Feasible to repair/replace inverter after collision?

Discussion in 'Gen 2 Prius Care, Maintenance and Troubleshooting' started by LewLasher, Mar 7, 2011.

  1. LewLasher

    LewLasher Member

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    My Gen II (2006) Prius was in a fender bender. The insurance appraisal discovered apparent damage to the cooling system for the inverter. They say that the inverter must be replaced, at a cost of $4000+, which would (combined with the other damage) make the car a total loss.

    I was a little surprised at the diagnosis, because the car appeared to run fine (I drove it over 200 miles after the collision), other than a buzzing sound, which the insurance appraiser determined was coming from the cooling fan on the inverter. They are now saying that the warning triangle is coming on, although this did not happen when I drove the car following the collision.

    Questions:

    1. Is it possible to repair the cooling system for the inverter, rather than replace the inverter?

    2. Is there a way to test whether the inverter has already suffered damage after being driven 200+ miles with a compromised cooling system?

    3. Is it a reasonable idea to get a used inverter, rather than a new one, as a replacement? (A friend of mine who is a parts manager at a non-Toyota dealer warned me to be very afraid of this option.)

    4. What is the approximate cost of buying+installing a used inverter?

    I suspect that a used inverter would bring the repair costs down to the point where the car would not be totalled. I also suspect that the insurance company is not willing to do this.

    Thanks for any guidance.
     
    #1 LewLasher, Mar 7, 2011
  2. seilerts

    seilerts Battery Curmudgeon

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    What are your thoughts? Have them total the car and buy it back + fix it yourself? I can't really see it happening any other way, other than convincing them that the diagnosis is wrong.

    It would be very helpful to know the diagnostic trouble code. The inverter does a pretty good job of protecting itself from overheating. It might just be a coolant leak, with the inverter setting the DTC and then running at a much lower duty cycle to avoid failure.
     
    #2 seilerts, Mar 8, 2011
  3. LewLasher

    LewLasher Member

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    If they total it, I wouldn't buy it, because they deduct the salvage value of the car.

    But if I can get the car fixed (for less money than the value of the car), that might be a reasonable option.

    My belief that the inverter did not fail is based on the amount of driving I did after the collision: 6 trips totalling about 250 miles.

    But the critical factor is: can the inverter be repaired, given that the cooling system has been impaired?
     
    #3 LewLasher, Mar 8, 2011
  4. seilerts

    seilerts Battery Curmudgeon

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    I honestly think the inverter is fine. As I said, if something happens to the cooling system where it is no longer working, the inverter will sense that it is too warm and cut way back on operations, including 12V DC converter shutdown, and set a triangle code. This would like much like an inverter cooling pump failure. It even could be the pump itself -- it has been recalled. Do you still have the car? Can you get the codes read somewhere? There are at least 4 hybrid shops in MA -- try one of them for an opinion: Auto-Careers.org: Hybrid Training Resources Since 2000
     
    #4 seilerts, Mar 8, 2011
  5. Patrick Wong

    Patrick Wong DIY Enthusiast

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    The inverter cooling system consists of the inverter coolant pump located behind the driver's side headlamp, and hoses that connect it to the inverter and transaxle.

    The inverter itself must be functioning electrically as you say that the car can be driven. However, suppose that the inverter's case was physically damaged in the accident so that it will leak coolant. That would be one potential reason why you might need to replace the inverter.

    It is certainly possible to replace the inverter with a salvage part. The salvage part might cost $1K and you might have to pay for a couple of labor hours for installation.

    I suggest that you try to pin down exactly what was damaged, and take photos so that we can follow along. Good luck.
     
    #5 Patrick Wong, Mar 8, 2011
  6. LewLasher

    LewLasher Member

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    Unfortunately, the car in in the custody of the insurance company, so my options are limited. All I can do is raise the question with them as to whether they even considered the cheaper option of getting a used inverter. I strongly suspect, though, that they are not interested in doing that.

    But I am very grateful to have gained this background information, so thank you very much.
     
    #6 LewLasher, Mar 8, 2011
  7. Patrick Wong

    Patrick Wong DIY Enthusiast

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    I would have expected that to be the first option that the insurance estimator would consider. In any event, if the car is totalled, you'll get a settlement check and the opportunity to buy something new.
     
    #7 Patrick Wong, Mar 8, 2011
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