On my way home from work tonight, the master warning light and the check engine (malfunction indicator lamp) appeared on the dashboard, and the hybrid system warning light has popped up on the multi-informational display. It appears by looking through the owner's manual, that there is a problem in either the electric motor, inverter unit, or hybrid battery. Has anyone experienced this before? Thoughts? 2006 Prius w/ 120k miles on it.
Yes, probably a few to several per month here on PC. An uptick it seems, now that it is hot most places. First thing is to check for coolant flow in the inverter coolant loop. Look inside the reservoir with the car on and make sure the liquid is showing plenty of turbulence on the surface. Have you had the inverter coolant pump recall COU done?
But is it turbulent, i.e. flowing, with a faint hum from the pump? Now's the time to take the car to Toyota and get the pump replaced for free. Recalls "COU" and "COT".
I drive about 40 miles to work, so I would prefer to drop off at the dealer next to work. You think I'm OK to drive this far?
40 miles in summer heat....not a good idea with a overheating problem present. It's not the HV battery that is the concern. The inverter pump failure is a safety recall, since it can put the car in limp mode, and that can be a real problem in traffic.
Have it towed. Your insurance will reimburse if you have towing coverage. If you're not sure call your Car Insurance company. Do I have towing? How do I do it? Will they bill my insurance directly or do I have to pay and seek reimbursement?
tpmello, Do you have a OBDII code scanner/reader? You need to know what diagnostic trouble codes are stored before you proceed any further. Autozone and Advance Auto will find out what the DTCs are for you at no charge. Take JMD's advice, have it towed to a Toyota dealership. Your Prius is too young to die!
I ended up driving in to the dealer next to work, and they performed all the recalls on it. Luckly, the inverter pump warning light had come on due to the recall, so my trip into the dealer was covered with no out-of-pocket expense. The car continues to drive and ride great!
