Water Pumps and Sourcing

Discussion in 'Gen 3 Prius Main Forum' started by Frontporch, Mar 24, 2025.

  1. Mendel Leisk

    Mendel Leisk Senior Member

    Joined:
    Oct 17, 2010
    58,430
    40,234
    80
    Location:
    Greater Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
    Vehicle:
    2010 Prius
    Model:
    Touring
    In Canada, I'll probably be shopping here, going with the Aisin (SUBS):

    Engine Water Pump:
    https://www.amayama.com/en/genuine-catalogs/epc/toyota-usa/prius/ZVW30L/12388/engine/1601
    Inverter Water PUmp:
    https://www.amayama.com/en/genuine-catalogs/epc/toyota-usa/prius/ZVW30L/12388/electric/8432

    The two Aisin part numbers, for engine and inverter water pumps respectively, are:

    WPT190
    WQT001

    With Amayama now, they ask for the car's "frame number". You can find that on your driver's door decal, the one with the VIN. This is mine, just for example (early Canadian spec 2010):

    ZVW30L-AHXEBK

    @NutzAboutBolts recently came through with replacement videos for both, last two videos here:
    Nutz About Bolts Prius Maintenance Videos | PriusChat
     
    Paul E. Highway likes this.
  2. Tombukt2

    Tombukt2 Senior Member

    Joined:
    Nov 29, 2020
    11,552
    2,028
    0
    Location:
    Durham NC
    Vehicle:
    2009 Prius
    Model:
    Base
    Does the gen 3 have a lesser inverter cooling system than the two generation 2 that is? because I've never been able to get my inverter temp to bring the beeper on unless I turn the pump off and drive around and 80° weather simulating the pump broken and 80° weather when it was broken when the weather was cooler I drove for a year normal speeds and everything on the highway all of it never a problem till it got about 78°. I don't remember an alarm coming on I remember seeing the battery not charging right in the energy monitor of the generation 2 The three we never drove long enough to have inverter pumps or any of that fail I know they're there but. I just felt they built the generation 3 inverter pump a little better or something maybe Why I wasn't hearing about it all the time.
     
    Frontporch likes this.
  3. Frontporch

    Frontporch Active Member

    Joined:
    Dec 18, 2015
    493
    102
    0
    Location:
    Nj
    Vehicle:
    2012 Prius
    Model:
    Four
    I agree about not hearing the inverter pump mentioned much. Maybe it isn’t a “maintenance item” at 200k miles like the gen 2.

    I like the plan to change coolant regularly and watch the engine coolant and inverter pumps. Just picking up my car a few months ago I have no records nor do I expect that maintenance was thorough so I will pay and play it safe
     
  4. Frontporch

    Frontporch Active Member

    Joined:
    Dec 18, 2015
    493
    102
    0
    Location:
    Nj
    Vehicle:
    2012 Prius
    Model:
    Four
    Just picked up a cup mount so I could drive with some more instrumentation I don’t expect to drive like this every day but I do want to setup a good screen or two of stuff I can visualize to get to know this car a little better
    IMG_8802.jpeg
     
  5. Tombukt2

    Tombukt2 Senior Member

    Joined:
    Nov 29, 2020
    11,552
    2,028
    0
    Location:
    Durham NC
    Vehicle:
    2009 Prius
    Model:
    Base
    Ours weren't ever telling us anything . They just blew up . Rolled big end bearing. Etc slow clogging of EGR I imagine . Then HG fails hot spots from lack of EGR flow or such.
     
  6. Frontporch

    Frontporch Active Member

    Joined:
    Dec 18, 2015
    493
    102
    0
    Location:
    Nj
    Vehicle:
    2012 Prius
    Model:
    Four
    Came across this on amazon. It says it is sold through the AISIN store. Can someone misrepresent that so blatantly? Seems like a good price if it is the legitimate part.
    Screenshot 2025-04-21 at 2.19.34 PM.png
     
    #26 Frontporch, Apr 21, 2025
    Last edited: Apr 21, 2025
  7. Mendel Leisk

    Mendel Leisk Senior Member

    Joined:
    Oct 17, 2010
    58,430
    40,234
    80
    Location:
    Greater Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
    Vehicle:
    2010 Prius
    Model:
    Touring
    I’ll probably go with Amayama if-and-when. Works out to approximately $130 USD, all-in. That’s all they’ve ever charged, cost plus shipping, no extra tax/duty.
     

    Attached Files:

  8. MAX2

    MAX2 Senior Member

    Joined:
    Aug 12, 2024
    1,335
    418
    101
    Location:
    Third planet from the Sun
    Vehicle:
    2007 Prius
    Model:
    N/A
    Torque is good for some observations, but uninformative on the road. Hybrid Assistant is more informative, highlighting the necessary systems, painting them in different colors.
     

    Attached Files:

  9. Frontporch

    Frontporch Active Member

    Joined:
    Dec 18, 2015
    493
    102
    0
    Location:
    Nj
    Vehicle:
    2012 Prius
    Model:
    Four
    I will check out that app..

    Amayama looks like it might be the sensible choice for OE Aisin parts.

    I did read that Aisin does not sell directly to the public, so I am suspect of the Amazon site. That being said, if those were counterfeit or reman/used... wouldn't a company like Aisin be able to go to the larger shopping sites Amazon, etc and ask for the larger sites representing the manufacturers to be taken down?

    I went to aisin.com and sent an email to their support asking if they could verify that the parts sold on the Amazon "Aisin store" are in fact new parts that they manufacture... will share any response here.
     
