inverter coolant pumps

I think there's a typo in the dates you posted? How can the triangle come on "again" the day before the triangle light first came on? That makes no sense? Please clarify?

But yes, they're incredibly cheap pumps... Myself and others are still trying to figure out if the cheapest ones on ebay for $25 are any different than the OEM Toyota ones in the $100 range, they seem to be equivalent and this post leans further in that direction.

 

june 4th, july 3rd

welcome!
overall, these pumps usually last quite awhile. i would have the mech check the amperage draw to make sure it is operating within spec

 

What brand of pump was installed on 4/18, and the one at a cost of 350? My guess is they were not a factory Toyota pumps.

 

Yes. They don't last very long. My daughter's 09 has had 2.

 

The pump should last for years unless your buying the china auto parts store version and not the oem denso model. And whomever is installing it probably did not change the coolant loop and or did not get the air out of the loop.

If the dealer changes it they just duckbill the hoses off and slap in a new pump leaving you with the original nasty fluid. So you end up with the original 12 year old fluid running through your new pump and thats a problem because there's some very abrasive stuff in that old fluid. It has to go through a huge cross section of pure aluminum under the inverter and aluminum in solution is very abrasive. It will eat the pump up.

Fluid should be bright pink but you can check the health of the fluid by how easily the pump circulates it. Get a flashlight put the car in ready, open the hood' take the cap off the inverter coolant reservoir and look inside it. The fluid if new and the pump is in good condition will look like its boiling reflecting very strong circulation.
If there just a tepid ripple or you have to look hard at it to see any movement then there's a problem with that coolant loop.

There's a inverter coolant loop dump bolt in the bottom of the trans and a bleeder valve in the front of the inverter.

OEM pump lasted about 7 years then even though it was working fine was replaced for free under the TSB that was out for it. Been on that pump since then but the difference is I changed the Invert fluid when it has 30,000 miles on from bought new. The break in fluid was nasty.

 

The one that failed in my daughter's 09 was a factory warranty replacement installed by Toyota. I replaced it with a pump from Amazon.

 

yep

When you replaced the pump did you dump the coolant loop and then bleed it?

 

Not sure if you are asking the OP or myself. I had replaced the fluid 2 years ago. Replace the pump a couple months ago.

 

That happens when the thread is jacked.

 

Sorry, no jack intended. Just trying to help.

 

The inverter coolant pump (PA093) on our Prius (2004 - 260,000 km) failed on the way home from buying a Cannondale MTB. It had it’s best fuel consumption on the way there though. Had tremendous luck on servicing it in just a couple of days.

Since then, I got this info on how to detect a failed inverter coolant pump without reading codes:

1. Take off the inverter coolant reservoir cap with the engine running and check if the coolant flows around. If it is still, the pump is gone.

2. With a running engine, touch either of the tubes going in/out of the pump and check if it vibrates slightly. If not, the pump needs replacing.

What do you think about these two points?

full story: https://www.patreon.com/posts/28154992

 

It is not necessary for the engine to be running. It is only necessary that the car is either IG-ON (where all dashboard warning lights are on) or READY. If required to choose between #1 and #2, #1 is a better indication of whether the inverter coolant pump is doing its job.

 

Can someone explain to me what it means to "dump the coolant loop?"

 

Drain the inverter coolant by removing the transaxle drain plug closest to the engine. The other transaxle drain plug is for transaxle ATF.

 

Excellent, thank you.