Two thousand eleven prius, I think the fuel pump maybe going need some advice

Discussion in 'Gen 3 Prius Technical Discussion' started by bobby515, Jun 23, 2025 at 3:34 PM.

  1. bobby515

    bobby515 Member

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    i've been driving a 2011 Prius, 232k steadily 2 full years.
    Today I worked this morning.
    I do Uber with the car . While back I put a new head gasket water pump, I maintain the car Nice clean the e g r.
    This afternoon, when I got in the car
    , it started right up. But it kinda bogs a little bit and hesitates, no poppin', quick or backfiring, no engine codes,
    I ran the code reader, but it seems lack of power.
    I cannot get on the highway from my house. But it's drivable in the neighborhood With a full charged battery,
    it didn't seem much different. Well, it's almost like there's a miss in it. In the maintenance mode, it also seem to run the same.
    Any advice on what to check or look for I got a 1/2 a tank of fuel. I filled it two days ago
    It's a 100° out I had a similar problem years ago. I thought maybe vapor locked, and I opened up the gas cap and shook the car up-and-down and went away. I tried that no, go.
    I don't hear any noise.
    coming from the fuel pump, it's super hot. Is there any advice on how it check to pump? Were any ideas what could be wrong? I'm very handily .
    Thanks for any help.
    Also too, the last few days. If I take off real fast with the car, when it's running good and even today, it seemed like the motor overreaves, when you let off the gas the rpms, you could hear it like it's like a special noise other than that. It's got a good idol.I just can't figure it out.
     
  2. Tombukt2

    Tombukt2 Senior Member

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    If someone steps on the gas while it's ready the engine fires up if you have the gas tank door open and cap off listen in tank should be buzz
     
  3. bobby515

    bobby515 Member

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    So the car starts normal.open fuel door get someone to start it
    Listen for a buzz. If it buzzes. Is that good or bad.? Tks
     
  4. Tombukt2

    Tombukt2 Senior Member

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    It would indicate that the pump is running that it's making required volume and pressure is another type test and a pita before I did that test I could replace the cheap pump twice.so at any kind of mileage I'd just change it it's quick painless. And at mileage . Wait till you see it come out it should be dirty notice sock filter.
     
  5. bobby515

    bobby515 Member

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    So you think I should just change the pump?? Is it safe to buy aftermarket pumps?? Thanks..
     
  6. Tombukt2

    Tombukt2 Senior Member

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    Yes the size in you're Prius is like Corolla and others can be had by major mfgrs for 56 bucks and up . I typically use about a 66 dollar model I put a 38 dollar unit in my 02 Corolla been in 8 yrs now . Still great . If 8 had 100 K.plus 8moght just swap it . Technically it should go to 200 plus but quality has come way down after 2010. All across the board.
     
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  7. ASRDogman

    ASRDogman Senior Member

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    Do not just change any part without properly checking to see if it's bad.
    Unless you have money and time to throw away.

    You should do fuel flow tests and pressure tests.

    Be careful what some people tell you on here. They don't always have YOUR best interest in mind.

     
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  8. bobby515

    bobby515 Member

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    I agree. It's a panic because of work. I will do a presure test. The more I think about it. I think maybe its the convertor when it got really hot
    It's 12am here still 90. In the am. I will drive it around the area. I been having a foul odor on heavy acceleration on hwy for a very long time.
    Thanks for your patience. It's even hot in my home with window air-conditioned.
     
  9. Mendel Leisk

    Mendel Leisk Senior Member

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    I noticed Toronto in the news, for breaking its heat records. It’s bad, currently 73F (at 6:30 am), but Philadelphia is 80F. :eek:
     
  10. Leadfoot J. McCoalroller

    Leadfoot J. McCoalroller Senior Member

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    clogged catalytic converter?
     
  11. Mendel Leisk

    Mendel Leisk Senior Member

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    ^ Regarding catalytic converter condition, how’s the oil consumption? If it’s burning a lot it’s bad for the converter.
     
