2010 Prius with a Hybrid Inverter system failure

Did you not take your vehicle in for the TSB inverter software upgrade?

https://techinfo.toyota.com/techInfoPortal/staticcontent/en/techinfo/html/prelogin/docs/cp/e0etofaq.pdf

 

RECALL Subject : Inverter Failure may cause Hybrid Vehicle to Stall
Report Receipt Date: FEB 12, 2014
NHTSA Campaign Number: 14V053000
Component(s): ELECTRICAL SYSTEM , HYBRID PROPULSION SYSTEM
All Products Associated with this Recall

Details
13 Associated Documents

Manufacturer: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing

SUMMARY:
Toyota is recalling certain model year 2010 through 2014 Prius vehicles. In the affected vehicles, the Intelligent Power Module (IPM) inside the inverter module (a component of the hybrid system) contains transistors that may become damaged from high operating temperatures. If this occurs, various warning lamps will be illuminated on the instrument panel and the vehicle will have reduced power allowing it to only drive a short distance.
CONSEQUENCE:
The vehicle may enter a fail-safe/limp-home mode that limits the drivability of the vehicle. The hybrid system could also shut down completely resulting in a vehicle stall, increasing the risk of a crash.
REMEDY:
Toyota will notify owners and dealers will update the software for both the motor/generator control electronic control unit (ECU) and the hybrid control ECU, free of charge. If an owner experiences a failure of the inverter before the vehicle receives updated software, the dealer will replace the inverter assembly with a new one at no charge. The recall began on March 21, 2014. Owners may contact Toyota at 1-800-331-4331.
NOTES:
Owners may also contact the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Vehicle Safety Hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (TTY 1-800-424-9153), or go to Home | Safercar -- National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA).



If the IPA module in the inverter failed and your VIN is in the affected batch then this recall should cover it. I do not believe there is a mileage restriction.

If the inverter coolant pumped failed and the inverter shut down because it got too hot then the coolant pump replacement would not be covered by the recall. Since the dealer mentioned 100000 miles I presume you are completely out of warranty.

We need the diagnostic trouble codes behind those lights to provide better info. Now that the car has cooled down, will it boot up? Do you see turbulence in the inverter coolant tank? Out of warranty I would look for used parts and someone willing to install them.

BTW, welcome to the site. Sorry we had to meet under these circumstances.

 

Some people have got inverter warranty extension letters, but by no means everyone. Not sure what the criteria was, certain areas? Or? You should definitely ask the dealership to talk to Toyota, see what they can do. The inverter has recognized weakness, hence the recall, which was a software modification, intended to reduce the stresses applied to it during acceleration.

 

Great new jamoswife, glad to hear your dealer had a little revelation regarding inverter failure. Funny how the dealers sometimes need to be informed about their own warranty policies...

Correct me if I'm wrong Mendel and JimN, but didn't Toyota extend the inverter warranty on E0E affected Gen 3's to 15 years or unlimited mileage?

Edit: here is the ZE3 letter. Would this only apply to some E0E Gen 3 owners?...

 

Yes, the VIN has to be in the ranges covered by E0E. If at least one of the listed codes isn't set by a failure then the E0E extended warranty does not apply.

jamoswife, if you keep track of your fuel economy please let us know whether or not there is a significant difference with the new part. I'm glad we could help. If you had paid for the repair you would have to file a claim with Toyota for reimbursement.

 

Some owners got warranty extension letters, some not. Was it a US only thing, or sporadic there too?

 

It's not every Gen3 or every 2010. The earlier the production date the better the chance of having the early version of the software. I don't know when the new version of the software went into production vehicles.

 

Link to a similar case:

2010 Prius - inverter went after the update/recall - Toyota Prius Forum : Prius Online Toyota Forums

Link to PriusChat discussion on the warranty extension letter:

Inverter IPM - 15 year Warranty Enhancement ZE3 | PriusChat

(The last posting in the above is of particular interest: someone who got the recall, did not get warranty extension letter, but did get warranty extension.)

 

(The last posting in the above is of particular interest: someone who got the recall, did not get warranty extension letter, but did get warranty extension.)[/QUOTE]

I just had the IPM Transistor go... all the symptoms that others have described. I don't believe I ever received the warranty letter, and didn't receive the recall.

However after questioning the $3500 quote for repair Toyota covered it completely under warranty.

It's definitely worth the discussion and escalation to have Toyota look at it... It supposedly went from my service writer > Dealer Warranty Manger>Toyota Warranty>Toyota Warranty "Specialist" to get resolved.

5 days waiting for the part and I'm back on the road.

Thanks to all of you above for bringing this to light.

 

Look at all those 0.00's.

 

This is not the first report of ZE3 warranty honored without having had the E0E done prior. Those who have chosen to not have the E0E because they didn't want to risk the "performance downgrade" are sitting pretty, especially with the lawsuit and media blow-up likely keeping Toyota on the high road for the time being.

But for an IPM failure owner who has passed on the E0E to get the ZE3, they'd end up with the E0E done by Toyota during the repair anyway. This particular situation would require the owner buying the IPM out of pocket and diy-ing the repair to keep their hot-rod Prius at original software spec...

 

Geez, I never noticed any performance difference post-update, apart from a slightly increased tendency to slip into electric-only, which I liked. Not sure I've ever floored it though.

 

I had a similar problem a year ago. Here are my post(s) about it:

My 2010 Prius goes into limp mode; the inverter died! | PriusChat

No subsequent problems, ~12,000 miles later, including an extensive 6,000 mile trip.

 

I have just now done the software update on my 2010 Prius. It has 148,000 on the clock. I got a check engine light that came on after i had gotten the car back. It showed code N/A, so I cleared it and it has not come back on. If it does come back on, it will most likely be a faulty inverter correct? Will Toyota cover it? Will it be backed by their new 15 years unlimited mile warranty?

 

My 2010 Toyota Prius has 175000 mileages on it and went into safe mode March 17, 2020 four emergency lights showed up on the dash; drove to an auto parts store, put on an OBD2 device, got codes P0A7A Generator Inverter Performance and P0A94 DC/DC Converter Performance. I was told by a mechanic that the codes indicate inverter and that it needs replacing. I am going to Toyota on Monday 18, 2020 to have them do a diagnostic to confirm for sure.
I found the warranty enhancement program about warranty extension and the safety recall E0E documents here on Prius Chat, will bring them with me when I go in. Anyone have advice about what to do or how to handle this situation?

 

What did they tell you?

Does your warranty "enhancement" have an expiration date on it? IIRC, some vehicles' enhancement expired already; not much of an enhancement, in my opinion.

 

You can find the article in Car Complaints website. Titled:
Toyota Prius Inverter Failure Lawsuit Moves Forward