My motor overheated a couple of days before, immediately following picking up the car after some collision repairs, and I need some help around diagnosticking the problem from you kind folks...
More Info:
- I unfortunately rear-ended someone recently, and because I had been braking to avoid collision, the front-end of the car dipped and so the Prius front bumper didn't participate in the accident. Instead, the hood got crumpled, and damaged the radiator and part of the AC - no contact with motor or engine, and the rest was cosmetic. Happily - No one was hurt and it was hard to see any damage to the other car. So they replaced different panels, as well as the radiator system.
Here's the problem - I drove from the dealer and looked under the hood after I got home, and noticed a few drops of the radiator coolant around the cap. All seals looked tight though, so I thought I would monitor it. Next day drove around town and within 20 minutes or so, noticed the white engine symbol with the words "Check" under it. In the manual, it says to check that there's gas in the tank, and if it persists after a few starts of the car, to go see a mechanic. As I went onto a short stretch of highway to go back home, then I go the red Triangle of Death symbol on the dash and the radiator overheating symbol on the Nav display, but they disappeared as soon as I let up on the gas. It lit up a few more times for a second or two as I waited for my chance to get off the highway. Pulling over I found evidence that more coolant had sprayed in the engine compartment, but my coolant level was still high.
I took it to the dealer again, and they diagnosed it as a vapour lock in the coolant system, as they were able to add about a litre of coolant to the system when flushing it thoroughly.
However, I mentioned to them that when I pulled over shortly after getting the overheating warning that the engine cooling fan was not on, and that I hadn't seen the fan on once since several checks of the radiator since the repairs - and I wondered if this might be part of the problem. They decided to keep the car longer and see if they could test the system on if the fan is working, but since it is all computer-controlled, they weren't sure how to confirm that it works properly.
Here finally is the question: Is there any way to test that the fan works? Running the AC doesn't help with the Prius, to check the fan. Also, maybe the motor is cooled enough to not need the fan by the time one gets off the highway to look undder the hood.
I'll offer any suggestions to the mechanic if you have any...
More Info:
- I unfortunately rear-ended someone recently, and because I had been braking to avoid collision, the front-end of the car dipped and so the Prius front bumper didn't participate in the accident. Instead, the hood got crumpled, and damaged the radiator and part of the AC - no contact with motor or engine, and the rest was cosmetic. Happily - No one was hurt and it was hard to see any damage to the other car. So they replaced different panels, as well as the radiator system.
Here's the problem - I drove from the dealer and looked under the hood after I got home, and noticed a few drops of the radiator coolant around the cap. All seals looked tight though, so I thought I would monitor it. Next day drove around town and within 20 minutes or so, noticed the white engine symbol with the words "Check" under it. In the manual, it says to check that there's gas in the tank, and if it persists after a few starts of the car, to go see a mechanic. As I went onto a short stretch of highway to go back home, then I go the red Triangle of Death symbol on the dash and the radiator overheating symbol on the Nav display, but they disappeared as soon as I let up on the gas. It lit up a few more times for a second or two as I waited for my chance to get off the highway. Pulling over I found evidence that more coolant had sprayed in the engine compartment, but my coolant level was still high.
I took it to the dealer again, and they diagnosed it as a vapour lock in the coolant system, as they were able to add about a litre of coolant to the system when flushing it thoroughly.
However, I mentioned to them that when I pulled over shortly after getting the overheating warning that the engine cooling fan was not on, and that I hadn't seen the fan on once since several checks of the radiator since the repairs - and I wondered if this might be part of the problem. They decided to keep the car longer and see if they could test the system on if the fan is working, but since it is all computer-controlled, they weren't sure how to confirm that it works properly.
Here finally is the question: Is there any way to test that the fan works? Running the AC doesn't help with the Prius, to check the fan. Also, maybe the motor is cooled enough to not need the fan by the time one gets off the highway to look undder the hood.
I'll offer any suggestions to the mechanic if you have any...