  12. bobby515

    bobby515 Member

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    Don't burn no oil. Today in am 90+ out. I think with the Uber driving. The cat is clogging as when cold it runs normal.1/2 quart of oil at 5000 miles
     
  13. bobby515

    bobby515 Member

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    91 at 9 am
     
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  14. bobby515

    bobby515 Member

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    The car's old 232k. I've had it two years, I do uber with it.I maintain the car well.
    A while back, I put a head gaskin in
    I always had this smell. Of like sulfur, since the day I got it when I'm driving at highway speeds accelerating quickly. The car has never been in there, low. On power. I rushed to think of the fuel pump. One of my friends of forty years is it ev? Tech at the same dealer since 1979, he does E. V. But you don't know about hybrid, but I talked to him last night after I made my post and it's really hot here. It's going to be like a hundredth today. I need my car, but he brought up. Did you check your converter? And then he told me, there's a pressure Tester, you can use on the converter. I ordered an aftermark at 1 as the car is an older car, not much money. I don't mind replacement a few extra parts because a car is a money maker for me. It's been very good, I was just talking to myself about how reliable it was. And then this happened.
    Here's what I think that maybe happen yesterday. I work from 5:30 in the morning to about 9:30 AM. When the heat started building drove home at highway, speeds had it up to maybe 75 Miles per hour coming home. I ninety five.
    I went in the house, had breakfast. The car sat 2 hours it felt like Florida in Philadelphia. I went back out to the car. It started hesitating some and it's kind of hard to describe. That's what's got me baffled, and it seemed like it wouldn't get up to full power. You could get it up to 45 or 50, but you had to inch it up. So I said, this morning, I'm gonna go out and test it. I'm in the car now and the car is running back to normal. I'm thinking when the converter heats up. It's clogging.
    That's the best update I could provide. I appreciate you guys any input. He's always been helpful since I've had the car. I've put new struts, ball joints, ty rods, shocks breaks and rotors. When the problem happened, I had a similar problem on a Nissan years ago. I was going to a dealer for inspection and the car was acted nuts and it was warm out but not hot like this. And the owner's wife said, take the gas cap off and put it back on, do it a couple times I think your car's vapor locking. And she was right, I think I filled the car up the night before and the car ran perfect. I tried that so I thought maybe it was vapor lock, I got a 1/2 a tank of fuel, but I'm a little bit I'm concerned. But with the mileage, I don't mind, I'm putting the converter on aftermarket, of course. I'm not a fan of it, but realistically. I got high mileage on the car with current inspection. No codes on the scanner, I have the. Regular scanner, I don't have the d 2.
    But the basic plan for now is to replace the converter. And if I have to put a fuel pump in, why not?It's got a lot of miles on it
     
  15. bobby515

    bobby515 Member

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    Over the last years, we've been blessed mild, winters and beautiful summers.
    This is a rare heat wave. Yesterday felt like 108. I'm back in the air conditioning. I drove the car for a couple miles. It drove back to normal, but I'm just going to maintain because I did smell rotten eggs. It passed emissions last week, but I've been smelling rotten eggs only when I drive quick on the highway. Always 2 years. No check engine lights. So I kind of ignored it. So my game plan is to install a new converter. A basic aftermarket, not oem, because it'll miles if the car was a virgin and really nice then I would think of different options.
    And find a way a fuel pump test.
    The car's not perfect. It's got a couple little dents on it. Nice interior but it's a moneymaker for me. It's my income. I'm home on the sidelines right now. When i'm usually making money.
    With the major heat, if you needed to call triple a, they might take a couple hours to get to you.
    My buddy sent me a message saying that the cloud converters were prevalent on the highway. But my major problem was leaving my house in the city. The car seems back to normal. So will I work this afternoon? Say 3pm -6pm i don't know too hot for an old guy like me to get stuck
     
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