HV Water Pump same as inverter pump?

There are four electric pumps that could make that noise.

There is a coolant transfer pump, which transfers coolant to and from the thermos when you shut the car off and when you start it. It's noisy and most owners report hearing it.

There is the inverter coolant pump, which runs when the car is in "ready". This one had the recall. I've never heard it run. In fact, to confirm it's running you usually have to look in the fill chamber for running coolant.

There is a coolant pump which runs when the A/C system is demanding heat and the engine is stopped. I've never heard this one run either.

There is a hydraulic pump which runs to keep pressure in the braking system. This will sometimes run for a very short time when you first start up, and will run from time to time as you drive, especially if you are in stop and go situations. I often hear this pump just behind the dash on the drivers side. It's actually quite quiet, but you can hear it pulse.

The coolant transfer pump is located on the drivers side just behind the thermos, close to the front wheel.

The other two pumps are located on the passenger side, about mid engine compartment.

 

It's either the "thermos" (coolant storage) or the brake accumulator.

If you just sit in the car and pump the brakes, you'll eventually trigger the brake pump (don't even have to turn it on for this). If that's not the sound, then it's probably the thermos. The thermos sound is most notable after shutting the car off.

 

Re: HV Water Pump


I recently bought a second hand prius 2004 from japan 180,000km mileage .After driving it for some distance about 75 km it displayed check engine light and the master light and the a.c went off .After reading some of the posting i thought it was the inverter pump .when i checked the power cable was pluged off from the pump .I put it back and started the car i noticed smoke coming from the pump/fuse compatment i disconnected it and the car started just fine.

Could this mean i have a faulty inverter pump? I live in uganda East Africa and prius parts are not available does any one know have a new pump for sale?

 

1. Yes, it sounds like your car has a failed inverter pump.

2. I suggest you measure voltage across the wiring harness connector to the pump to make sure that 12VDC is still available. If not, then you probably have a new problem associated with the smoke that you noticed.

3. It is unfortunate that you bought this car when parts are not locally available. Perhaps you can find a Toyota dealer in South Africa that would be willing to ship parts to your country. Good luck.

 

Re: HV Water Pump

Driving without cooling the inverter will burn it out. The inverter will cost $1000 to $2000 to replace.

 

FYI, I posted a response to the clearblue's original thread on this issue.

http://priuschat.com/forums/gen-ii-...-driver-side-fender-washing-machine-like.html

 

I am sure clearblue is hearing the pump for the thermos bottle. Do a search on how to replace this pump. You can actually see the pump if you know where to look. Hal

 

For a long time, I thought this was noise from the coolant tank pump or switching valve. But the keyword here is "robotic." The headlight leveling motor makes a servo, "robotic" type noise. I have found in my car that the driver's side headlight servo can get stuck in some kind of loop, where every second or so it slightly adjusts the headlight aim. I can change the frequency or stop it outright by bouncing the back bumper. It is something that would only happen with HID headlights.

I do wonder what happened to clearblue, since the last post was about getting rear ended and having the brake capacitor backup damaged.

 

That is interesting. Did not realize the headlight had self adjusters. Hal

 

This is true only for HID headlights.

Since Canada has mandatory DRL, HID headlights may not be available there. Pls let me know whether HID is available or not there.

 

I don't think they are... wasn't an option offered to me, anyway.