Coolant detected in exhaust

It’s always the loop. Bring the tsb to the dealers attention, they can test.
You won’t be the first person who had to explain it to the dealer, or even have Toyota explain it to them

 

With 4th gen coolant leaks in exhaust heat recovery are much more likely; I don't think anyone's had a confirmed blown head gasket, at least not reported here. Gasket Masters has a hack, just switching a few hose connections, to bypass the exhaust heat recovery circuit; not sure how applicable it is to 4th gen. @ChapmanF has commented on that, saying that it's effective but rate of flow might be off, a flow restrictor might help.

The GM video is with a Lexus CT200h, but I think it's applicable to 4th gen Prius as well? FWIW:

 

Not like I'm a search engine, but I do recall reading about coolant leaks in the heat harvester on 4th generation cars. Stuck in my head because the Prius c also uses a heat harvester.

It doesn't matter whether it's leaking at a head gasket or an exhaust heat exchanger: the primary danger is losing enough coolant to overheat the engine.

If the loss rate is steady and slow enough that you can stay ahead of it, you can theoretically nurse it forever. Just fix it before the loss rate changes. It will, and there probably won't be any warning.

 

GM, near beginning of video, mention:

4th gen Prius is similar issue (CT200h is used in video)
not keeping up with top up, you run the risk of engine overheat
risk to catalytic converter (presume then the exhaust heat recovery system is upstream of cc)

 

This also happened to a friend of mine, just put a bypass on hoses going to exhaust. Cured his leak and also stopped it pouring steam out of exhaust. I was convinced it was blown head gasket.
He's now done another 100,000 miles with no problems.
.

Posted via the PriusChat mobile app.

 

@The Professor How many miles have you done? I think you are the first person from the UK who has reported this issue from what I have read.

It seems to be high mileage people so far. I have not done 20,000 miles yet and just had my 6 year service and MOT and all is well.

I will be interested to see how UK dealers sort your problem out. I think there was an initial supply problem with the US customers, but I think that has been sorted.

 

sounds like a sharp cookie, i like his approach

 

@The Professor Glad you dealership is sorting things out for you. The 10 year warranty is such a great thing, so glad we have it in the UK, thanks.

 

Have any of you noticed a drop in mpg at all?
Is it both reservoirs showing low?

Had a 2013, did all the work to replace head gasket to find bottom bearings going out.
Decided to bite the bullet and take on a new car payment.
Went with a 2017. Smelled coolant in cabin upon first drive home. Noticed both reservoirs low. Heater not getting warm. Found the bulletin on here -thanks guys- and against my better judgement headed to Toyota with 5 printed pages in hand. Still under their warranty period (62 months, 70k). Told me they tested it and nothing is wrong. Tried to charge me $160 for diagnostics until I raised hell.
Considering taking it to a different one tomorrow.
Love, love, love ma prius's.
But it Toyota!
Also my gen 3 got better mileage than this. Haven't seen 38 mpg since I drove my gen 2 with 360k.

 

I thought a TSB carried some weight, as far as acknowledging a fault, fixing gratis? Not so much??

something to keep in mind when next you’re shopping, though not sure the competition’s any different.

 

i think toyota is out engineering themselves, in competition with the germans

 

That's very disappointing to hear.

I did wonder if the TSB was US market only. You are the only UK person that I have heard who has suffered this so far, but I would definitely be writing a letter to Toyota Head Office and mention the US TSB and point them in this forum's direction.

Think if it were to happen to me I would get it repaired if I had no joy with goodwill as £1500 is much less than forking out for a new car.

Hope you get some kind of goodwill gesture.

 

You need to have the bypass installed by an independent. Should be less than $200 US mostly labor. All that system does is warm the engine a couple of minutes quicker.

Most of us know non dealer repairs are the only affordable Prius maintenance solution.

 

They are trying to make hybrids compete with evs. Its a losing battle that already changed management.

 

sorry to hear about that; but I wouldn't let them fix it. I would just loop out the exhaust heat harvester for only a couple of #'s. The only effect is that the engine and passenger compartment will take a bit longer to warm-up.

Just my 2 cents or pence in your case....

Since this is a know issue, not just on Toyotas - 3nd party parts suppliers will have a cost effective fix soon. I imagine it will consist of cutting out the current unit and welding-up replacement. Kind of like an aftermarket CAT.