Stuck on the side of a road. AM2 fuse blows right away.

inverter pump?

 

i'm not sure, but it sounds familiar.

 

Yes, don't replace the fuse until after you replace the pump

Have you done the recall?

 

What smoked, or where did the smoke originate from?

I would research what goes to AM2 and then check all wiring.

If it’s blowong fuses, it’s shorting or grounding out.

Any:

• weather changes?
• Vermin intrusions?
• Performed a wire inspection?
• What code scanner are you using?
• Do you have access to Techstream?

Keep us posted.

 

a short inside the pump blows the fuse. you can register at toyota owners website for recalls, tab's and etc.

 

It could be the pump or a wire along the circuit from the fuse box to the pump.

If you saw smoke from the fuse box and you’ve blown 2 fuses, my next move would be to find the cause and not install the last fuse. Investigate from the fuse box to the pump and then the pump itself.

Keep us posted .

 

If you haven't done the recall, that's the reason the pump shorted. The recall was to address this problem.

The dealer will fix this problem for free if your recall is still outstanding

 

Is the car at your house, or somewhere not along the side of the road?

If getting a tow, try to get a flat bed to avoid any other issues cropping up.

I’ve replaced the inverter pump on a Gen2 before and it’s not hard. Just tough to access . But can be done without pulling the headlight though.

I’m sure if you haven’t done the recall and can DIY, you could do it and get the reimbursement for the pump .

Keep us posted .

 

First, I want to state I am not intimately familiar with the pump etc. But, if the pump is blowing fuses, yet the fuse is needed because it supplies power to other items in order to get the car in neutral, just remove the electrical plug from the pump motor. It should be the electrical motor that has an internal short in the windings, or the pump is seized, causing a large current draw. Unplug it and the excess current issue goes away.

 

Since the inverter coolant pump is definitely the most likely culprit (what you are experiencing is the precise reason that they did the recall on it), I would try just unplugging it and take a punt on the last fuse.

Firstly it will rule in (or out) the pump as the cause, and then depending upon how far you are from home then you might not even need a tow. You can drive a short distance without the inverter pump running if you drive it very easily. As long as you don't need to go over mountains or do a lot of distance or high speed driving then you can probably nurse it home. Stop and give it a rest for a while if you need to drive for more than about 15 minutes.

 

Here is its location, mounted on the metal just in front of and below the fuse box, behind the left headlight. (The headlight is removed in this photo, but you don't need to do that to unplug it).


And here is a close up of where the electrical connector is located.

 

Hi I just want to say thank you for all the comments that contribute to this site. I totally just saved over 800 dollars by finding you. Being that I am a student/single parent that was big. I bought the inverter water pump removed the light and installed it by removing 3 screws! First of all my 8 tow trucks later being that my car had been blocked by a car infront which made it difficult for it to be towed 10hrs later. Web searching I stubbles upon your question and feed back. I went to auto zone replaced the AM2 fuse and it burned quickly. I then replaced it again and the same thing happened. After being towed to a hybrid fix they were going to fix the problem for 390 over 1000 at the dealer. The young man got my car running by pulling the plug n this picture and reinstalling the 15a fuse for the AM2. He adivines me that i could drive my car home for 7 miles as long as I didn’t go fast and stayed on the right lane. #blessed #grateful #am2fuse #saint and I didn’t have enough funds to cover it and found the part at Oriellie’s since since I couldn’t wait 7 days for an online shipping because I needed my car to get around ASAP they had it instock for 150. I seen a diy and proceeded to change in 2 hrs later my car was back running. Now i still have the problem where my car struggles past 50mph and the yellow light with a squiggle comes on while I try to accelate. Well hope anyone that is having trouble can find this helpful. As putting the car on neutral and getting back running is essential for me. Thanks everyone

 

Glad to hear the site has helped you.

You may want to buy ~$75 of diagnostic equipment in case you need to do other diagnosis in the future.

Android phone/tablet
Elm 327 Bluetooth OBDII adaptor
Torque Pro app

With these you can reader and clear codes, as well as see hybrid battery data.

Very helpful when trying to explain to others problems your car is experiencing.

 

You guys are a lifesaver. I only hope that I didn't do any damage to my 2008 Prius. I was going 70 on the freeway when my AM2 blew. I thought it was the main battery. What I did notice is that my Prius holds its momentum for a while. I was able to cross 3 lanes of traffic and exit. the freeway and coasted to a quick stop. I immediately noticed that the AM2 fuse was blown and I googled "Prius am2 fuse blown" and got this feed. I unplugged the pump, put a new fuse in and the car started and kept going. I was 30 miles from home and it was 97 degrees F. I kept the speed under 30 and pulled over, pulled over every 15 min, and let the car rest for 10 min each stop. I don't know what the inverter coolant pump does but my Prius didn't seem to notice that it was unplugged. I only hope that I didn't do any damage to the car by driving it 30 miles with the pump unplugged (mostly flat ground).

 

You did great. In the most basic terms, the inverter cooling pump circulates coolant through cooling channels in the electrical portion of the drivetrain. The car can continue to operate normally without it, as long as the electronics don't get too hot. When they get too hot, the red triangle will illuminate. I've driven several with bad pumps in order to get them somewhere safe to work on. I even drove one about 50 miles and just maintained <40mph. The weather makes a big difference also. Again, you did great and the car should be fine.

 

Did you bleed all the air out of the pump lines? Sounds like there might be air still in there after the pump replacement if your yellow light it comming up.