1.8L starting rattle, knock, events

I wouldn't worry about any certification or letters. Simply, all of us have gobs of warranty left (other than a couple of nutters who do 40k+/year), so by the time we're tapped out on powertrain this issue should be fleshed out further.

If you actually do have valve tap and it's demonstrable and constant, then you should certainly bring this into Toyota and see what they say. You're the first I've seen of to report any actual symptoms of this after the event.

It sure would be nice if somebody could get a bona fide idea from Toyota on what causes this even if it is generally a benign thing (and I think it is). I've had a lot of cold starts this winter and the problem has not recurred in a few thousand miles.

 

My Prius mfg date is 10/09. Started up the car plenty of times in the cold. Never seen this problem. For those of you that have had this happen more than once, what is your mfg date? Feel free to correct me however if mfg date has nothing to do with this...

 

It's more than just cold temps--it seems you must have run it very briefly before shut down, then let it sit overnight. For example, wash it, move it in the garage, shut down until tomorrow. I've had it twice under those conditions, will try the accelerator push the next time, if it happens. I have let it run a little longer after a wash, drove it enough to clean the brake disks off, and it has not recurred. 5/09 build

 

Yep, I'm not really sure cold temps even matter; I think perhaps only one person has reported this in the absence of a shutdown-when-engine-cold event. Pretty much everyone else had it after moving the car a very short distance and it was shut down before reaching operating temp.

 

Yup, happend to us once....we moved the car into the garage after washing it then let it sit. On the next ICE start it did it for about 15 seconds then stopped.

Build date 9/2010

Craig

 

Hi in my case I have experienced 3 times or more don't remember!! it was the same horrible knocking for about 5-8 seconds or so, for me happened when the car was left for more than 5 days without starting and also low temperatures, the car was purchased march 2010 and has 9200 miles

I called Toyota requested a case number, next weekend will drop the car at the dealer for the knocking and high pitch electrical noise started months ago!

I didn't need this headache, trading in the car will be the solution since TOYOTA dealers are a bunch or monkeys!!

 

I just left the car in another Toyota dealer,in the first dealer the service manager told methat the high pitch noise is normal and the knocking was not possible to reproduce! in the new dealer seem more patient and managing the situation better, they told me they will investigate for the problems and document my complaints, they explained to me that there is no TSB released for the Prius? but they will let me know in the future if Toyota release a recall or fix.

Well looks like we don't have options out there to fix the knocking, I hope Toyota don't decide to hide the problem instead of spending the extra bucks in repairs.

I have learned again not to buy the first year of a complete re-design vehicle, we can use the car for 2 more years then trade-in for a refreshed 2012/13 Prius? that will be a solution selling back the bag of nuts to Toyota

If I know anything will post back, seems to me that the problem is in all models no exception!

 

Yup!...I would agree...ANY noise indicates "Damage" to SOME degree...call it "Wear" or whatever...

 

I had a very rough idle/knock/ upon start this morning. I shut the engine off, restarted and the engine continued to make a huge racket for another 5 seconds, then run as normal. This happened before about 7 months ago. The car runs normally otherwise. The first time it happened in warm weather and having been started about 8 hours prior. This last time the car sat for almost 3 weeks (inside) and the temperature was about 40 degrees. Im somewhat comforted to know that Im not the only one with this problem.

 

My Prius is in the dealer for days!! they can't replicate the knocking sound!! Toyota hasn't released any TSB for 2010 Prius on this problem so they can't help me out.

Until then we can't do much, just:
1. Keep an eye on oil level I would like to have a 0-20W bottle to add but I don't know what brand of oil they are using in the dealer. I noticed at 9000+ miles oil level wasn't full, some oil was consumed or evaporated which is normal in all cars.
2. Do not interrupt the engine during warm up cycle.
3. Do not leave the car more than 3 days whithout starting.
4. Try to use EV mode when parking or moving short distances.

I will get back if I find anything.
I also noticed the whole car moves during start up which I believe there is some kind of connection with the gearbox?

 

Of course they can't, nobody can unfortunately--at least nobody on Priuschat can predictably reproduce this (yet).

I'm positive that oil level is not an influencing factor on this, though. The oil pump pulls from the bottom; there's either enough oil or there isn't, it is a binary state.

 

It's a very cold day today, I started the Prius and before the ICE engaged, I turned on the heater.

The moment the ICE turned on, it started rattling/knocking for 3 seconds and then it stopped. It sounds like a gear or chain not turning properly on a very cold start etc. It definitely sounds like it is slowly causing wear and tear or damage.

 

I just noticed the exact same behavior on a cold morning 10F. I'll try the flooring it if I see it again. It was scary -- engine moving around a lot -- fluid motor mounts?

 

You are probably right about the oil level, but the noise is like an engine running without lubrication, in this case probably the more is not the better!

 

I just received a call from the Toyota dealer! they are still working on the car and found a leak in the injectors? Man you guys think that will make and explosion at start? they said lost pressure over night leaking fuel on the pistons?

I feel bad that the car has been torn apart and pretty much will not fix the knocking and the high pitch electrical noise !



At least this dealer is doing something or trying hard to find the origin of the failure

 

Seems that hybrids are not yet polished.

 

Man after 10 years of hybrid technology out there and so many cars from Lexus and Toyota? even Porsche has a hybrid these days!

Hope Toyota fix all this I bet 2012 Prius will be a worry free car.

 

That's a dubious conclusion given the exceptional reliability of these cars going back many years.

 

How many miles on the car with a leaky injector? I have 3800.

 

Perhaps, and I hope you're right -- but this car doesn't not match the older Toyotas that I have owned in terms of build quality.