Inverter pump failed twice in 2 months

P0A93 does not necessarily mean the inverter pump has failed. It means the inverter is not being cooled effectively. Inverter pump failure can be a common reason, but far from the only one. In these two cases, did a mechanic really confirm the pump was bad, or just see the P0A93 code and replace the pump by reflex?

The last failed Gen 2 inverter pump I replaced had its bottom potting material visibly cracked, displaced downward, and dripping with stinky capacitor juice.

Other threads here haved traced the cause of a P0A93 sometimes to the electrical wiring to the pump, obstruction or bent fins of the inverter radiator, cooling fan problems, or (most recently) a rubber hose with a bolt inside it.

So, it is sometimes necessary for someone to simply work through the possibilities methodically.

 

Mechanics don’t usually sell you parts at their cost, they mark it up. They don’t put out money for inventory and sell it for the same price.

also you were quoted $450 which is a very reasonable price for an original part replacement. Hopefully that’s what he gave you and not give you a $35 dollar part and charge you $285. If the part keeps failing under the warranty period, it has to be replaced for free, even if he has to do it 5 times. You shouldn’t have to feel bad and contribute to the repair cost again. It gives incentives to mechanics to use quality parts so they don’t have to repeatedly fix under warranty when cheap parts fail

 

Seems like maybe some of these folks are selling you the most expensive pump, but installing the cheapest ones?

When I do this repair I'm honest with the person who needs the repair and let them decide if a $30 pump and risking early replacement is better than spending more than $100 dollars on a pump that might last longer.

 

As someone who repeatedly buys $30 inverter coolant pumps and just had yesterday messed up because I had to replace one for a friend that I had already replaced a couple months ago, I'm starting to figure out which $30 pumps are good and which ones are bad. Currently testing this one, which seems to be better quality than other cheap ones: https://www.ebay.com/itm/143775982614

My theory on what's going on with these is that the motor and it's circuitry is built too cheap to handle the heat. So once the inverter coolant gets up to max temp, there's not enough thermal protection to keep the pump's electrical bits cool. I'm tempted to cut open this dead pump to see if there's anything specific I can find. But I'm also tempted to throw it in the garbage can and try not to think too much about yesterday.

 

We should still avoid losing sight of the fact that pump problems are not the only causes of P0A93 codes, and that wiring problems, airflow problems, and clogging problems (including rarities like a hose with a bolt inside it) can also trigger the code.

So it's important, when replacing a pump, to be sure the pump is the problem.

 

Yes I get out car ready and visually check and touch that pump and make sure it feels like the impellers turning and things are happening and then when I go for a good drive and I come back the hood goes up and those hoses should be warm not hot or hot enough to alarm my hand . I have moved to the 14 volt pump that goes in between the actuator and the master cylinder on the brakes there's a little pump in there has nothing to do with the brakes it's just a 14-volt pump I took one of those off another car and put that where my inverter pump goes it's plug is similar I used the plug that went with the pump that I'm using in made an adapter so I wouldn't destroy my plug for the original inverter pump if I want to go back but I don't think that will be happening the 14 volt regular pump works very well and is very quiet.

 

First time at a shop? They aren't selling you parts at cost, no shops do. This is not how you keep doors open.

1000% of the time it is cheaper to buy yourself and install yourself. This should not be a surprise to anyone with a brain.

Check for air in your inverter coolant system. It's hard to get it all out and it will overheat if there is air in there.

 

no, if this is a proper shop, warranty cover parts and labor. Unless it's written that warranty only applies to parts only.

 

I replaced an inverter pump on a Prius today.

Took me 23 minutes from start to finish. A rather good effort for me - when it comes to working on cars I'm generally the slowest person in the southern hemisphere.

For a workshop to charge one hour labour would be semi-acceptable. To charge for one minute more than that is a crime.

Tip: If the pump is so badly burned out that it keeps blowing the AM2 fuse (resulting in the car not turning on) then disconnect the power cable from the pump. The car will start and drive normally (ie keep it to a few minutes... before the inverter starts to overheat).

 

Yeah... The swirling / turbulence is obvious in the coolant reservoir when pump is working. And if it's not visible I usually hope against hope and hook a hose from the bleed valve to the reservoir and open it up to see if coolant moves through it. I also try the unlpug and plug in the pump technique that's I've read on here to see if it starts working while cursing that the trick is BS but my last hope before I have a coolant mess to deal with in swapping out pump.

 

Takes about 1.5+ hours on a gen1, most of that time is spent bleeding the system. Is the gen2 that much better? Are you sure you got all the air out?

 

Haven't done a gen1 but bleeding air out of a Gen2 is almost effortless if you stick one end of a hose on the bleed valve and other end in the resevoir. No more air bubbles in less than 30 seconds.

 

No; it only means the coolant isn't flowing.

Often, that will mean the pump is the problem. But in a recent thread, it turned out the flow was blocked by a rubber hose that somehow had a bolt in it. Coolant passages can also clog with products of corrosion, if the coolant hasn't been replaced often enough.

 

If that is true that is a hell of a design improvement! My new to me gen2 fluid was just changed, but I have to replace the ABS pump.. thinking about doing the coolant pump at the same time since I have to drain it anyway.