So I got my HV water pump replaced for free yesterday, as in NZ it is a ‘safety’ recall, so doesn’t expire! The old pump had actually failed (hence the replacement). The new one has good coolant flow, but rather than the constant hum of the old one, the new one has a constant hum, which varies in frequency back and forth perhaps four times a second. Is this a worry, or a warning sign of something (like air in the system)? Also they made a note - squeaky brakes, may be worn’ - actually it’s the brake actuator that makes that weird noise every so often. It isn’t leaking, but at low speed the brakes make a creaky noise sometimes. Is there anything preventative I should try - or just wait till the inevitable? Thank you for advice!
You've waited this long for the HV water pump, you can probably wait a little longer on the brake actuator and change it when it fails. Only a replacement can fix it
The noise after water pump replace is caused by air in the system. Take it back and have them bleed the air out again, or search on here and do it yourself. It's very easy to do. As for brake noise... I suspect the creaking sound you refer to is the pump that pressurises the actuator. So simply keep track of how often that happens and once it's happening every few minutes or less it's time to replace.
On occasion, I also noticed a similar creaky sound at very low speeds and when im slowing or at a stop. It doesn't sound like anything is grinding against each other, more like a sound thats coming from a pump as @PriusCamper noted. The inverter pump on my 2006 prius was replaced twice, in 2011 and 2018, and it has about 144k miles on it. I'll look for the pump part that PriusCamper mentioned. edit: found this sound clip of a failing brake actuator, and mine does not sound like this. its more of a small high pitch peeps. https://www.hometownhybrids.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/Brake-Actuator-Pump.m4a