How can you tell the difference between a failed inverter and a failed pump?

Hey guys, I've seen a lot of really good information on here about the eternally failing inverter coolant pumps that seem to screw things up for many of us. I started having that problem a few days ago and was set to bleed my coolant and possibly swap a pump out this weekend.

Then when I was driving to the store, the (!) light came on and this time the engine shut off. It was as though I had run out of gas. I turned the car off and on again, but it only made it about 250 feet before shutting off again. I'm pretty sure the pump was bad, does it sound like I didn't make it in time and now I need a new inverter too? Kind of hoping that's not the case particularly since I was about one hour away from solving the problem. Figured I'd come to you guys for your opinions to see if I'm really sunk here.

 

Okay, you think the car just wouldn't start at all if the inverter's dead? I'll check it out. Thanks man, will report back.

 

Huh, well oddly enough I just got a call from the dealer and they said there's no lights on and the car is driving fine. I'm gonna take it home and change the coolant pump myself since like I said I'm pretty sure that's been bad all along. Funny enough when it died in the first place every light came on and I couldn't even get it to turn off, I'd hold the power button but it would take 30 seconds or so to shut off, kept having to put the hazards on and stall out in the middle of an intersection. But then I guess it got some time to think about what it did and it's starting up fine now. Sounds like a new pump is in order, I'll let you guys know how it goes. Thanks for all the tips, glad the whole thing didn't blow up.

 

Even stranger, they didn't charge me a dime. I was shocked, maybe the battery died and erased all the codes. It is driving fine now though, so I'm going to order a coolant pump off eBay and try to swap it out this week.