My Prius barks, does yours?

Maintenance/Repairs
1

What is the plural of “Prius”?



Any road?about 2 months ago, as I stopped to pick up the mail after my 70 mile, one way commute home, I heard a distinct woodchuck bark coming from under the diminutive hood of my 2007 Prius. The car was in park with the engine and the defroster running. I thought I had hit a woodchuck that had somehow lodged itself under the hood.



Today I left the car at Toyota after the service manager also heard it. He didn’t have a clue but said this would be a “?tough one?” and mentioned something about “?hours?” and “?stethoscope?” and “?twenty-five years in the business?”.



Whaddia think?

2

Does it bark with the defroster off? If so are there any other patterns, or if it is under warranty, you can leave it and say, gosh a lot of hours? do I get a loaner car?

3

I have a warranty with Geico and I get a loaner from the dealer because I bought the car there. I don’t think it barks with the climate system off.

Thanks

4

I think the sound is the AC compressor cycling on and off and a belt slipping (if it has one).

5

Or else a bad compressor, or tensioner, and a slight possibility of other items run by the same belt. FYI ingrafx defrost on most cars kicks in the AC compressor to help dry the air for more effective defrosting, and defogging, can we say defrogging?

6

You’re correct. There was a leaking “O-ring” (Must be built by NASA). on the high pressure AC hose. I am told that the compressor unit is electric and not a power take-off from the gas engine, ergo: no belts. The insurance company denied the compressor replacement as it was still “working” however, I believe the o-ring leak was caused by a deformation of the collar on the compressor inlet and hence is a manufacturer’s defect. I haven’t heard from the Toyota people yet today, so if anybody’s interested in the final outcome, I’ll post again tomorrow.

THANKS ALL!

7

Now you know the “value” of extended warranties from anyone other than the car’s manufacturer.

While extended warranties in general are rarely worth the money, if you really want an extended warranty, you should only consider one from the vehicle’s manufacturer. Other vendors of warranties–obviously including Geico–will manage to weasel out of covering virtually any problem.