Check Hybrid System with code P261B

maybe an inverter pump problem? did the '10's get a recall?
i wonder what would happen if you replicated the original circumstances.

 

As far as I know there's no recall for 3rd gen coolant pump, engine or inverter. The inverter recall was reprogramming the acceleration response, with aim to protect the circuitry.

 

Thanks for reporting this. Water pump integrity is a big question mark in my mind with regard to the trending gen 3 head gasket failure issues we're seeing reported here. For this reason, I personally would change that pump out without hesitation, especially if you haven't yet done the ~100k engine coolant drain/refill. Great time to kill 2 birds...

The pump trends at ~$250-$275 on eBay for the OEM Aisin WPT-190. I have one here that I will be changing out preemptively once the winter weather backs off.

To clarify, P261b is an engine water pump code, not inverter.

 

is there no overheating temp dummy light on the dash?

 

There is, but knowing what we know, I'd never want to see it. It's hard to think these heads have integrity enough to tolerate an actual overheat.

 

Yeah there's that at least, but no temp gauge. For that you need something like Pontiac Sunfire...

Page 500 of Owner's Manual:




A few pages of emergency procedures info, starting on circled page, saying too it could be one or the other circuit with the problem.

 

so what was happening, is the car basically shutting down a self protection mechanism?

 

Hard to know. The "check hybrid system" warning would typically bring on limp mode but the OP only reports the engine related code. Assuming ScanGauge is hybrid code aware, I'd expect to see a hybrid code thrown, but who knows what P261b protocol may be in protecting the car. So I'd address the P261b with somewhat of an expectation that the "check hybrid" behavior would be cleared simultaneously or would then need further investigation.

You guys well know my paranoia about these engines. This is an incident I'd take seriously rather than reset and forget.

 

US schedule is engine coolant at 100K miles (or 10 years), and inverter coolant at 150K miles (or 15 years). Has the engine coolant been changed?

( It wouldn't hurt to do both at the same time though. The Canadian schedule make no distinction, says change both at 160K km's (or 10 years).)

 

My 2010 did this to me as well. I limped the car into a dealer, who kindly diagnosed my problem, and then, as I needed to get somewhere, reset the codes for me. No charge! I managed another couple of trouble free months, and it happened again. This time I replaced the water pump!

I'd look into replacing that pump!

 

I had it done by Toyota. They wanted $1200, but as the car then had only 62,000 miles on it and was just out of warranty, I talked them down to $600. Still expensive!! If you can find a good manual (I couldn't find one, but knowing what to do is critical), and you know a little about working on cars, you can buy a new pump at Rock auto for $177 - $250 and install it yourself. Make sure to change your coolant at the same time (~$20 - $40). Also plan to spend most of a Saturday doing it.

 

Don't hesitate to do the work yourself. Drain the coolant, pull the air intake and the pump is right there, albeit a bit of a tight squeeze working quarters. Refill and bleed of the coolant loop is easy on Gen 3, too. I'll be doing mine soon, so if I beat you to it I'll post my experience. I'll re-stress what I feel is the importance of going with the OEM, Aisin pump. I'd be sketched by one of the cheaper options in this important application.

As it turns out, there was a TSB for P261B back in the early days of the 2010. Would be interesting to see if your VIN was yay or nay...

 

When do you plan on doing the pump changeout?

I have an east coast trip planned April 26- May 1 to the northern part of PA where my parents live. Might be looking for a "get away day" .

 

Billy,

Well done! I only wish I had known about this site, with its knowledgeable owners, before I had turned Toyota loose on mine. It would have saved me $350.00.