Stuck on the side of a road. AM2 fuse blows right away.

I'm sure she would have been back in the intervening 2 1/4 years if there still was a problem.

 

I know that this is an old thread, but someone may have the same problem come up. I just wanted to mention that if you uncap the inverter coolant reservoir with the car in Ready mode, you should see the fluid inside moving some. If the surface is completely still, the pump isn't moving any water.

 

Since prius last pretty long, most people that keep their cars will have other issue come up and if they found this forum helpful, will reply to a request for more information. If they don't reply it is usually because they decided to get rid of the car. The AM2 and fuse blowing with a bad inverter can be one of those events (like 1 cell in the HV battery going out) that cause people to loose faith in owning a prius.

 

... or they figured it out and fixed it.

The AM2 fuse does not blow with a bad inverter, but, among other things, a shorted inverter coolant pump.

If having to replace a $125 -$150 part causes any owner to lose faith in the Prius, they have a very risk-averse personality snd should not own any car.

 

I've replaced the inverter pump, and it was relatively easy. The hardest part was getting the headlight out. I've read that people have done it without going to that much trouble, but it seemed like it would be easier. Besides, it wasn't the first time I took the headlight out, I had to do that before to get the stupid cap off the back of the housing.

I'm a little disappointed that the HV battery has a couple of bad modules now, but the car is 16 years old and it hasn't required anything other than routine maintenance. I'm sure that I will be looking at the Prius again when I decide that it's time to replace it.

 

I wish I could edit that previous comment. It's not that it is a $125 part cost, its the fact that they were left on the side of the road and they had to get the car towed to the dealership and they give them an initial $1000+ plus repair quote. That scares them away, the fact that they are not told it doesn't have to be this way.

TL;DR [I wasn't trying to imply that the AM2 fuse is blown by a bad inverter, so wasn't trying to mislead anyone on that item. ]

I was trying to point out a few situations that are relatively simple to solve that will leave someone stranded on the side of the road. Examples being 1.A bad HID light causing a fuse to blow (water in the HID control system) 2.AM2 blowing due to a bad inverter cooling pump 3. wrongly jump-starting a Prius and blowing the fusible link. 4.Jump starting another vehicle using the lighter port on the Prius and blowing out the 12V part of the inverter.​

TL;DR [example solutions to problems above, that will get someone home and allow them time to get problems solved correctly at a reasonable cost. ]

All the above events I have personally experienced and could have left a person stranded or if taken to the dealership left with a quote for a large $$$ repair. Each of these experiences happened when I let someone use my vehicle that was not familiar with a hybrid but was interested in buying one. In each of these cases, the car was usable until a permanent and cost-effective repair could be made.
1. Disconnect water logged HID (other light will work now drive home with remaining headlight). 2.unplug pump and replace the fuse, drive cautiously home keep usage to under 7 miles until the part comes in and you replace the pump. 3. Use same rating car fuse and wedge it in the case to make good contact to replace blown segment. 4. Replace any blown fuse, unplug any unneeded items on 12v and ensure 12v battery is charged, drive home or to your repair shop of choice.​

 

You should be able to go back to a recent posting and edit it.

This site has been an amazing resource and has saved me a lot of money over the years. I've also tried to share my experiences, which have all been successes so far (knock on wood).

 

.Jump starting another vehicle using the lighter port on the Prius and blowing out the 12V part of the inverter.

Is it really possible someone tried this?

 

Yes, it's a jump start kit that uses the lighter port [

].

 

I'm curious how I could determine if motor is seized? Stick something in to try to move it?

I just replaced the inverter pump today after getting red triangle and obdII code for inverter pump. now vehicle won't start or go into acc mode.

I discovered the burned out AM2 fuse and replaced it, then watched it flash burn out within a few seconds without even attempting to turn vehicle on. Old pump electrical connections did not have continuity, new one does have continuity.

It appears that new pump may be overdrawing current. Either from being a cheap part I got from Amazon Or from being seized somehow.

I'm thinking when I get home I can test if car will start with pump unplugged, then try to open it up and manipulate the impeller inside the pump with a Long Poking Stick™ or something.

Recommendations? Thoughts? Encouragement or discouragement?

Y'all are the best. Love how often I find the answers on these forums.

 

Curious if you have coolant in the system when you turned on that pump? Without coolant in there, the pump will fail pretty much right away.

 

I had on "OEM" pump was blown right out of the box. The next one I tested in a 5 gallon bucket and it was like you said drawing too much current. I return them both and went with another seller, which has been working fine for 100k miles. It is most likely that the pump motor is blown verse seized.