OK, I've been wanting to get an answer to this question since we bought our 2005 Prius over a year ago: What the devil is that whining noise coming from the engine compartment after we shut off the car and get ready to step out? It lasts maybe 10 seconds and stops. I'm sure it's normal. I'm just curious to know what's going on under there. Our 2002 Prius doesn't do it.
It's the pump moving coolant into the thermos bottle, so there's some hope of having lower emissions when the ICE kicks in next time you turn the car on
OK, here's where I display my utter ignorance of what's under the hood.... I assume the coolant you refer to is the regular engine coolant. But what is ICE, and what does it have to do with emissions control? And what does pumping it into the "thermos" do for it? Keep it warm? Or cool?
ICE Internal Combustion Engine it has to do with emissions control because it burns fuel to move the car. There are better emissions when the engine is hotter than when it is colder. pumping the fluid into the thermos keeps it warm. Cheers!
Frankie, not meaning to be rude but I suggest you do a search of all the great information by looking through the forums and other various nooks and crannies on this wonderful Priuschat web site. All this stuff is carefully explained for those of us who are mechanically challenged. Some of this would require paragraphs to explain. respectfully Gary
Once you speak the language, it all makes perfect sense. I always thought it sounded like the gyros in a small plane winding down after landing. Kinda liked that. But it's another bit of brilliant engineering. Thanks for your patience. Glad I asked.
Good advice. But I just discovered this site tonight and haven't had time yet to do much exploration. And I thought I'd break in by asking the one question that's been bugging me for a year. My apologies if I've lowered the level of discourse here.
SIGH... Amazing how many Prius drivers don't seem to be able to read. There's a world of information in the Manual.
Call me weird but I like to read car manuals. I've always been that way. Heck, I still read the Camry's manual just because I think it's fun.
That made me LOL. This site has been going through some growing pains lately and there is almost no way you could have lowered the level of discourse. Once you start poking around you'll find it to be a great resource.
i was thinking, they should make the manuals story like, humorous and imaginative. then i would read it! for example: Curious George was rear-ended by a mean ugly Hummer! The 12 volt battery was hit and George wondered what the curious tasting liquid was... George grabbed a bottle and told the Hummer driver to taste it. Warning: Don't drive Hummers into Prius. or Don't drive Hummers period. George lived happily ever after THE END!!!
there is also a secondary noise that sometimes comes from the engine compartment and has sort of a pulsing motor noise. It's the hydraulic pump for the brake booster as it recharges the accumulator where is provides the power assist on the brakes.
OK it pumps it in to the stainless steel thermos bottle then out when you put the car in ready position but not just anywhere in the ICE (Internal Combustion Engine) but specifically in the headers to preheat the intake on first start! After that it goes through the rest of the ICE. Temps drop, but the job is done. The ICE is on and making heat. Not only heating the ICE but the catalytic converters to reduce emissions. Finally the hot coolant is placed in the thermos for the next time. We be fast and they be slow!
warm car= more efficient. the thermos helps kick up the efficiency of a cold engine. just one more reason to love your prius
Oh, no worries. I kind of felt sorry for you becasue you have been given so much grief about reading the manual and searching the site. However, at times the discourse around here gets pretty low. And at times it is pretty high. Don't worry about the discourse. Life goes on.
If you take out all the repeat warnings and Info boxes the manual comes out to about 15 pages. So it's really not that hard to read. Matt Denver
