Hi guys, I'm new here. Just bought a used 2006 Prius with 98k miles on it. Engine light came on shortly after I bought it, the HV battery and Catalytic Converter are both bad. Luckily they are both covered under the CA emissions warranty. The dealership also told me the water pump is leaking and the belt is cracked, said those problems would be $580 to fix. Should I fix it right away? or is it just an upsale? I also read that there was a recall on 2006's water pump. can I get these problems fixed under the recall? Thanks guys!
Since you're new, I'll cut you some slack........but just a wee bit. Priuschat is the premier source of Prius owner provided information. If you google "engine water pump priuschat" you will get several of hits that will answer all your questions. Why does the car need a new catalytic converter after 98K miles? - that's very unusual. Failure of the HV battery before 100K miles is very early in the life cycle but not really abnormal. Do you know what diagnostic trouble codes were found when the check engine light came on? Ask the stealership for them. The recall is for the HV inverter electric water pump which is entirely unrelated to the internal combustion engine and its ancillary systems. You'll need to get the recall done eventually but it's separate from your other issue. You might need to get the water pump on the gasoline engine replaced. The main way to determine this is if coolant loss is actually occurring. Since you just bought it, you don't know if it is losing coolant or not. Not yet any way. I'd say the stealership is just trying to pry a few more dollars from your wallet. Don't let them. $580 to replace the water pump and belt on a 2006 Prius might be typical for LA. Don't replace it until you're sure coolant loss is occurring and the water pump is the source of the loss. The belt might need to be replaced but I'm guessing you'll be charged at least $200 for that in LA.
Welcome to Prius Chat! I would fix the pump, but I would get another opinion and price first. $580 sounds expensive to me. I just had the engine water pump and belt replaced on our 09 and paid $355 for it. First dealer wanted over $500, so I called around and found another dealer that was willing to do the work for a more reasonable price. You might want to check with independent hybrid repair shops in your area. There are several of them in California to choose from. They might be able to do the work cheaper than the dealer would. Like I said, call around and get different opinions and prices. Google is your friend to find hybrid repair shops. You can look at the pump and see if it is leaking. It is pretty obvious. Look on the hood on the passenger side. There will be evidence of coolant sprayed up on the material from spinning off of the pulley. Also the backside of the pulley that drives the pump will usually be streaked with dried coolant. The coolant should be a pinkish color unless someone has changed it and put a aftermarket fluid in it. You can also check the fluid level in the radiator. If it is not full to the top of the neck, the pump is more than likely leaking or you have a leak somewhere else. To access the radiator cap, you need to remove the splash guard. It is held in place with six clips. Use a Phillips head screwdriver. Rotate the clip in a CCW direction while applying slight pressure to the splash shield. The clip should come out of place. Try not to lose the clips, they are reusable. The clips can be bought at Toyota and range from $1 to $2 each depending on the dealers price. Also when you get your water pump and belt done, search the dealers website. A lot of time you can find a coupon that can save you money. I used a $50 off coupon when they did my pump and belt. Without it the bill would have been $405. Can't answer your question about the recall, but you can ask any Toyota dealer about open recalls on your car plus you can register your car on the Toyota owner's website and get info there on existing recalls plus detailed information on past repairs done by Toyota. Best of luck to you!
If you're a DIYer, the leaking engine water pump is a fairly simple home fix. You can get discounted Toyota parts from here: AutoNation Toyota Gulf Freeway Parts With the new Toyota pump from Gulf Toyota, gallon of SLLC and some RTV (optional), the total came to right around $100 to replace it at home. The serpentine belt is easy to replace at the same time. as jadziasman mentioned, the recall is for the inverter coolant pump, not the engine water pump (The 2nd-gen Prius has 4 water pumps). You can do a visual check on the engine water pump. It's the large, black pulley near the bottom if you look down the passenger's side of the engine. When it leaks, you'll usually see pink streaks or crusty buildup.
Do I have to go to an independent Hybrid mechanic? Can I just go to my regular mechanic? He usually does honest work.
You can go to a regular mechanic that you have faith in. It's not a difficult replacement. Just make sure they top off work the proper pink Toyota coolant. What area are you in? SM-N900P ?
You can use your regular mechanic if he will research how to put the Prius into inspection mode so that the engine will run continuously, which is needed when working on getting air out of the coolant loop. This is not a trivial matter if the coolant heat recovery system is drained. As previously stated, make sure that only Toyota Super Long Life Coolant is used to replenish engine coolant.
Here are Syracuse NY prices from a Toyota Dealer from 2012. My 2005 had 165,000 miles. Water pump, antifreeze, and labor $370.00 Serpentine belt with labor $80. =-
