My Prius has been making this exact same noise for over two years now. Should I be concerned? What is making this noise? Thanks!
That does sound like a bad bearing, either in a pulley or the water pump. Replace the worn part. TomK
To determine what is the problem, you would remove the serpentine drive belt and rotate the engine coolant pump and the tensioner pulley by hand. Replace any part which does not rotate smoothly. If the coolant pump bearing is seeping coolant, that is another reason to replace the coolant pump. The serpentine drive belt should be inspected for cracks on the interior surface and replaced as necessary.
Bad coolant pump makes sense now that you say it. Did an oil change last week and noticed fresh fluid on the front right axle. I've never messed with the serpentine belt before. Is there a side view diagram I could use?
How many miles? You don't want to take a chance on not replacing an inexpensive serpentine belt. I've heard of posters damaging their engines from overheating due to a failed belt. It's rare but it does happen.
You can find an exploded parts diagram in the factory repair manual, techinfo.toyota.com I wrote the following post about how to replace the engine coolant pump here: How to replace engine coolant pump and thermostat | PriusChat
It has 260,000 miles. Planning on replacing coolant pump, serpentine belt, idle pulley and thermostat (not sure if I need this but its cheap). It's been neglected for quite some time. Is there anything else I should have the mechanic look at or replace while doing these things considering the miles it has? Appreciate the responses!
I suggest you have the front struts, rear shocks, brake system, and exhaust system inspected and parts replaced as needed. Drain and replace the inverter coolant and the transaxle ATF. Replace the brake fluid.
