2007 Prius P1116 code and coolant control valve issues

You're probably right about the coolant valve. However some low-probability event seems to be the root cause of your problem. We're hoping that there is a reasonably simple explanation to fix the problem that you've faced over the last few months. If all relevant parts except the wiring harness and the engine ECU have been replaced, maybe there is a fault with the ECU or wiring - or maybe a part was incorrectly installed.

Regarding arbitration, I don't have an opinion about the likelihood of your receiving a cash settlement that you deem to be fair. You might need to consult a local attorney to gain an informed perspective about that alternative.

Since you seem to want to continue owning and driving your Prius (if you can be assured that it has been properly repaired) our advice has been focused on how to make that happen.

What is somewhat ironic is that the failed system in question is really unnecessary to achieve the basic mission of providing you safe and economical transport from point A to point B. It exists merely to qualify Prius for AT-PZEV classification which is irrelevant to you, since you do not live in CA or the other PZEV states.

 

I don't have enough knowledge about arbitration to give good advice.

My opinion is that your car should be fixable, but your dealer may not be up to the task.

 

AT-PZEV is SULEV II + zero evap emissions and a 10 year/150,000 mile warranty on the emission control components. SULEV II in California is equivalent to Federal Tier II Bin 2.

Because the coolant thermos helps speed up warm-up, it's arguably an emissions control device and therefore could be construed to fail an emissions test if it isn't working. That's why it gives the Check Engine Light.

We UK owners don't have the thermos. I wonder if the device could be removed (or bypassed) and the car persuaded not to try to use it?

Has the flask itself been replaced? A failure in vacuum would cause the coolant to lose temperature. This should cause P1151 rather than P1116, though.

Note also that the description of DTC P1116 states that the code is logged (so the light illuminates) after the problem has occurred on two successive driving cycles, so it's possible it won't illuminate straight away in the case of an assembly error. One would hope that the dealer would drive it a couple of times to check, but would need to wait a while for the engine to cool down before each cycle to ensure that the heat recovery was actually working.

 

Congratulations on your win!

Pls post your 2007's VIN so that alert PCers won't be tempted to buy it!

Regarding your question about how much you will owe, Google provided the following website: http://autopedia.com/html/LemonLaw/NC_lemonlaw3.html

According to that, the allowance is calculated as follows:

"The statute defines a "reasonable allowance for use" as that amount directly attributable to use by the consumer prior to his first report of the defect to the manufacturer, its agent, or its authorized dealer, and during any subsequent period when the vehicle is not out of service because of repair. "Reasonable allowance is presumed to be the cash price of the vehicle multiplied by a fraction having as its denominator 100,000 miles and its numerator the number of miles on the vehicle attributed to the consumer." For example, if the cash price of the vehicle was $20,000 and the purchaser or leasing consumer had driven the car 10,000 miles before getting a refund, the owner would be entitled to the full refund, less $20,000 (10,000/100,000), or $2,000."

Your OP says the car has 19K miles. Therefore, your refund would be 81% of the contract price that you paid, plus taxes, finance charges, and incidental/consequential damages.

 

I've been reading several people complaining about air bubbles in the coolant and I've been having the exact problem! Last week, I had my 2005 Prius' coolant container replaced due to an accident. After the Dealership service techs installed the new coolant, whenever I turn on the engine or press the gas pedal I heard bubbles under the dash floor. When i first got it returned to me it sounded like it was raining under the dashboard and took it back to the dealership. They gave it back to me and instead of rain it sounded like bubbles. The dealership has had my car now for 4 days and the guy kept telling me it's not unsafe, but i feel that if there are air bubbles then the coolant isn't doing it's job to it's full potential. I also don't understand if it really takes this many days to fix the problem? I'm scared the service guy is going to give me a lame excuse that it's not unsafe and there's nothing really he can do about it.

 

The service manual specifies exactly how the coolant refill is supposed to work:

- Disconnect thermos water pump connector
- Connect hoses to drain cocks of radiator, engine and thermos
- Loosen drain cock plugs to drain the coolant. Record how much drains out.
- Drain coolant in radiator reservoir
- Tighten drain cock plugs and remove hoses
- Connect hose between bleeder plug of the radiator assembly, and the reservoir
- Loosen radiator bleeder plug
- Fill the radiator
- Tighten bleeder plug
- Install radiator cap
- Fill reservoir to full level
- Connect thermos water pump
- Connect diagnostic tool - run the water pump
- Loosen radiator bleeder plug
- Remove radiator cap and refill radiator
- Tighten radiator bleeder plug
- Install radiator cap again
- Slowly pour coolant into reservoir to full line
- Disconnect hose
- On diagnostic computer, select Inspection Mode (starts engine)
- Repeatedly: warm up engine until thermostat opens, stop engine and wait until coolant gets cold. Remove radiator cap and check level. If lower, add coolant and repeat.
- Add coolant to reservoir up to full level.

