Repair
Toyota Prius Inverter Water Pump Recall
Inverter water pumps are a common failure on second generation Toyota Prius (model years 2004-2009). Read LG’s original blog here:
Prius Code P0A93: Inverter Water Pump Failure dated 3/2009
Toyota issued a “Technical Service Bulletin” on this issue over two years prior, dated January 26th, 2007. Download a copy:
TSB EG001-07: M.I.L. “ON” DTC P0A93, INFORMATION CODE 346 via PriusChat
In short, inverter pump replacement is old news. What’s new is that the dealer will perform the service for free, at least until November 30th, 2013, as announced yesterday (read a regurgitated press release from ConsumerReports.com) regardless of whether the pump is working or not.
Read the Toyota Letter to Owners here
Officially a “Limited Service Campaign”, no doubt everyone will call it a recall and the press will spin about Toyota quality and hybrid doubts, etc.. IMO it’s a “recall” with less urgency and “limited” duration. Given sufficient free time, I will compose a blog about manufacturer response to common failures in the internet age, titled “Service Campaigns: Don’t Call It A Recall”.
According to Toyota, the concern is air getting trapped in the impeller “causing pump actuation to be slow.” It is possible for air to get stuck at the pump if the system has been opened (coolant drained for collision work, or during maintenance, or in case of a leak, or when the pump is replaced for failure) but it’s no problem to bleed it. You just work the hose running from the top of the pump to the inverter reservoir until the pump is silent (with air the pump whines, which is abnormal). The noisiness of the pump with an air bubble makes it easy to tell when there’s a problem and, conversely, when the system is clear (i.e. no noise, no air).
I’ve never seen air get stuck in the pump out of the blue. Serviced properly, there wouldn’t be any air to get stuck in the first place. In other words, it appears Toyota is replacing all these pumps because service techs can’t seem to bleed the system?
On the other hand, I have replaced dozens of pumps because they’ve stopped working completely. The pump’s DC brushless motor can fail internally (bad transistor), causing permanent or intermittent failure. The pump can also seize if it’s run dry. Whatever the failure scenario, inverter temps will go up lacking coolant flow, eventually setting trouble code P0A93, Info code 346, illuminating the “check engine” light and the big red triangle (“Master Warning Light”).
A couple times I’ve seen the pump short internally, which can cause some smoke and/or a blown AM2 fuse. The AM2 circuit feeds the Power Source Control ECU; without it the car will not start and exhibit a flashing instrument display.
I find it much more likely that the campaign is meant to address the fact that the pumps are prone to failure, not air bubbles.
Regardless of the stated reason, the effort is a win for Prius owners of the affected model years (2004, 2005, 2006, 2007). Unlike floor mats, the inverter water pump has a high probability of causing trouble and replacement should postpone a future emergency, perhaps forever (if the new pumps are sufficiently improved).
Those who’ve already had their pump replaced are eligible for reimbursement. According to the Owner Letter:
“If you have previously paid for repairs to address this specific condition, please mail a copy of the repair order, proof of payment, and proof of ownership to the following address for reimbursement consideration:
Toyota Motor Sales, U.S.A. Inc
Toyota Customer Experience, WC10
19001 South Western Avenue, Torrance, CA 90509
“Include your name, address, and telephone number(s) in your request. Please allow us 6-9 weeks to process your request.”
To LG customers who have paid us to replace the pump in the past: we will email you another PDF copy of your related work order and credit card receipt (if applicable) to help expedite the process.
LG will continue to stock the pumps (as we always have) for later model Prius (which still have failures). Toyota will not reimburse us for pump replacements on affected vehicles (LG is not a Toyota dealer) so anyone wanting us to perform the repair will have to pay the usual price of $308. Reference the original blog for price breakdown.
A few words of caution: we’ve gotten numerous reports from our customers of dealer service departments upselling various things when an owner goes in for the accelerator pedal recall, effectively turning that problem into a money making opportunity. While anyone should take Toyota up on a free water pump, don’t buy anything else! Luscious Garage can perform those services better and for less money, if they’re needed at all.
Posted by Carolyn
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Toyota Prius Inverter Water Pump Service Campaign A0N - Frequently Asked Questions
These two pages are contained in the “Dealer Letter” issued November 29th, 2010, to direct service staff on proper response to anticipated questions from owners and the press (to ensure everyone receives a “consistent message”). The dealer letter also contains an example of the “Owner Letter” that will go out early December, available to read here, and an introduction that reiterates the same information and describes part numbers and availability.
Prius Water Pump Service Campaign - Frequently Asked Questions
Posted by Carolyn
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Toyota Prius Inverter Water Pump Service Campaign A0N - Letter to Owners
These two pages are contained in the “Dealer Letter” issued November 29th, 2010, as an example of the “Owner Letter” to be distributed early December (according to the same document). The dealer letter also contains a response to anticipated FAQs, available to read here, and an introduction that reiterates the same information and describes part numbers and availability.
Prius Water Pump Service Campaign - Owner Letter
Posted by Carolyn
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Gen 1 Prius Transmission Repair, P3009, P3120, P3125
(This blog supersedes “Gen 1 Prius Transmission Failure” dated 10/28/2008.)
