Darn!!...I got a RED TRIANGLE today!!!

Sorry to hear, Oldwolf, I know you just got it and were working on mileage improvement, too (looks good, by the way :-D).

Sounds like it could have been the inverter water pump, it's a frequent highway story it seems. Keep us updated.

 

maybe not serious, who knows? keep us informed.

 

Textbook inverter cooling pump. Should be a free fix!

 

Given all the attention that this problem has received lately I'm surprised that more people aren't putting this on their DIY inspection list. Checking for flow in the inverter coolant reservoir as about the same degree of difficulty as checking the dipstick for oil.

 

It's easier because you don't need to find a rag to wipe off the stick. I check for fluid turbulence whenever I am under the hood.

 

Yeah it's a good idea to do it while you know it's working properly so you can get used to what it looks like when running. Honestly it's quite easy to notice whether or not it's running, especially after you done it a few times.

Personally I think it's best to do it when the car is warm and the SOC is good so that you can have in ready mode without the ICE running (minimizes vibrations making it very easy to see if there's flow or not).

 

Great news!

Hope you have many trouble-free years ahead.

 

The red triangle strikes! Can I drive the 50 or so miles to the dealer?

 

Check the inverter coolant reservoir (mounted on the side of the inverter near the engine) for fluid turbulence. If you see this, then the inverter coolant pump (located behind the driver's side headlight assembly) is working. Otherwise the pump is not working and you should not drive 50 miles especially in warm weather.

 

If you have 50 mile towing with AAA, now is the time to use it. If you have a spirit of adventure, you can make it, but be careful.

1. Start out as early as possible in the morning, after having let the car sit for several hours.
2. Drive straight to the dealer at moderate speed i.e. 50-60 mph.
3. If you get the red triangle, stop as soon a possible and let the car sit for 1/2 hour. Then restart the car and continue.

 

Happened to my 2009 in August on a REAL hot day. I noticed that the AC compressor turned off when the warning light came on. Later, the ABS shut down. Luckily I was close to home. Dealer took care of it lickety split.

 

Nice move taking a pic of the dash, Service Managers have a hard time arguing with photos in hand! Makes the line "Could not Duplicate" a little tougher to sell!

 

This has helped me so much! These three lights just came on yesterday, and I have been so upset. I live in rural NC and my nearest dealer is 50 miles away. The car is not under warranty - it is bought and paid for. But is this a recall item, the coolant - inverter pump?

 

Your public profile lists a 2001 Prius (a Genenration1 Prius). The LSC (Limited Service Campaign) for the Inverter Pump covered specific VINs for 2004-2007 model year Gen2 Prius.

If you are mistaken about your model year, but are sure about the condition of the inverter pump (no fluid movement in inverter reservoir, when car is IG-ON or READY), then get a replacement inverter pump (local Toy dealer or order online). If you can't DIY, take it to a local mechanic who is capable, if a short drive a way (few miles), or tow to your local Toyota dealer.

 

I thought the free replacement on the pump ended a few years ago

 

- I just got all the same lights, my car is throwing the code P3021 (no other codes), and it'll run, but in limp mode only.
- The hybrid battery charged to full-all-green just before the dash lights happened, and still looks to have most of that charge.
- The fan in the back goes crazy whenever i turn the car on.
- I can smell something electrical getting hot in the back by the battery.

- I left town for a week, and this happened the day i came back.
- I recently replaced the inverter pump, and it appears to be working well.
- I replaced the HV battery a couple months ago with a rebuild from "battery4prius" (which refused to service my nationwide warranty because I'm no longer in florida. Won't mail me modules either, and were zero help in moving forward. Avoid these guys. They did't even date my receipt....very obviously bogus.)

What does this sound like to y'all? Any ideas? I'm not scared to try rebuilding the battery myself, but if you fine folks have any insight before i tackle it, that'd be awesome

 

Welcome to Prius Chat .

You have another module out in your rebuilt battery (block 11 to be exact).

This is causing the symptoms you are experiencing .

You’ll need to decide how you want to proceed, but if you want to do this yourself, some things to consider:

• How reliable do you need your Prius to be?
• How frequently do you want to go into your pack for repairs?
• How much $$$ do you have set aside for repairs?
• How long do you want to keep your Prius?

Keep us posted .

 

Sorry to hear of your experience.
Hopefully you arebt out too much money for your couple months old battery.

There are definitely threads on rebuilding battery on here. You may have to do it every few months or so depending on the state of the pack you have in there.

You may also want to buy a charger for the HV battery. Costs $500-$700. I don't really remember. Or you could build one.

Likely you have a mix of a few different packs of modules in your car. This variability can be troublesome long term without a charger.