Coolant Control Valve (safe to drive?)

Discussion in 'Gen 2 Prius Care, Maintenance and Troubleshooting' started by electricturd, Mar 23, 2015.

  1. electricturd

    electricturd Junior Member

    Joined:
    Dec 14, 2010
    4
    0
    0
    Location:
    nc
    Vehicle:
    Other Non-Hybrid
    Model:
    N/A
    My wifes 2008 prius check engine light just came on. Its the control valve sensor. My question is, does that have any serious impact on safety? We are going to Florida next week from NC and i'm wondering if it should be fixed before we go. I've heard mixed on what this valve does (overheating etc).
     
    #1 electricturd, Mar 23, 2015
  2. jdenenberg

    jdenenberg EE Professor

    Joined:
    Nov 21, 2005
    3,910
    1,908
    1
    Location:
    Trumbull, CT
    Vehicle:
    2020 Prius
    Model:
    LE AWD-e
    Make certain that you are not low on coolant. The coolant acts as a lubricant for the valve and a p1121 can be triggered by low coolant. Did you recently have the coolant drained and refilled? If so the mechanic may not have gotten all of the air out of the system and now that the trapped air has been released, the coolant level is lower.

    JeffD
     
    #2 jdenenberg, Mar 23, 2015
  3. electricturd

    electricturd Junior Member

    Joined:
    Dec 14, 2010
    4
    0
    0
    Location:
    nc
    Vehicle:
    Other Non-Hybrid
    Model:
    N/A
    Thank you, I checked the coolant level (tank next to radiator?) and it appears to be fine. No maint on coolant system recently at all.
     
    #3 electricturd, Mar 23, 2015
  4. Britprius

    Britprius Senior Member

    Joined:
    Jun 14, 2010
    5,194
    1,918
    0
    Location:
    Herefordshire England
    Vehicle:
    2008 Prius
    Checking the tank next to the radiator is of no use. You must check the radiator it's self, and it must be full to the brim. There are circumstances where the expansion tank does not refill the radiator.
    Fill only with Toyota SLLC.

    John (Britprius)
     
    #4 Britprius, Mar 23, 2015
    Hanging on with 286k likes this.
  5. electricturd

    electricturd Junior Member

    Joined:
    Dec 14, 2010
    4
    0
    0
    Location:
    nc
    Vehicle:
    Other Non-Hybrid
    Model:
    N/A
    Alright, I'll check that later today. Assuming thats full whats next?
     
    #5 electricturd, Mar 23, 2015
  6. Britprius

    Britprius Senior Member

    Joined:
    Jun 14, 2010
    5,194
    1,918
    0
    Location:
    Herefordshire England
    Vehicle:
    2008 Prius
    If it is full it is perfectly safe to drive, but there is the downside of the warning light masking other faults that "however unlikely and not associated" may appear.
    If the system is low top it up with Toyota SLLC coolant, and then disconnect the 12 volt battery for a few minutes to remove the code. Then see if it reappears.

    John (Britprius)
     
    #6 Britprius, Mar 23, 2015
  7. Dino33ca

    Dino33ca Member

    Joined:
    Apr 2, 2013
    168
    34
    0
    Location:
    British Columbia
    Vehicle:
    2004 Prius
    I've been driving with the p1211 code for a little over a year now with no problems. There was another poster who had over two years on the same code no problems. Britprius has a good point you can't tell if there are other problems popping up, though there was a user on here (can't remember his handle) but he stated, comically or otherwise I do not know, that the first thing you do when you buy a Prius is you take a screwdriver and punch out the engine light on you car! I purchased the control valve online and saved quite a bit of money over the dealer, I just haven't put it in yet. The dealership wanted three hours labor for the job...

     
    #7 Dino33ca, Mar 23, 2015
    GrGramps likes this.
(You must log in or sign up to post here.)