    #29 Frontporch, Apr 22, 2025
    Last edited: Apr 22, 2025
    Mendel Leisk likes this.
  10. Frontporch

    Frontporch Active Member

    Joined:
    Dec 18, 2015
    493
    102
    0
    Location:
    Nj
    Vehicle:
    2012 Prius
    Model:
    Four
    Just got a response to my email.

    From Jose Diaz,
    "Hello. Amazon is authorized distributor. However we encourage to inspect your product prior to installation."

    There was a link to the page that was the "Aisin Store" at Amazon

    I also asked about the warranty and its 12 months / 12,000 miles through Amazon

    My gut feeling is that the products are legitimate, but there may be issues with returns being resold. I may buy through Amazon but quickly return anything that has any visible damage or looks like the packaging has been opened.

    Opinions?
    $141.99 for the gen3 engine water pump with 4.5/5 800+ reviews
     
    #30 Frontporch, Apr 22, 2025
    Last edited: Apr 22, 2025
  11. ASRDogman

    ASRDogman Senior Member

    Joined:
    May 29, 2018
    7,007
    3,668
    0
    Location:
    Florida
    Vehicle:
    2010 Prius
    Model:
    Two
    It sure seems a lot of people take a huge risk that they "might' get a legitimate coolant pump,
    to save a few dollars. That would fail, and cost them an engine, costing over $4000 to replace.

    Why take the risk?
     
  12. bbrages

    bbrages Member

    Joined:
    Feb 20, 2023
    155
    39
    0
    Location:
    St. Louis
    Vehicle:
    2005 Prius
    Model:
    N/A
    I have an eBay pump on mine... I like to live life on the edge! It's a legal thrill.
     
    ASRDogman likes this.
  13. ASRDogman

    ASRDogman Senior Member

    Joined:
    May 29, 2018
    7,007
    3,668
    0
    Location:
    Florida
    Vehicle:
    2010 Prius
    Model:
    Two
    I have an ebay impeller in mine. (y):whistle:
    No issue so far. If it have failed, I would have went to Toyota to get a pump.
    Mind you, 90% of the mileage on the car have been highway. The original owner and myself.
     
  14. Frontporch

    Frontporch Active Member

    Joined:
    Dec 18, 2015
    493
    102
    0
    Location:
    Nj
    Vehicle:
    2012 Prius
    Model:
    Four
    I ordered the AISIN pump from Amazon.. will post pictures when I get it. I wish Aisin would sell just the impeller... oh well.
     
  15. Frontporch

    Frontporch Active Member

    Joined:
    Dec 18, 2015
    493
    102
    0
    Location:
    Nj
    Vehicle:
    2012 Prius
    Model:
    Four
    I wonder what impact that has on the water pump, since it can spin up or down on its own.

    From what i have read, the impeller is the failure part on these pumps and it could very well be from old coolant. I think RJParker had the right idea to keep up with fluid changes and the pump might just last the life of the car. That's my plan with the new pump, although with close to 200K miles, I don't expect to have the car for lots of changes.
     
  16. ASRDogman

    ASRDogman Senior Member

    Joined:
    May 29, 2018
    7,007
    3,668
    0
    Location:
    Florida
    Vehicle:
    2010 Prius
    Model:
    Two
    From what I've read, yes, the impeller is what fails. It usually splits, then it can't rotate freely.
    I do not believe Toyota sells it separately....

     
  17. MAX2

    MAX2 Senior Member

    Joined:
    Aug 12, 2024
    1,335
    418
    101
    Location:
    Third planet from the Sun
    Vehicle:
    2007 Prius
    Model:
    N/A
    At high highway speeds, the engine works hard. The heat is high and the pump must also rotate more intensively to push the coolant along the engine, radiator tube line. It is logical that at high speeds, any part experiences higher loads. The combination of high loads and high temperature makes the plastic more pliable and it begins to deform, touching fixed parts. As a result, the impeller of the pump peels off from the rotor.


    Replacing the liquid also ensures that the cooling system is flushed from any mechanical impurities formed during operation, from small exfoliated particles of rubber, plastic and corroded metal. Otherwise, they continue to circulate through the system, affecting the rotating parts of the pump.
     
    Mendel Leisk likes this.
  18. Bill Norton

    Bill Norton Senior Member

    Joined:
    Dec 15, 2012
    2,107
    719
    0
    Location:
    MONW, Ks.
    Vehicle:
    2010 Prius
    Model:
    Five
    Wouldn't the car give you a 'High Coolant Temp' light long before the engine is cooked?
    Isn't there a temp point where the system shuts down the engine before getting to the 'Cooked, must be replaced' stage of overheating?
     
  19. ChapmanF

    ChapmanF Senior Member

    Joined:
    Mar 30, 2008
    25,960
    16,943
    0
    Location:
    Indiana, USA
    Vehicle:
    2010 Prius
    Model:
    IV
    You get a 'High Coolant Temp' light at 120℃. Is that early enough? I don't know.

    The system shuts down the engine at 105℃ (before even showing the red light) if there is a water pump trouble code already reported.

    I don't know that it does any automatic shutting down if there isn't a known water pump problem. It may just show you the red light and leave the decisions up to you.
     
    Brian1954 likes this.
  20. bbrages

    bbrages Member

    Joined:
    Feb 20, 2023
    155
    39
    0
    Location:
    St. Louis
    Vehicle:
    2005 Prius
    Model:
    N/A
    Here is a little fun fact: I have a Accord Hybrid and the water pump looks just like this one. I think it's quite a bit more expensive, though.

    The fun part is that my Accord head gasket went out at 180k miles. Coincidence?