(2007) Replaced coolant and inverter pump 3 times in past year, still not lasting

Yes I've had several go bad in the past 2 years My solution was take the pump from another Prius that goes in between the break actuator and the other part more to the driver side there's an electric pump in there looks like a little mini spa circ pump it's marked 14 volts not the 12 volt one that goes in the fender well for the coolant tank this is the one up above without cutting any hoses or anything I splice that in place of my inverter cooling pump in case I wanted to go backwards and then I cobbled up a plug so that everything is basically still original If I want to go back to the original pump so far this pump has been sitting there for I don't know 6 months now which is pretty good and I can hear it when it's on while readying the car not driving everything seems to be staying nice and cool no codes so I leave it alone

 

Strange, all the inverter cooling water pumps I've replaced (maybe 20 different cars?) are still going strong.....haven't had one fail yet...

 

What brand of pump? IMO the only "reputable" vendor for this pump is Toyota. Done several on customer cars (and my own) over the past 5 years, have had no repeat problems.

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Sounds like bad luck... They're fairly easy to DIY if you want to save money, but in your case I hope 4th times the charm!

 

What brand of pump? IMO the only "reputable" vendor for this pump is Toyota. Done several on customer cars (and my own) over the past 5 years, have had no repeat problems.

Yes, all Toyota.

I originally bought a handful on ebay that were about $65 each, they're now available from my local Toyota dealer for $119 and they're only an 8 minute drive for me.

 

Counterfeit Toyota parts are common on Amazon and eBay.

 

Myself, after the first or maybe second failure, I think I would have tested the pump if I felt vibration but saw no fluid movement at the reservoir each time. Once I was satisfied that the pump produced sufficient pressure and volume, I'd be thinking of blockages and go looking for anything that would be causing restrictions in the plumbing. It is not unheard of for there to be some foam-like contaminant blocking the plumbing.

See if you can find some posts that deal with that. There is at least one thread (of which I have a recollection) in one of the Gen 2 forums where a guy had to deal with clearing crud from the system.

 

After market pumps are shite. A factory denso pump is good for years if properly installed and bled.

https://parts.olathetoyota.com/oem-parts/toyota-drive-motor-inverter-cooler-water-pump-g902047031

 

Sounds good I just have real trouble believing that nobody can make this mag drive pump or whatever we're going to call it it's like a washing machine pump out pump it's unbelievable that the only person that can get this right is ASIAN I've real trouble with that this is a basic device matter of fact the cheap ones that I've sliced open next to the real one that I have here sliced open everything in it looks the same seems to test the same the little bored the plug all of it I mean what is it bad magnets it's hysterical I dropped that pump because I didn't want to go spend $120 $130 on it and put in something completely different that's been running now for months I don't even think about it we'll see how long it lasts

 

Most of us are calling it by its name in the repair manual – the inverter coolant water pump.

 

Sounds good I just have real trouble believing that nobody can make this mag drive pump or whatever we're going to call it it's like a washing machine pump out pump it's unbelievable that the only person that can get this right is ASIAN

Just like you can buy AISIN mechanical water pumps for a Gen 2, (with the Toyota symbol ground off), the AISIN branded version of this pump is WQT800. It is available through Rock Auto for $94ish. The kit includes the pump and rubber mounts, no base plate and no bolts.

 

But the mechanical water pumps rarely fail on most other vehicles that are driven by belt. I've aftermarket belt pump for 1zz Corolla for over 100K 24 buc no logo on it ground off or otherwise . For calling it O meant design wise it's a mag drive pump similar to what's in koi pond. No pump impeller shaft o seal etc .

 

I'm not quite sure what you're explaining. All I'm saying is that AISIN is like the major manufacturer of pumps, of various designs for OEMs.
They're made with the OEM cast or marked on the body. AISIN also sells them, but removes the OEM markings (like if TOYOTA is cast into the housing, it will be removed, whether by grinding or by gouging it out of the casting mold). AISIN makes the ICWP for Toyota, and also sells them as an AISIN model, under part #WQT800

 

Yeah so I'm trying to find out why all the seconds the ground offs gouged offs made by other companies and copied Why all of them have to fail in two or three months versus most of the stock Toyotas I've seen at near 200,000 mi many of the Gen 3's haven't been changed A lot of the Gen 2's have not been changed of course some have but I'm just saying manufacturing processes for everybody have been tightened up and cheapened drastically you look inside of some of this stuff made today and it is pure tell garbage. But be that as it may a mag drive type of pump should not have super high failure rates I wouldn't think I used the same type of pump and koi ponds dishwasher and washing machine pump out pumps etc all of those are the magnetic drive type no impeller passing through the case no seal none of that And the funny thing is are washing machine pump out pump sitting down on the floor collecting dust moisture from drips leaks for 20 years sitting there pennies and quarters going through it works no problem shrink that down to a 5/8 hose size and lay it on its side essentially and all of a sudden failure rate start going through the roof it's just to me does not make sense but then again I don't make sense so there you go.

 

Well, either those (debranded) pumps are "seconds" for a reason, or they're counterfeits.

I get the Toyota part from a "brick and mortar" Toyota dealership, and don't have problems.

YMMV

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For the OP, just playing Devil's advocate, and assuming for the moment that the pumps you have been using really are OEM, or as good as the OEM, consider what else might be the problem. Either the electrical connection is somehow burning them up or there is some problem with the coolant that eats them.

Perhaps a coolant change in the inverter loop would help? That wouldn't cost much, and it isn't hard to do. If you have some pH paper or coolant test strips then you can verify that the pH is still basic, but that won't tell you if there are little chunks of something or other floating around in the loop. Examining the coolant that comes out on a full drain might reveal these sorts of contaminants.

Diagnosing an electrical problem, especially if intermittent, would be more difficult. Still, it wouldn't hurt to carefully examine the connector that goes to the pump to verify that it isn't dirty, burned, or has some other obvious problem.

 

So the coolant doesn't come in contact with anything that's worth discussing it's kind of a magnetic drive pump like a washing machine and a dishwasher use the impeller has no shaft no need for shaft sealing and no need for whatever is being pumped to ingress to any of the electronics ever it's a complete plastic injection molded piece if you will so unless you're coolant is so acidic that is literally eating the plastic case in the waterway and then getting into the electronics or what have you this would be near impossible but I actually have seen one of these pumps I think it was original where the plug had somehow essentially burn up it burnt the plastic didn't burn the pin It burnt the pins but didn't melt them and it started to burn the plastic body of the pump no fluid that's pumped ever compromised any of it so it stayed sealed and all of that through this event. I'm just amazed at such a simple device can have such wildly swinging stats. That's all and I certainly hate to pay $140 for a pump that I should be paying about $66 for I'll have to see what I can get them for wholesale through my parts guy at Toyota but certainly this should not be a thing there should be other pumps similar to this made by other manufacturers for completely other things that should be able to last oh God at least 5 years

 

Well, part of QA in a big manufacturing line is testing the things once they're built, and separating the ones you'll then sell to the client from the ones you won't sell (or not to that client). Even in a good production process where a lot of units pass, it won't be all of them.

 

The other horrid issue may be the inverter aluminum coolant channels are clogged.

seen a few posts on here about that inverter needed to be changed

usually happens from poor or zero fluid maintenance or using the wrong coolant like dexcool

really stupid

when routine maintenance goes sideways on this car it’s usually because the owner is clueless or a cheap skate and won’t use real Toyota parts

it’s a great car but you can’t throw rock auto crap at it

excuse me …. I’ll be in my bomb proof bunker