My fiancee recently had her 2003 Prius overheat and took it to the Toyota dealership. The inverter coolant pump and the inverter itself are both broken. Battery is still good and the rest of the car is fine. From what I've seen on the forums it sounds like the inverter overheating is a death sentence. Is this true? Currently I'm trying to sell it for parts on Facebook, but am not gaining any traction (pun intended). Is there a better place to sell online? Thanks!
Hi there, I have a 2002 Prius, the same model as yours, and I’ve previously priced inverters. You can find them for about $300 with a warranty on eBay last I checked a couple of years ago. I once thought I had an issue with the inverter and was ready to hire an independent mechanic to install the item for me. You can easily find these parts on eBay. If you can find a mechanic who will install parts you bring to them, you should be okay, or give them a lead on a used inverter so they don’t charge you an arm and a leg. I love my Prius and have stayed abreast of issues that can arise as time goes on and the car is aged, so hang in there, there’s life to be had with her vehicle if you want to make the effort to fix it up.
Replacing the I better with a used one, and the pump with a new one is probably around $500. You'll have to decide if that means it is a death sentence or not. Selling on Craigslist or Facebook marketplace are some options. There is not high demand for these cars and it may only fetch a couple hundred dollars.
I have one that I took off a Prius in the junkyard. It's sitting in my carport. I think it's okay, but wouldn't guarantee it. Make an offer, plus shipping. As for the inverter coolant pump, you could get a new one for not much money. I wouldn't replace one with a used one from the JY.
