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

Coolant detected in exhaust

Discussion in 'Gen 4 Prius Care, Maintenance and Troubleshooting' started by The Professor, Feb 23, 2023.

  1. The Professor

    The Professor Senior Member

    Joined:
    Apr 5, 2018
    598
    809
    0
    Location:
    UK
    Vehicle:
    2017 Prius
    Model:
    Excel
    So the part (basically the majority of the exhaust system, as it comes as one big unit) didn't arrive today, despite them ordering it on Wednesday and Toyota saying it has a 1 day lead time. When they contacted wherever they get the parts from, they said it'll be the end of April before the part arrives. So..... yeah..... that happened!

    I asked them to do the "bypass surgery" in the intirim, and they did it on the understanding that if it causes any damage they're not liable for it.

    Complained to Toyota directly, just in case that lets me get this fixed for free. I pointed out the car needed 4 new brake discs at 30,000 miles, a new air con radiator at 35,000, and now a new exhaust system at 40,000 that is going to take at least 8 weeks for them to fix in total, and this isn't what I expect from a Toyota, or any car for that matter. They're escalating it to head office.
     
  2. The Professor

    The Professor Senior Member

    Joined:
    Apr 5, 2018
    598
    809
    0
    Location:
    UK
    Vehicle:
    2017 Prius
    Model:
    Excel
    Still spewing out lots of white smoke when accelerating hard or going up hill, but it's started to take on a sort of burnt toast smell which I'm sure wasn't there before. Is that normal? I wonder how long it will take for the exhaust to clear.

    Anyone got any experience/advice with this?
     
  3. Mendel Leisk

    Mendel Leisk EGR Fanatic

    Joined:
    Oct 17, 2010
    56,667
    39,221
    80
    Location:
    Greater Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
    Vehicle:
    2010 Prius
    Model:
    Touring
    How many miles since the bypass? Can you see the mod?
     
  4. The Professor

    The Professor Senior Member

    Joined:
    Apr 5, 2018
    598
    809
    0
    Location:
    UK
    Vehicle:
    2017 Prius
    Model:
    Excel
    Maybe 20 miles since the bypass (just picked it up this morning).

    I can see the two disconnected hoses sticking up at the back of the engine compartment, under the plastic cover, but I can't see the actual bypass.
     
    Mendel Leisk likes this.
  5. BiomedO1

    BiomedO1 Senior Member

    Joined:
    Mar 27, 2021
    1,832
    929
    0
    Location:
    SacTown, Ca
    Vehicle:
    2021 Prius Prime
    Model:
    LE
    The burnt toast smell is probably grease monkey hand prints on your hot exhaust manifold or the disconnected coolant hose touching a hot exhaust surface; because they didn't properly tie it back.
    It sounds like they disconnected the coolant hoses at the engine, rather than down by the CAT. So until the coolant hoses empty out, you'll continue to blow white smoke.
    Keep checking your coolant levels; in case they FUBAR'ed the bypass and you've got leaks.
     
  6. The Professor

    The Professor Senior Member

    Joined:
    Apr 5, 2018
    598
    809
    0
    Location:
    UK
    Vehicle:
    2017 Prius
    Model:
    Excel
    Smell and smoke seem to be reducing. So fingers crossed. Coolant hasn't dropped since I got the car back.

    I can also smell stuff in the cabin sometimes, even at speed. I wonder if some exhaust gasses are blowing up the empty coolant pipes to where the cabin air is taken in. Can't see anything coming out of the pipes though.

    In other news. This situation has been escalated to Toyota's Head Office. I'll keep you all updated.
     
    Harters likes this.
  7. BiomedO1

    BiomedO1 Senior Member

    Joined:
    Mar 27, 2021
    1,832
    929
    0
    Location:
    SacTown, Ca
    Vehicle:
    2021 Prius Prime
    Model:
    LE
    Yes, your correct. Now that the coolant is gone;some exhaust gas is pushing thru the hole, moving up and exhausting out those hoses against your firewall - directly below your fresh air intake.
     
