Slight but annoying whine noise when operating brake pedal

The high pitched noise at the very beginning of the video is the exact noise that I described earlier ITT that I hear when I glide (though it's much more pronounced when I glide). I agree with Reedja that it's likely the inverter. I, like Reedja, don't recall ever hearing it when the car is powered down, so I'm not sure if that's normal.

 

Had a Toyota technician friend look at it yesterday and let him drive it. He said it is most likely the inverter, though he is not sure why it comes on while car is off either. He said just drive it and if it gets any worse or if I just can't stand it anymore within warranty period, then take it in. Thanks to everyone for the input

 

He's never heard the brake pressure pumping up before entering the car? I'm thinking the inverter's powering up to supply power to the accumulator.

 

No, he wasn't referring to the pump sound, rather to the high pitch sound.

 

Here's an update. So I took the Prius to the local dealer because my sister wanted to check out some Prius C's. I had the service guys check out the noise. They did and said it was a normal sound from the regen brakes. They listened to another Prius and said it had the same noise, although they did note that the high pitch in my car was more loud and noticeable. They said not to worry, and they noted it in my vehicle service file in case any issue does arise later on.

 

I dont mean to scare you but I had a big scare recently regarding a very similar issue. I cant listen to the video since my work blocks just about everything, but here's my story:

Normally theres a 'recharging' sound after hitting the brakes on my 2010 Gen III Five, but recently, there was an additional sound, something like rubber on metal. I figured it was the housing or something, so I scheduled an appt just to make sure. Sure enough later that week, I went to hit the brake, and it went down to the floor, then once it finally recharged, the brakes kicked in, causing a near miss. I brought it in the next day (there were no ABS lights or anything on the dashboard, and the brakes were fine since the incident, still that weird extra noise though). They said all the lights went on (I thought they were BSing me, because I didnt see them), and a sensor in the brake went bad. They are currently ordering a new sensor $700 later (thankfully I have mechanical insurance through my car insurance company, since I'm out of warranty). Fingers crossed this is the fix.

TL,DR - take precautions, it could be nothing, but it could be dangerous and expensive.

 

I know exactly what you're talking about, pookie--my new 2013 Prius v (the wagon) has it too. It's very high-pitched, like a ringing in the ears, and while not loud, it's annoying because of the high pitch. It's present often (but not always) while driving, and get louder when braking. However, I only really noticed it when I was driving with the back storage compartment cover off and the black foam storage bins removed, so that the traction battery is acoustically in the same space as the interior of the car. It was driving me crazy until I put those things back, and now the sound is blocked so that I don't really notice it much anymore.

Is the inverter and it's associated whine that people are talking about back by the traction battery on the v?

 

Well, the word "pookie" only appears once on this page, so not sure who you're responding to, and over a year back lol. Anyway:

That whine is music to my ears; it's the sound of charging, the hybrid motor acting as a generator during deceleration.

 

Are you sure it's not the wife in the seat next to you?