choices (fresh, recirc), all the outlet-servo choices (face, face+feet, feet, feet+defrost, defrost), and all the mix-servo choices (cold, hot) and pay attention to those sounds, comparing to what you've been hearing.
     
  5. sam spade 2

    sam spade 2 Senior Member

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    All of my Prii have acted that way.
    Apparently it takes it a LONG time to bleed down once pressurized.
     
  6. Rennie

    Rennie Junior Member

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    I did go through all the options to test. Nothing of note there. But

    I had my head under there when I turned the car on; found the sound was actually coming from under the passenger (left) seat. It was the maps DVD system checking for a disc, as I’d removed it on the same day due to making a swishy sound every so often, and the disc was not working.

    Unplugged the maps DVD nav System, now there is no noise. I hope that thing isn’t required for anything else :)
     
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  7. ChapmanF

    ChapmanF Senior Member

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    Someday when you find you have no idea where you are, don't come running to us!
     
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  8. Rennie

    Rennie Junior Member

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    lol the nav in car is probably my least used feature :)