Diagnostic help- strange whirring noise?

Discussion in 'Gen 2 Prius Care, Maintenance and Troubleshooting' started by gen2enjoyer, May 11, 2026 at 8:25 AM.

  1. gen2enjoyer

    gen2enjoyer New Member

    Joined:
    Yesterday
    2
    0
    0
    Location:
    Michigan
    Vehicle:
    2007 Prius
    Model:
    N/A
    Car runs and drives fine but I often find the inverter coolant is low (possible leak?) and after driving for a bit there's a whirring noise that goes away at stoplights. Also occasionally makes sloshing noises after powering it off.

    Any thoughts/input are greatly appreciated, thanks in advance.
     
  2. Seraphim

    Seraphim New Member

    Joined:
    Apr 18, 2026
    5
    2
    1
    Location:
    Michigan
    Vehicle:
    2004 Prius
    Model:
    Base
    Welcome to the forum, fellow Michigander!

    The usual noise after power-off is the hot coolant getting pumped into coolant heat storage, which serves to help reduce fuel consumption when starting up the next time around.

    The whirring noise sounds like it might be the brake booster pump and/or accumulator. An old thread cited this as a way to confirm:
    As for the coolant otherwise, are you getting any codes related to the inverter cooling system? Usually, you'd get something like P0A93 if there was a leak or the pump sensor thought something was off.
     
  3. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

    Joined:
    May 11, 2005
    114,897
    52,538
    0
    Location:
    boston
    Vehicle:
    2012 Prius Plug-in
    Model:
    Plug-in Base
    welcome!
    how many miles and how long have you owned it?
    definitely a leak somewhere
     
  4. Tombukt2

    Tombukt2 Senior Member

    Joined:
    Nov 29, 2020
    13,597
    2,457
    0
    Location:
    Durham NC
    Vehicle:
    2009 Prius
    Model:
    Base
    The inverter coolant path is not very complicated tracking a leak should be quick . Invert fluid not flowing and that system getting hot could produce strange noises. And for sloshing . After car cools move plastic re. I've radiator cap. When you remove the cap you should see coolant or water standing proud at the top of the neck almost ready to dump on the ground what do you see when you remove your radiator cap at a cool state of the vehicle . If you can look down that black plastic filler neck and see nada that maybe part of sloshing . Systems needs be FULL.