1. Attachments are working again! Check out this thread for more details and to report any other bugs.

Inverter pump failed twice in 2 months

Discussion in 'Gen 2 Prius Care, Maintenance and Troubleshooting' started by Harshal Karande, Jul 18, 2022.

  1. mr_guy_mann

    mr_guy_mann Senior Member

    Joined:
    Sep 3, 2020
    3,677
    1,720
    0
    Location:
    NJ-USA
    Vehicle:
    2006 Prius
    Model:
    Four
    No turbulence means that there isn't coolant circulating through the inverter cooling system. Could be that the pump is bad. Or the pump doesn't have power/ground. Or the cooling system is air bound. Or the system is clogged.

    Does the pump hum and vibrate slightly when the car is on- ready?

    Could be that the radiator has clogged air or coolant passages.

    Without testing, everything is guessing.

    Posted via the PriusChat mobile app.
     
  2. mr_guy_mann

    mr_guy_mann Senior Member

    Joined:
    Sep 3, 2020
    3,677
    1,720
    0
    Location:
    NJ-USA
    Vehicle:
    2006 Prius
    Model:
    Four
    You need a scantool that can let you read inverter temperatures. One of the first signs of inverter overheat is that it disables the A/C compressor .

    Again, it's possible to have air in the system or restricted radiator. Do both radiator fans work?

    When you check the coolant circulation, does the pump hum "quietly" (barely hear it) or does it "growl" a bit?

    Posted via the PriusChat mobile app.
     
  3. Harshal Karande

    Harshal Karande New Member

    Joined:
    Jul 18, 2022
    12
    5
    0
    Location:
    La Mirada
    Vehicle:
    2008 Prius
    Model:
    Touring
    I can not really hear the pump noise. Surely it is quiet. I know it's working only when I touch the hose or see the turbulence.
    I can not really check the radiator as i am not sure if I have the tools to open the plastic top on it. I will go check and update here.
     
  4. mr_guy_mann

    mr_guy_mann Senior Member

    Joined:
    Sep 3, 2020
    3,677
    1,720
    0
    Location:
    NJ-USA
    Vehicle:
    2006 Prius
    Model:
    Four
    How much time it takes to "do the job properly" depends greatly on locale and condition.

    Some parts of the country, you can clamp off the hoses, zip out the 3 mounting screws (reuse the old bracket) and swap the pump fairly quickly. (I think there's more room to do that on halogen headlight cars). In some cases that's "all you need" (?)

    In the rust belt, having every screw snap off when trying to remove them adds time. Flushing all the white grit from 15 year old coolant adds time. Replacing all the rusted and failing coolant clamps on the trans and radiator adds time. Driving the car long enough to confirm that inverter temperature stays normal adds time. Can take much more than an hour in some cases. Hopefully, one gets what one pays for, and no less.

    Posted via the PriusChat mobile app.
     
    rogerdpack likes this.
  5. Harshal Karande

    Harshal Karande New Member

    Joined:
    Jul 18, 2022
    12
    5
    0
    Location:
    La Mirada
    Vehicle:
    2008 Prius
    Model:
    Touring
    I tried to run the AC at night when it cooled down a little and AC worked fine. Within 15-20 seconds I could feel the cool airflow.
    Although when I started the AC, I could hear a growling noise from under the hood. The car was in the garage. So the sound level is higher than I hear out on the street. So I am not sure if it is supposed to be like that.
    It stopped when I turned off the AC. So for sure, it must be either the Radiator or the Compressor. But the sound is not the sound of the compressor trying to start up (the krrrrrr sound for few seconds periodically) as shown in many videos on YouTube. It is a continuous sound. AC does give cool air so the compressor is working. Or maybe periodically failing if that is possible.
    I am afraid that it might get damaged if I turn it on and keep it on.
    I did a 30 mins trip today morning and checked if the inverter was hot. It was not that hot. I could keep my hand on it for longer. The inverter pump was also working fine.
    Is it still possible that the compressor might be faulty? Can it be the pressure? Can a poor 12V battery affect in some way? Anything else comes to mind?
     
    #25 Harshal Karande, Jul 20, 2022
    Last edited: Jul 20, 2022
  6. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

    Joined:
    May 11, 2005
    110,210
    50,079
    0
    Location:
    boston
    Vehicle:
    2012 Prius Plug-in
    Model:
    Plug-in Base
    electric compressor is always noisy. and variable speed, so noise can change
     
    Harshal Karande likes this.
  7. Harshal Karande

    Harshal Karande New Member

    Joined:
    Jul 18, 2022
    12
    5
    0
    Location:
    La Mirada
    Vehicle:
    2008 Prius
    Model:
    Touring
    Hello guys,
    Interesting turn!!!
    The day I got inverter pump replaced, it was working. I could see the turbulence in coolant reservoir and I could hear the aquarium pump like sound.
    Now, there is absolutely no turbulence in the reservoir. I can still feel the pump working and it sounds like aquarium pump. May be, just may be 10% extra vibration.
    So far lights on the dashboard. Limiting my rides to 20-30 mins max with no AC at all.
    I think now I need to find out what are the reasons the pump might fail. It can be one of those things that might be causing the problem.
    Can you guys suggest please?
     
    bisco likes this.
  8. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

    Joined:
    May 11, 2005
    110,210
    50,079
    0
    Location:
    boston
    Vehicle:
    2012 Prius Plug-in
    Model:
    Plug-in Base
    it's a pretty unusual situation. i wonder if you're having voltage problems to the pump.

    did you ever find out if it is oem?
     
  9. rjparker

    rjparker Tu Humilde Sirviente

    Joined:
    Jun 6, 2008
    8,517
    5,072
    7
    Location:
    Texas Hill Country
    Vehicle:
    2012 Prius v wagon
    Model:
    Three
    Take it here before you burn up your inverter or electric motors.

    73070EBC-AB29-4376-8C1D-1DBD2EC83142.jpeg
     
    Harshal Karande and bisco like this.
  10. Harshal Karande

    Harshal Karande New Member

    Joined:
    Jul 18, 2022
    12
    5
    0
    Location:
    La Mirada
    Vehicle:
    2008 Prius
    Model:
    Touring
    If I am not wrong, OEM means the official part.
    Yes. I bought the part from AutoNation Toyota Buena Park. It's the new upgraded one G9020-47031. The previous 2 that failed were aftermarket ones. The one installed now is (at least that's what gave to the mechanic. no trust remaining whatsoever with him.) the OEM part.
     
    bisco likes this.
  11. dolj

    dolj Senior Member

    Joined:
    May 14, 2012
    7,857
    3,971
    0
    Location:
    Wellington, New Zealand
    Vehicle:
    2007 Prius
    Model:
    N/A
    It does not sound like your pump has failed from what you've said.

    That being the case, the most likely thing is a blockage somewhere in the coolant path. You will need to start disconnecting the hoses one by one and flushing them through to confirm there is no blockage. Keep going until you find the blockage.
     
  12. ChapmanF

    ChapmanF Senior Member

    Joined:
    Mar 30, 2008
    24,922
    16,228
    0
    Location:
    Indiana, USA
    Vehicle:
    2010 Prius
    Model:
    IV
    This post has a diagram to guide you through searching for the blockage.

    In that thread, the person ended up finding a hose that was blocked because there was somehow a bolt inside it, but I'd like to think that won't be the usual answer.
     
    rogerdpack and dolj like this.
  13. Harshal Karande

    Harshal Karande New Member

    Joined:
    Jul 18, 2022
    12
    5
    0
    Location:
    La Mirada
    Vehicle:
    2008 Prius
    Model:
    Touring
    I took it to the Hybridpit and they were really friendly and informative. Most importantly they cared.
    So what the mechanic said is that the coolant is going to the pump but not coming out. She can feel the vibration on the hose that takes coolant in to the inverter but does not feel any vibration coming out of it. Most likely there is a clog or corrosion in the inverter which can not be flushed out. So the inverter would have to be replaced.
     
    Tombukt2 and rogerdpack like this.
  14. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

    Joined:
    May 11, 2005
    110,210
    50,079
    0
    Location:
    boston
    Vehicle:
    2012 Prius Plug-in
    Model:
    Plug-in Base
    wow, that's a new one. luckily, used inverters are said to be cheap.
     
  15. rogerdpack

    rogerdpack Junior Member

    Joined:
    Apr 4, 2022
    54
    2
    0
    Location:
    Enoch, UT
    Vehicle:
    2007 Prius
    Model:
    N/A
    curious, flushing the white grit, so how do you go about doing that, just the normal drain plug and run it with water? I can find very little info on "flushing" the inverter coolant system, most tutorials seem to drain it?
     
  16. Tombukt2

    Tombukt2 Senior Member

    Joined:
    Nov 29, 2020
    10,414
    1,801
    0
    Location:
    Durham NC
    Vehicle:
    2009 Prius
    Model:
    Base
    There are various and sundry flushes you could run through there but I'm trying to figure out what is people doing to create this crusty buildup this must have been a car that stuff got drained and it sat for a long time and then somebody decide to try and put it back in service DuPont makes a two-part flush that's an alkali or something like that it's in a black silver and white cardboard circular container kind of like the container your mom made biscuits from Pillsbury doughboy and whatnot. You mix up the first powder and put it in the radiator but since this is such a small system you don't need about a fourth a sixth of setting powder in the water system let it circulate through the business for whatever it says on the label 5 7 9 minutes something like that then you drain that out then there's another container inside of the container you just opened and used the white powder out of that's called a neutralizer You fill it back up with water not coolant for the neutralizer in let it run a little bit whatever it says on the label that will pretty much eat out the nonsense of the bottom of the inverters cooling passage that's all there is and the little radiator that's it and rubber hoses I would imagine after that's done if you were set up carefully you could disconnect the hose at the inverter pump or both hoses at the inverter pump and use your air hose and a fitting to blow all that nonsense out and down onto the ground or the plastic shield of the car The interesting to see what actually comes out I've never seen an inverter passageway clogged yet If you keep cooant in it all it's life. This would be an almost impossible thing to happen something has to coagulate and create this issue a bunch of air it being drained not completely and left for a year plus I don't know I see these cars in junkyards to the tune of several of the week and usually those reservoirs are full the engines in the car and everything's just sitting there parts are removed from the engine and the engine cooling system may be empty but the inverters just sitting there most people don't realize there's a second radiator and so on and so forth and it might be sitting there the whole time it's at the junkyard until the junkyard's ready to completely get it off their lot and that's the last little bit of coolant that comes out I guess another states maybe this is a thing I'm not sure.
     
  17. Tombukt2

    Tombukt2 Senior Member

    Joined:
    Nov 29, 2020
    10,414
    1,801
    0
    Location:
    Durham NC
    Vehicle:
    2009 Prius
    Model:
    Base
    No the inverter would be flushed out like the lady said and then see what's up unless they've already determined the inverters failed because it has a clog in it and it's not getting cooled usually the inverter won't fail it'll just start dialing back your charging until you're pretty much not running anymore or you're running ice engine only in the battery is not charging It tries to save the inverter It's a built-in electronic circuit I guess so you're inverter was driven so hard until it killed itself with this clog in place is my gas used inverters or a dime a dozen literally these are the heavy duty inverters too The good ones moving forward after 2010 smaller cheaper less real materials all that