This procedure is highly convoluted and time consuming (especially the repeated heat/cool cycles at the end!) and many mechanics suggest using a device called an Air Lift, which basically forces a vacuum and prevents air getting into the system in the first place. Art's discuss using one here.

 

I agree that the engine coolant refill in North American vehicles equipped with the coolant heat recovery canister is not easy to perform. However I as a DIYer without access to a vacuum pump or Toyota diagnostic tools can perform that refill, although this takes substantial time. I have no idea why dealer techs who presumably have been trained and have access to all of the necessary tools cannot do this.

One big clue for DIYers is that you must measure the amount of coolant drained; then make sure that you don't stop until you have refilled at least as much coolant as came out. (I've drained out 6 qt. from the three drain cocks in the system; the rated capacity is 9 qt.)

If you prematurely declare victory on this job then you will end up like freemaas, with air in the system. While refilling the system you need to set the heater to MAX HEAT and turn on the cabin fan to full speed, to encourage coolant to flow throughout the entire system. And freemaas is right, do not drive the car if you can hear air in the system.

 

Best of luck with the new one.

 

I have a 2005 Prius and have the same Coolant Control Valve issue. The Chk Engine light came on steady for a while and now is intermittant. I took it to the dealer and the problem code came up as P1121 Coolant Control Valve Malfunction. The technician said there was a Toyota Corp. Advisory on this problem and he verified the malfunctions using the specifications in the Avvisory. I was given an estimate of $933 to replace the valve and flush the system. That cost seems to be excessive. When I suggested that the dealer just flush the coolant system they said that would cost $360 alone, so it would be more cost effective to get the valve replaced and the system flushed.

It seems there should be a less costly alternative. The Prius , to date, has been a fine auto, but at only 30,000 miles, a thousand dollar expense is disappointing to say the least.

Previous postings of costs looked to be half of that. I'll probably call around to other Toyota Dealers in the area to get other estimates

 

TSB EG001-08 is applicable to your situation. Unfortunately the valve is covered under the 3 year/36K mile warranty. Your car is only 4 years old and logged 30K miles. If you call the Toyota Customer Experience Center and ask for financial help from Toyota on the repair, you might be pleasantly surprised.

Also, note that the valve, 16670-21010 has an MSRP of $66. A couple gallons of SLLC will cost around $50. It is probably a two hour job, so a price of $933 does seem unusually excessive.
http://www.trademotion.com/partlocator/index.cfm?action=searchCatalogOEM&siteid=213747

The service dept will probably make more profit on this service visit than the new car sales department will make selling a 2009 Prius...

 

Thank you very much. I bookmark this just in case.

 

For anyone who has done this repair themselves, how much coolant typically leaks out that needs to be replaced?
I am buying the part from trademotion.com and am wondering how much coolant I need to pick up from the Toyota dealer?

 

My guess is that you'll use no more than one gallon. If this is your only car then it would be safe to buy two gallons, rather than be stranded.

 

One more question if I may.
For the coolant, are you supposed to mix it 50/50 with distilled water like other cars, or do you get a gallon from the Toyota dealer and just pour it straight in?

 

Toyota SLLC comes premixed. Just pour it in!

 

The RED LLC needs to be mixed, but it is NOT the one to use in a Prius. Be careful, one of the CT dealers ONLY uses/offers/stocks LLC and they are wrong.

JeffD

 

Help! I have a 2006 Prius with 25,000 miles and I live in Honolulu, HI. Three months ago the check engine light came on and I was told the "flow valve" needed replacing. they replaced it. engine light stayed on so they put in a whole new computer!

Now today, the"check engine" light came on again! and I am being told it is the "flow valve."

How reliable is the information I am getting?

I told the service supervisor that he replaced the same thing 3 months ago. He looked it up and said "You have a good memory." I asked him if they had trouble with the coolant valves on the Prius and he said NO. but on the websites it seems to be a common problem.

any ideas on what is going on?

 

You'll need to let us know what DTC your car logged.

If P1116, then the likely trouble areas include the coolant heat recovery tank temperature sensor located at the outlet of the tank, or a general cooling system clog (which should not be a problem given your car's age and odometer reading.)

If P1121 then it normally would be the coolant flow valve. Since that (and the engine ECU) have already been replaced it would be necessary to dig deeper.

Had your car been in an accident that impacted the front left fender area? If so, then wiring harness damage may be an issue.