2010 Prius stopped in traffic with big boom "check hybrid system"

This may be the one Critic was referring to: http://priuschat.com/forums/gen-iii...ing/90360-2010-prius-iv-inverter-failure.html

 

Yes it is. I remember reading it before.
There is an account of another failure by yun prius in the middle of that thread as well: http://priuschat.com/forums/gen-iii...-prius-iv-inverter-failure-6.html#post1467274

 

Well.... buying a 2010... Prius 4.... from Carmax..... Still excited. Let us know how everything goes.

Is there any value to anny warranty options @ 45k miles?

 

A rundown on the standard warranty:
Engine: 60K
Transaxle (transmission/electric motor assembly): 60K
Inverter: 100K
Hybrid battery: 150K in California and CARB states

So MY belief is that this failure is under warranty no matter what.

 

Looks like the car went through a boom and bust cycle.

 

I think he was joking.

MB860 ?

 

If he explains, the joke has lost its value.

 

So, I am guessing that mrclaims.net is the administrator for Carmax's MaxCare policy?

MB860 ?

 

Sound is caused by vibrating air molecules. There are many ways to make them vibrate - for example, a capacitor in the inverter could be faulty, build up a lot of pressure, and fail explosively (though usually they have vents, so they at least fail predictably, if not more calmly by slowly releasing the pressure). Another way would be for the insulation between two wires to wear away, a short to develop and arc between them, heating the air, and thus causing the noise. As an extreme example of this, in my college physics class, my professor demonstrated capacitance by charging up a huge capacitor about the size of a mini-fridge, then discharging it through a 2-inch-wide strip of aluminum foil. It made a huge bang (the foil heated up, heating the air around it), and the foil was instantly gone in a cloud of smoke. He loved that demo so much he repeated it three times in successive lectures, even when we weren't talking about capacitance any more!

 

Sounds like he was just trying to keep everyone awake.

 

Hmmm. I experienced a loud boom when the conventional battery blew up in my Camry about 10 years ago (hot day, water evaporated in battery . . .KABOOM!).

But this boom came from the engine compartment, where no battery resides . . . correct?

 

Depends on the wiring and how it was insulated. Strangely enough, I remember when I was in a Physics class and we were doing electrical wiring circuits, someone shorted a setup and we heard a 'pop' and FSSSH with lot of smoke and it was someone having a medium gauge wire shorting across 12v circuit. After looking at it, the wire's insulation went from soft rubber-like to melted, hardened plastic look.

Although I doubt it was wiring, cause you would see a serious amount of smoke along with it. Capacitor pop, I could believe, not much smoke when those things blow.

 

A wiring issue could cause inverter failure.

Your dealer should tell you the codes. It's your car, and tell them you won't stand for this "military secret" nonsense. Telling you the codes isn't going to harm your car.

 

I agree with Rebounds statement. And IMO it's not a matter of giving the service center the benefit of the doubt. If you want the codes and have asked for them, they should give them to you.

Maybe they are insecure and don't want you to second guess them? But that's tough luck for them. Your vehicle, your problem, your money, YOUR CODES.