First generation Prius are prone to transmission failure. 99 times out of 100 the issue is a bad MG2 stator. Winding insulation degrades, creating a short between turns and/or phases. Heat from the short (high current) burns through surrounding insulation, broadening the affected area. Common symptoms can include:
1. Shudder during takeoff
2. Louder whine during regenerative braking
3. Temperature warning light (red thermometer)
4. Master Warning Light (red triangle)
5. Diagnostic Trouble Codes (DTCs):
P3009: HV Leak to Ground
P3125, info code 287: Inverter Internal Short
P3120, info code 250: HV Transaxle Assembly Malfunction, Motor Temperature Sensor Performance Problem
Stator degradation can be confirmed in the service bay; LG maintains the necessary diagnostic tools and leads the industry in expertise. All information is shared with the vehicle owner and documented in the work order.
Until now it was deemed cost prohibitive to service the motor rather than replace the entire unit. In the last six months, however, two significant discoveries have been made:
1. It is possible to remove and replace the MG2 stator from behind the assembly endplate, with negligible disturbance to the motor resolver.
2. A replacement stator can be harvested from an MG2 assembly, available brand new from Toyota for a third of the price of the entire transaxle.
The result is a reliable service procedure that saves significant time and money. Repair strategies of the past—replace the entire transaxle with brand new, replace the entire MG2 assembly with brand new, or replace the entire transaxle with used—are effectively obsolete.
The cost breakdown for stator replacement is as follows:
Labor, R&R MG2 Stator: $1080
MG2 Motor Assembly, Hybrid (Toyota P/N G1100-47040): $1288.74
ATF, Drain Plug Gaskets, Coolant: $47.39
Sales Tax: $126.01
Total: $2533.45
Other foreseeable costs:
Initial diagnosis: $60
Additional diagnosis with milliohmeter, megohmmeter, or impedance tester (if required): $100
HV Battery Test (to anticipate other high dollar repairs): $50
For questions or to book an appointment, use the contact page.
While not inexpensive, this repair significantly reduces the monetary and material cost of Gen 1 Prius ownership, postponing the day when a fuel-efficient car has to be replaced.
Credit for this service procedure goes to Jack Rosebro of Perfect Sky Hybrid Training. For classes call 310-383-4800.
NOTE: LUSCIOUS GARAGE IS NOT A TRAINING FACILITY.
We publish our services online to promote ourselves and to inform hybrid owners of their service choices. This is a complex procedure, and should not be undertaken without proper instruction.
View of the transmission endplate tilted into the wheel well:
MG2 rotor and stator removed together:
Typical view of burned windings:
Transaxle housing with stator and rotor removed:
MG2 assembly out of the box from Toyota:
View of MG2 stator with endplate removed, to be harvested:
New stator installed with original rotor:
Posted by Carolyn
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Rebuilt HV Battery Packs - Toyota Prius Hybrid et al.
(This blog focuses on our rebuild services; read the original blog on Gen 1 battery failure here.)
Rebuilt HV batteries for the Gen 1 Toyota Prius are a convenient and cost-effective alternative to brand new.
New ones cost $2299 list (which is a pretty reasonable IMO), but when you add up tax (9.5% in our dear city) and four hours in labor ($480 at LG; other shops/dealers will surely vary), you’re looking at three grand out the door. You know what you’re getting (the same thing you had) so life expectancy should be nearly the same. In our experience with *genuine* failures—cars that actually needed a pack, not just a wire harness (read the blog about P3030) or a cleaning (read the blog about P3009)—the probability bell curve peaks at 150,000 miles, tapering off in both directions.
Besides offering new assemblies (purchased directly from Toyota) Luscious Garage also rebuilds battery packs in house. I can’t honestly remember what prompted us to figure it out, two years and dozens of packs ago. It was probably a combination of plug-in conversion work (which inherently goes “out of the box” regarding HV batteries) and the drive to find a better way. (There is also a shop in North Carolina—Taylor Automotive, d.b.a. ReInvolt Technologies—also selling rebuilds, for which LG is the Bay Area installer. I’m not sure who was first, but, having spoken with Dave Taylor in person, our process sounds very similar.)
The benefits of rebuilds:
1. Rebuilt packs offer a significant cost savings. We sell ours for $1500 (38 modules at $36/each and a new sensing harness for $120); with tax and six hours labor (two additional hours to cover the building process, which is therefore untaxed) the repair comes to $2361. That’s over $600 less, which is real money.
2. The modules come from young Gen 2 Prius (sourced from early totals or plug-in conversions) which have an upgraded design over the original Gen 1 module (pic: metal sided is Gen 2, all plastic is Gen 1) with better heat dissipation and lower internal resistance. The difference is evident in the cars we service: all Gen 1s will have an HV battery failure; Gen 2s rarely do (despite many with very high mileage).
Thus, though the price is lower and the batteries are second-hand, we expect the rebuilt packs to last as long if not longer than the originals. For most Gen 1 owners, this confidence combined with the cost savings will drive the decision.
All packs are load tested to confirm battery health, and the results are included in the work order (learn more about battery testing here). If I may say so, we build mighty strong packs, with identical performance to brand new units.
All of our rebuilds are guaranteed for one year (the same as new from Toyota) but we have yet to have any come back (and we don’t expect them to).
REBUILT BATTERY PACKS:
Labor: $720
38 NiMH, Gen 2 Prius Modules @ $36.30: $1379.40
Sensing Wire Harness, 82165-47030: $119.43
9.5% Sales Tax: $142.39
Total: $2361.22
Click here to book an appointment
View of our HV battery service area:
Stacks of bad Gen 1 modules:
Gen 2 module stacks:
With low mileage and plenty of future:
