Last week my check engine light came on (it has since gone out). The DTC code is P1121 which I decode as "Coolant Flow Control Valve Position Sensor Stuck". This appears to be covered under TSB EG024R-05 . My 2005 Prius is out of warrenty (51K miles). I have two questions. 1) Should I have this repaired? The CEL is not lit currently. Should I wait until the problem happens again? Is this problem serious? 2) Will I have to pay for this repair? The TSB only mentions that the repair is covered under the original warrenty. Can I get my dealer to do this for free? http://priuschat.com/forums/care-ma...9876-coolant-flow-valve-sensor-defective.html Andrew
Hi Andrew, Yes, it sounds like TSB EG024-05 is applicable to your car. 1. This is not a serious problem. The issue is related only to the engine coolant heat recovery system. Failure of that system means that the ICE will take longer to warm up and will produce more emissions during warm-up than normal. You can defer the repair until the CEL comes on again. 2. You will have to pay for the repair since the applicable warranty is only for 3 years/36K miles.
I also have a 2005 and have the problem noted. The mechanic said the part would cost 109$, plus coolant and labor would turn to about 500$. Is this the typical cost you've seen for this service? I had not taken it to the dealer, since it is out of warrenty and the previous two times I took the car to them there were problems.
Thanks for the insight, Patrick. What I'd like to know now is what would it take to perform a Do-it-Yourself repair/replacement? I'm assuming P1121/EG024R-05 indicates the replacement of a particular sensor. This question comes from the perspective that if taken to a repair shop, one can expect for parts to be marked up around 100% in addition to the ~$65/hr labor...with ~62K miles (2005 model), no chance for warranty at the dealer. Thanks.
I've attached the relevant TSB so you can get an overview of what is required. If you decide to DIY I suggest you download the relevant repair manual pages at techinfo.toyota.com so you will have access to the necessary service procedures. It is not easy to purge the engine coolant system of air; plan to spend a couple of hours or more on this, lacking access to the Toyota diagnostic laptop that allows you to easily run the CHRS pump. Last year I posted a procedure about how to DIY by shorting the terminals of the CHRS relay socket to force the CHRS pump to run; however that provoked some controversy so use of my procedure is at your risk. Good luck.
Much appreciated - thanks for posting the TSB for this. I will post something if/when I tackle this project. As of now, the CEL didn't show up today so, since the inspection expired as of yesterday (8/1), we'll attempt to get that taken care of immediately (since they won't touch it for inspection with the light on)!
Hello. I have the 2005 Prius and the same problem (check engine light with DTC code P1121, Coolant Flow Control Valve Position Sensor Stuck" ... tested for free at AAMCO) which is covered under TSB EG024R-05. However, I also have the Toyota Platinum 7 yr/100,000 mile Extra Care plan with 0 deductible. Will I be able to use this plan to help get my car fixed? How do I go about using it? Do I just contact the dealer and explain my situation? I'm near 70k miles and still less than 5 years. Suggestions? Thank you all!
I went to Midas today to check the dtc indicated by the cel... same one, p1121, came on, then turned off, then came back on. the question now ... will it really cost me $500 or more? I want to take good care of my car (04, 90k miles), but for something thats not completely necessary, that sucks.
Old thread... but, since the last comment was only about 2 months back.... I got a quote for $340 parts/labor/tax for this TSB from Go Automotive in Clinton NC.
A Phoenix quote on valve replacement was $360 labor and $78 part. (at a Dealer) Part online was $64+shipping. My Code Reader saw P1116 and 1121, but after resetting the codes only 1121 keeps showing up. Anyone know a way to prove if it's the sensor or the valve that needs replacing? I keep seeing threads that point to both problems being the culprit for P1121. Also funny how a 2.1hr job (according to the TSB ) equals $360. I must be in the wrong career.
A price of just under $400 seems the norm at dealers. This code is sometimes due to under filling the engine (not inverter) coolant. Check your coolant level and if needed, top it off with the pink Super long Life Toyota coolant. JeffD
Labor guide times for a repair show low (i.e. warranty), average, and high. Usually a dealer will quote you the high side labor estimate. The warranty repair time that a manufacturer pays to its dealers is always less than what you pay as a customer.
Project complete, valve replaced, code reset, emissions test passed! Total DIY price $160 vs dealer's $460+. I love when I win. No more P1121 !
Interesting event today at Toyota of New Holland - I took my Prius in for the Inverter Coolant Pump replacement, and to replace the Coolant Control Valve due to a P-1121 Code. The repair time for both was approximately 3 hours. My bill for the Coolant Control Valve came to $296.02 ($214.88 labor, $95.51 for the CCV with a $31.03 credit for 100k club discount???). After paying for the service, I drove about two miles when the red triangle of death lit up, and the temperature symbol showed up on the MFD. Concurently, the check engine light came on. I immediately drove back to the Toyota service department (I remember that on this thread someone stated that the three hoses going into the CCV can be put back in error, and I think that is what happened.) Of course, it was not any fault of the service technician... Once they looked at my Prius with the help of a "Senior" technician, the customer service person told me that I had let the engine coolant run dry, implying that it was MY fault, and then subsequently told me that I might have a blown head gasket. Anyway, after another hour at the service center, and with some help from a "Senior" technician, they seemed to resolve the problem It appears that the new Coolant Control Valve when correctly installed resolved the P-1121 code, and my check engine light is now off.
More likely that they did not properly bleed air from the cooling system. The TSB for the CCV is very specific about the hose routing, but mentions bleeding only by reference. I hope you have this documented, since any type of engine problem that you may have in the future could be attributed to their mistake. These engines are so lightly used and so well designed that the vast majority will last the life of the car. It is a good idea to check for turbulence in your inverter coolant reservoir when in Ready, since that system is even more difficult to bleed if using factory instructions. A problem there might not show up until temperatures are warmer. Hopefully, the senior tech pulled an AirLift out of his tool chest and bled both systems.
Thanks Scott!! This is something that I had not considered... will check for turbulence in the inverter coolant reservoir. I currently have 158,000 on my 2005, but with a new inverter pump , and coolant control valve, I'm looking forward to joining the 200k club.
Hey Smalltownguy22. How was the DIY for this? Where did you get the replacement valve (part #?)? It'd be great if you could post your experience with this. My '05 (150k+) just threw the p1121 code. I'm just thinking whether there's a way to 'cap' the hoses as they are disconnected as to minimize coolant loss. But I suppose it wouldn't get around the need to get the air out of the lines. I also need to bring the car in for the steering column and water pump recalls, so just trying to decide whether it's worth tackling myself, or just give in and let the stealership take care of it... Thanks! ChewyT (New PriusChat member, SF Bay Area)
Hi smalltownguy22. Could you post a simple guideline? My Prius is also kicking a P1121 and the CCV is emitting intermittent "growling" sound. Thanks.