  8. Dennis B

    Dennis B New Member

    Joined:
    Apr 14, 2023
    5
    3
    0
    Location:
    California
    Vehicle:
    2017 Prius
    Model:
    Four
    I just started having the same issues last week. Our local mechanic, told me about the service bulletin, and said to take it to the dealer. I dropped it off this morning. I didn’t mention the bulletin, but, I bought the car new there, and have free service \ oil changes for life there. I am awaiting their diagnosis. I am in California, and should be covered from what I have read, or at least I hope.
    Our local mechanic suggested if they say it’s not covered, make noise with corporate, the BBB, small claims court., ect.
     
    bisco likes this.
  9. BiomedO1

    BiomedO1 Senior Member

    Joined:
    Mar 27, 2021
    1,832
    929
    0
    Location:
    SacTown, Ca
    Vehicle:
    2021 Prius Prime
    Model:
    LE
    Welcome Dennis

    Basic emission warranty is 8 years or 80K mikes; but that's a known recall issue. Get a hold of the TSB to see if the warranty period has been extended; if your over the 80K mile threshold. The reason your exhaust gas heat exchanger is part of the emission warranty is because it's part of the catalytic converter assembly. Currently; you can't simply cut it out and weld another in.

    good luck...
     
  10. ChapmanF

    ChapmanF Senior Member

    Joined:
    Mar 30, 2008
    24,904
    16,213
    0
    Location:
    Indiana, USA
    Vehicle:
    2010 Prius
    Model:
    IV
    It's part of the front exhaust pipe assembly; it is behind both catalytic converters.

    It's an emissions component in its own right; by helping the engine warm up faster, it shortens the time when the cold engine makes more emissions.
     
  11. Dennis B

    Dennis B New Member

    Joined:
    Apr 14, 2023
    5
    3
    0
    Location:
    California
    Vehicle:
    2017 Prius
    Model:
    Four
    Hi Dennis!
    We figured it out!
    Here are the notes from the Technician:
    EXHAUST PIPE GAS CONTROL ACTUATOR SUB-ASSEMBLY damaged, leaking coolant into the catalytic converter.

    After he removed the Converter coolant started pouring out damaging the Catalytic Converter. The car will need a new one and I believe I can get that covered for you. Reply STOP to opt out.


    Received this text this afternoon. The dealer will submit a warranty claim. They said it could take a month to get a replacement. They will inquire about a rental car, but he said he’s not sure what they will or won’t include.
     
  12. BiomedO1

    BiomedO1 Senior Member

    Joined:
    Mar 27, 2021
    1,832
    929
    0
    Location:
    SacTown, Ca
    Vehicle:
    2021 Prius Prime
    Model:
    LE
    Ask the dealer if they are willing to by-pass the heat exchange; to get you on the road. Being in a rental car for at least a month, on your own dime, may get expensive. BTW the retail cost of that job is north of 2K.

    It doesn't hurt to ask; better if they will provide a free loaner

    Good Luck...
     
  13. The Professor

    The Professor Senior Member

    Joined:
    Apr 5, 2018
    598
    809
    0
    Location:
    UK
    Vehicle:
    2017 Prius
    Model:
    Excel
    Yeah I complained to Toyota here in the UK and eventually got them to pay for the part. I still have to pay for the various extra bits, like seals and stuff, and the fitting, but that's still a LOT better than what they were asking for originally.

    Still haven't got it fixed though - the part is due in soon (this coming week). Been running on the bypass fine though, but it did take some 300 miles of travelling for the exhaust to stop smoking like a military grade Vape, every time the cat got hot and I accelerated uphill. I'm going to miss it in some ways; it was a great way to get rid of tailgaters.
     
    Harters likes this.
  14. The Professor

    The Professor Senior Member

    Joined:
    Apr 5, 2018
    598
    809
    0
    Location:
    UK
    Vehicle:
    2017 Prius
    Model:
    Excel
    My dealer charged me £35 here in the UK to do the bypass.

    One thing that I learned was that there are two locations where you can do the bypass.

    You can do it at the back of the engine bay, which doesn't require any extra parts and is cheaper. However, it will take longer for your exhaust to stop excessively smoking as the pipes running down to the exhaust will be full of coolant and take some time to drain into the exhaust. You'll know when the hoses have drained as you will then occasionally smell exhaust entering the cabin when travelling slowly or when the ICE is on when stationary as once the pipes are empty, exhaust will flow up the pipes and exit right next to where the cabin air intake is.

