When I press the Power On button, I hear a slight grind

Discussion in 'Gen 3 Prius Care, Maintenance & Troubleshooting' started by priusenvious1, Dec 26, 2012.

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  1. priusenvious1

    priusenvious1 Member

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    Just wondering if I should be concerned. It doesn't happen every time, but it sounds like grinding of a gear or something like that.


    UPDATE: I made a video.



    UPDATE:

    OK, so after a few more days, I can report that it seems to happen both when I just power off while the car is in D as well as if I push the P button first then turn the car off. It seems much more likely to happen when the car has been sitting overnight or outside in the cold.


    I'm hoping someone here knows why or how serious this issue is.

    UPDATE:

    Posting any potential potential leads that may be the issue:

    Other cases with similar symptoms:
     
    #1 priusenvious1, Dec 26, 2012
  2. cwerdna

    cwerdna Senior Member

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    Can you post a video or audio clip of the noise? Probably putting it up on YouTube is the easiest.
     
    #2 cwerdna, Dec 26, 2012
  3. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

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    are you parked on a slope with the emergencycy brake off when it happens? think the parking pawl.
     
    #3 bisco, Dec 26, 2012
  4. priusenvious1

    priusenvious1 Member

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    I don't believe so. I think it happened once in a parking lot. But I'll be mindful of that.
     
    #4 priusenvious1, Dec 26, 2012
  5. Paradox

    Paradox Prius Enthusiast / Moderator
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    More often than not people hear things that are simply normal to Prius but if a trip to the dealer puts a persons mind at ease I say just make an appointment.
     
    #5 Paradox, Dec 26, 2012
  6. RRxing

    RRxing Senior Member

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    Brake booster pump?
     
    #6 RRxing, Dec 27, 2012
  7. Les_PL

    Les_PL Active Member

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    I think brake booster pump sounds immediately after opening the driver's door.
     
    #7 Les_PL, Dec 27, 2012
  8. priusenvious1

    priusenvious1 Member

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    I made a video just to clarify.

     
    #8 priusenvious1, Dec 27, 2012
  9. Mendel Leisk

    Mendel Leisk Senior Member

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    I think the sound in question is that sharp crunch sound, just before the end of the clip?

    That sounds kind of like a sound I hear from ours, minutes/hours after shut-down. There's usually 2 or 3 pulses of that sound.
     
    #9 Mendel Leisk, Dec 27, 2012
  10. priusenvious1

    priusenvious1 Member

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    yup

    Done. See original post and reply in thread.
     
    #10 priusenvious1, Dec 27, 2012
  11. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

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    a relay? or solenoid? i have never heard anything on mine, could be some part of the advanced pkg.
     
    #11 bisco, Dec 27, 2012
  12. Paradox

    Paradox Prius Enthusiast / Moderator
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    If you're talking the sound which occurs right as the Prius logo fades away into the HSI indicator on the MID, mine certainly does not do it. And I have an advanced...
     
    #12 Paradox, Dec 27, 2012
  13. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

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    since you are able to replicate it, sounds like a trip to the dealer is in order.
     
    #13 bisco, Dec 27, 2012
  14. priusenvious1

    priusenvious1 Member

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    Its random. Doesn't happen everytime.

    Is it a grind noise? I'm not talking about the beep.
     
    #14 priusenvious1, Dec 27, 2012
  15. Paradox

    Paradox Prius Enthusiast / Moderator
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    Its the noise which occurs right as the Prius logo fades away into the HSI indicator on the MID that I am talking about. I hear a beep before the fade I mentioned, while the word prius is forming, and it's not that beep I am referring to. I agree with Bisco, as long as you can sit there and start/turn off, start turn off until it happens for them to actually hear themselves a trip to the dealer wouldn't be worthless IMO. It's when you cannot replicate it that it happens so infrequently that a trip more often than not is worthless.
     
    #15 Paradox, Dec 27, 2012
  16. priusenvious1

    priusenvious1 Member

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    Yeah, I wasn't planning on going to the dealer. I'm just wondering what is causing that sound?
     
    #16 priusenvious1, Dec 27, 2012
  17. Paradox

    Paradox Prius Enthusiast / Moderator
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    No idea to be honest as it definitely is not a sound it should be making. It's something that probably happens in all Prius, but for some reason is making a noise it shouldn't be in yours.

    I'm usually one to avoid dealers at all costs, especially for bs things, but with this I'd be afraid that whatever it is may be causing wear that shouldn't be occurring and it'll be more of a problem down the road...

    Try and troubleshoot yourself, keep doing it searching for at least a location of the sound or feel for a location of a vibration it is causing in an area.
     
    #17 Paradox, Dec 27, 2012
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  18. BZzap!

    BZzap! Senior Member

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    1+ Sounds like a relay with low voltage cycling. You might have a low battery condition or corroded terminals or something of that nature.
     
    #18 BZzap!, Dec 27, 2012
  19. cwerdna

    cwerdna Senior Member

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    On such a new car?

    That sound right after the Prius fades the HSI comes on (and warning lights go out) is odd. Doesn't seem normal to me. I have no Gen 3 but have never heard it in the Gen 3s and PiPs I've test driven (nor my Gen 2). Can you tell where the sound is coming from? Is it from somewhere in the front or back? Does it get louder if your lower your rear seats?

    (My Gen 2 has some relay clicking sounds in the back ofter power on that seem normal. Those sounds are MUCH louder if the rear seats are lowered.)

    I do think a dealer visit is in order, esp. if you can repro it relatively easily, at will, esp. if you can do it for the service advisor.
     
    #19 cwerdna, Dec 27, 2012
  20. priusenvious1

    priusenvious1 Member

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    Yeah the car has about 500 miles on it. It's not reproducible easily as I can't predict when it happens. I may go to the dealer, deal with the waiting line at service and it would not happen at all.

    In terms of where it's coming from, I need to listen again just to be sure but it sounds like somewhere in the front.

    I'm not sure what you mean by lower my rear seats... Do you mean fold them down?
     
    #20 priusenvious1, Dec 27, 2012
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