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Total Shut Down- No Warning Lights, Please Help!

Discussion in 'Gen 2 Prius Care, Maintenance and Troubleshooting' started by Lady Riggs, Apr 20, 2019.

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  1. Lady Riggs

    Lady Riggs New Member

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    first post so I apologize if the wrong format or wrong thread, I am just desperately seeking some insight about my car. It’s a 2006 Prius, so a few years old, but new to me as I just bought it privately a month ago, and it’s my first Prius so I am totally in the dark here.

    I was driving yesterday, stuck in a little traffic so going between 15-20mph, sort of stop and go. Without warning my radio shut off, I looked at the display screen and it was black, looked at the instrument panel and it was black, tried to accelerate and nothing happened, the car was OFF. The wheel didn’t lock up, and neither did the brakes or gas pedal.

    I coasted it to the side of the road, and tried the hazards, which worked. The headlights, interior lights, and even lights on the instrument panel seem to be working. If I have the door open, the red symbol lights up, if I lock it with the key fob it beeps and the indicator on the dash shows, and the automatic locks work too. But the area where the mph shows and the display screen are completely black, and I do not have the READY light. The car obviously will not start either.

    Before this total shutdown I had no warning lights on the dash, was current on maintenance and had experienced ZERO mechanical or electrical issues with the car. I already checked the airflow to make sure there wasn’t a blockage, and the engine coolant reservoir is full. Does anyone have any ideas what else I can check before I have to shell out to tow this thing to a Toyota dealer? Thanks!
     
    #1 Lady Riggs, Apr 20, 2019
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  2. Patrick Wong

    Patrick Wong DIY Enthusiast

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    Check the AM2 fuse. If it blew, the inverter coolant pump motor shorted out.
     
    #2 Patrick Wong, Apr 20, 2019
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  3. Lady Riggs

    Lady Riggs New Member

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    Sure enough it was blown! Great tip, thank you so much!! On my way to buy a replacement, but will it just blow again? Does the inverter short cause the fuse to blow, or does the fuse blow and short the inverter? I’m just trying to get to the origin so I can fix it for good. Thanks again!
     
    #3 Lady Riggs, Apr 20, 2019
  4. TMR-JWAP

    TMR-JWAP Senior Member

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    AM2 Fuse.JPG

    Inverter Pump.JPG AM2 Fuse.JPG Connector.JPG





    Connector.JPG
     
    #4 TMR-JWAP, Apr 20, 2019
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  5. Patrick Wong

    Patrick Wong DIY Enthusiast

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    If you disconnect the inverter coolant pump wiring harness connector you can replace the AM2 fuse and drive a short distance without causing damage. The distance depends upon ambient air temp.
     
    #5 Patrick Wong, Apr 20, 2019
  6. AlohaSpirit

    AlohaSpirit Junior Member

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    This is the issue I had which brought me to this forum and a bunch of guys willing to help. Glad you got the problem identified.
     
    #6 AlohaSpirit, Apr 21, 2019
  7. Icyair

    Icyair Junior Member

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    Thank you Patrick spot on good stuff
    04 prius 400k best car I have ever owned

    Posted via the PriusChat mobile app.
     
    #7 Icyair, Jun 9, 2019
  8. sammy8887

    sammy8887 Junior Member

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    I would appreciate any help that could be provided - my situation sounds similar to the OP, except I was driving on the interstate when I started smelling a burning sulfur smell - I was also going through a construction area so thought that might have been where the smell was coming from but about 30 seconds later my Prius shut off, went dark and I coasted it to the side of the highway..

    Mine is an '08 with about 270k miles on it, all the fluids looked good so I'm thinking/hoping this is similar.. What do the experts think?
     
    #8 sammy8887, Aug 9, 2020
  9. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

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    maybe the inverter fluid pump, and the am2 fuse

    is the fluid moving in the reservoir with the car on?
     
    #9 bisco, Aug 9, 2020
  10. TampaPrius.com

    TampaPrius.com Active Member

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    Blown AM2 fuses and shorted inverter water pumps are a very common issue with the aftermarket inverter water pumps sold on eBay and Amazon. Replace with OEM Toyota.

    Toyota had a recall on these pumps back in 2008 for the same reason.
     
    #10 TampaPrius.com, Aug 9, 2020
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  11. sammy8887

    sammy8887 Junior Member

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    I'm getting more confident this is what happened - still a plastic/sulfur smell from the fuse box this morning.. So since it's parked at home should I order a replacement water pump (cheap on ebay) and then replace the fuse when it comes?
     
    #11 sammy8887, Aug 10, 2020
  12. davecook89t

    davecook89t Senior Member

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    Have you checked the AM2 fuse and determined that it is blown? Ordering a new Inverter Coolant Water Pump without confirming that could end up being a waste of money. If the fuse is blown, if you disconnect the plug shown in the last picture of Post #4 and then replace the fuse, will the car start? That is the last step in determining you need a new ICWP.
     
    #12 davecook89t, Aug 10, 2020
  13. sammy8887

    sammy8887 Junior Member

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    Ok thanks. Any tips for disconnecting the pump? It's not wanting to come apart for me..
     
    #13 sammy8887, Aug 10, 2020
  14. davecook89t

    davecook89t Senior Member

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    I have never disconnected that plug, but from the picture it looks like you will need to insert a flat-head screwdriver into the slot on the top right hand side, and push a tab over to release it. Hopefully, @TMR-JWAP will confirm.
     
    #14 davecook89t, Aug 10, 2020
  15. sammy8887

    sammy8887 Junior Member

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    Ok I got it off! Put in a new fuse and it powered back on.. Didn't try to turn the engine on - is it definitely the pump?
     
    #15 sammy8887, Aug 10, 2020
  16. davecook89t

    davecook89t Senior Member

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    I believe that is a safe assumption. Although there are other circuits linked to that fuse, the inverter coolant pump is known to be the most common suspect when it blows.
     
    #16 davecook89t, Aug 10, 2020
  17. sammy8887

    sammy8887 Junior Member

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    Thanks to everyone who contributed to this thread - my Prius is back on the road after replacing the pump yesterday.. Hopefully we found the fix
     
    #17 sammy8887, Aug 17, 2020
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