1. Attachments are working again! Check out this thread for more details and to report any other bugs.

Transmission clunking when hand spinning.

Discussion in 'Gen 3 Prius Care, Maintenance & Troubleshooting' started by armyguy08, Apr 19, 2020.

  1. armyguy08

    armyguy08 Junior Member

    Joined:
    Aug 27, 2011
    9
    3
    0
    Location:
    Wisconsin
    Vehicle:
    2011 Prius
    Model:
    Two
    I have a 2011 Prius with 145k. I started hearing little noises when the engine kicks on while already moving. I've had sounds that indicate a bad cv joint as well as clunking from the transmission under certain conditions. While inspecting the brakes a year ago, I noticed that spinning the front wheels by hand, there is about 5 inches of travel(at outside of wheel) before hearing a clunking of gears and the passenger wheel starts spinning. Spinning the passenger wheel produces that same thing with the noise coming from the driver side. My first thought was something wrong with the transmission but there is no signs of operational deficiency. Trans oil was changed every 30k after the first 60k change. CV joint seems intact with no noticeable looseness.

    Anyone notice something simlar?
     
  2. tankyuong

    tankyuong Senior Member

    Joined:
    Nov 9, 2012
    1,555
    659
    0
    Location:
    Central MO
    Vehicle:
    2012 Prius c
    Model:
    II
    I’d say your egr circuit needs cleaning
     
  3. armyguy08

    armyguy08 Junior Member

    Joined:
    Aug 27, 2011
    9
    3
    0
    Location:
    Wisconsin
    Vehicle:
    2011 Prius
    Model:
    Two
    Inspecting the EGR valve is on my to-do list this summer.
     
    Raytheeagle likes this.
  4. Raytheeagle

    Raytheeagle Senior Member

    Joined:
    Jul 1, 2016
    11,251
    15,474
    0
    Location:
    Bay Area, California
    Vehicle:
    2019 Prius Prime
    Model:
    Prime Plus
    Don't stop at the valve ;).

    It needs to be the whole circuit(y).
     
    ASRDogman likes this.
  5. Montgomery

    Montgomery Senior Member

    Joined:
    Sep 11, 2015
    2,254
    2,233
    2
    Location:
    Orange County, CA
    Vehicle:
    2015 Prius
    Model:
    Two
    Correct me if I am wrong, but the transmission on a Prius isn't built like regular transmissions and therefore should not be "clunking"?
     
  6. Vman455

    Vman455 Senior Member

    Joined:
    Feb 8, 2014
    534
    551
    13
    Location:
    The Middle
    Vehicle:
    2013 Prius
    Model:
    Two
    Was the car off when you did this? Anytime it isn't on (or is on and in P), there's a pawl that prevents the transmission from spinning, with a few inches of play.