    You can also bypass the heat exchanger down where the hoses connect to the exhaust. For this, you will need a suitable length of metal pipe of the right diameter to connect to the ends of the two coolant hoses, and the hoses will need to be secured so they don't flap around and contact the hot exhaust, which will melt them and produce a burning smell. You will also lose some coolant using this method. If done properly, I'd go for this lower bypass.
     
  15. Dennis B

    Dennis B New Member

    Joined:
    Apr 14, 2023
    5
    3
    0
    Location:
    California
    Vehicle:
    2017 Prius
    Model:
    Four
    My mother is 86, puts about 1k miles on her car per year. With very minimal effort, we can share her car if needed. I feel a rental should be included. My real worry is repairs covered, and fixed correctly the first time.
     
  16. BiomedO1

    BiomedO1 Senior Member

    Joined:
    Mar 27, 2021
    1,832
    929
    0
    Location:
    SacTown, Ca
    Vehicle:
    2021 Prius Prime
    Model:
    LE
    It's a very simple repair; one exhaust gasket, R & R coolant lines - once the part arrives.

    I would check coolant levels, at least once a week, once you get the car back - for at least a month. I'm assuming the gas engine will be running and your not on battery power the entire time. Many dealers rush the coolant burping process, and many here have found low coolant levels after a repair. If you have an exhaust leak, you'll hear either a puffing sound or a mild skreach, like air leaking from a balloon. Honestly, the dealer mechanic should catch this, before releasing the car. Also listen for weird rattles, scraping and tapping going over speed bumps, that wasn't there before, in case the mechanic missed an exhaust strap or hanger.

    Good Luck....
     
    The Professor and Dennis B like this.
  17. Paul Robinson

    Paul Robinson New Member

    Joined:
    Apr 18, 2023
    1
    0
    0
    Location:
    Sheffield, UK
    Vehicle:
    2017 Prius
    Model:
    Excel
    Hi. Like the Professor, I’m based in the UK and have a 2017 Prius Excel with fewer than 60k miles.
    I have the same issue - complained to Toyota, citing the US service bulletin but they have washed their hands of it - it’s not covered by warranty and unprepared to fix the issue unless I pay £1500.

    I’m interested in whether anyone else in the UK has the same issue as I got nowhere, The more people reporting the problem ought to convince Toyota UK that this is not just a problem for the US.
    I’ll escalate to head office and see how it goes…
     
  18. The Professor

    The Professor Senior Member

    Joined:
    Apr 5, 2018
    598
    809
    0
    Location:
    UK
    Vehicle:
    2017 Prius
    Model:
    Excel
    Yep - same fix cost here too. What the complaints dept did was contact the dealership. The dealership said they weren't prepared to do it for free, even as a good will gesture. The complaints dept got back to me a fews later and informed me of what the dealership said. They said the only option now is to escalate it to head office, which I asked them to do. I didn't hear anything back after that from them. A couple of weeks later (last week) the dealership contacted me to give me an update on the part coming in (still not there, been some 7 weeks now?) and mentioned that Toyota had agreed to pay for the part (not anything else like labour, fixings, seals, etc).

    Happy with the bypass still, but my car has a new very rattly exhaust resonance while accelerating at the point just below the red section on the gauge when going 20-40ish. I imagine the new exhaust will fix that too.
     
    CATuk likes this.
  19. BiomedO1

    BiomedO1 Senior Member

    Joined:
    Mar 27, 2021
    1,832
    929
    0
    Location:
    SacTown, Ca
    Vehicle:
    2021 Prius Prime
    Model:
    LE
    Yes, your exhaust gas heat exchanger is slowly peeling apart. Since there's no coolant in there; the hot exhaust gases is dismantling the internal heating fins - so some rattling is to be expected. This too should pass; it'll eventually exit out your exhaust pipe.
     
    The Professor likes this.
  20. The Professor

    The Professor Senior Member

    Joined:
    Apr 5, 2018
    598
    809
    0
    Location:
    UK
    Vehicle:
    2017 Prius
    Model:
    Excel
    That's exactly what it sounds like... fins rattling against the inside of the exhaust.

    By the time the dealership finally get the part in, I suspect my skeleton will have exited out of the exhaust too.