Prius C Inverter Coolant and Engine Coolant Change DIY

*I forgot to add a clip, a viewer commented below about the radiator not being fully drained; • Prius C Radiator Coola... this is the video clip I forgot to add, let me know if you think I should re-upload this with the missing clip.*
In this video I go over how to change the coolant on a 2013 Prius C, this process should be similar for many others years of Prius C and Aqua.
You should only need to key the ignition 3 or so times to get the inverter coolant to fully purge all the air from the system.
Let me know if I missed anything in the comments or anything was unclear.
Tools Needed:
Funnel or Non-Spill Funnel: amzn.to/34LAO6R
2 Gallons of Toyota Coolant: amzn.to/3044rSg
1/4" Vacuum Hose: amzn.to/30mIKIy
10mm Socket
Various Extensions
Ratchet
Flathead Screwdriver
Favorite Tools:
M12 Fuel Ratchet by Milwaukee: amzn.to/2LAzhtl
M18 Mid-Torque 1/2" by Milwaukee: amzn.to/2JBdqzv
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Strongway Bottle Jack: amzn.to/2Jq8NcJ
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If this helped you out or you simply enjoyed the content, feel free to like, comment, and subscribe I appreciate the support; thank you for stopping by.
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[@aldo_domingo_2610]

Thanks for the video Mark. I just bought a Prius C, 2013 and your work helps me a lot. God bless you.

[@tomparatube6506]

Please re-upload this with the missing clip. Such helpful video here, saving me about 300 bucks. Thanks mucho!

[@gohweixiang5457]

Manage to change the coolant by watching your video. Thanks for sharing.

[@chucko2000ify]

Thanx for this Coolant Change video for the Prius C. It seems to be the only detailed one I can find. Yesterday I liked and subscribed. Today, I Changed my Coolant. Everything went well. I had to stop and re-watch the video on how to activate the valve secured by the horse shoe spring. I was doing it wrong and couldn't get flow. I also removed the oil filter to get a little more access to that valve also. Only ONE screw left over for that plastic cover stuff. One of the holes musta fallen off I suppose.

[@MarkMethods]

Awesome! Glad to hear it helped you out!

[@JuanAlvarez-cf4wv]

Thank you so much for uploading this video! It was a huge help for me.

[@MarkMethods]

Glad it helped out!

[@mohammedlabeeb]

Yes, please. Upload both videos into one so that it is easier to follow.

[@MarkMethods]

I need to remaster this, I wish KZbin made it possible to swap the video without needing a full upload.

[@SlowRiderDucati]

Great videos I especially like the pre parts and supplies required part.

[@MarkMethods]

Thanks for watching!

[@kenyod4212]

Helped me a lot! Thank you.

[@yvonneisi]

You are a life saver, thank you! 😊

[@afgsa006848]

Thanks for making video I have Toyota aqua too🙏

[@gusarmenakis6344]

Great job

[@sybmea1774]

Nice video

[@michaelstclair838]

Thank you

[@SemanticSEOs]

Great video man i have aslo hybrid enthusiasts good work

[@MarkMethods]

Thanks! My driving has reduced quite a bit since covid so my maintenance videos are taking longer than I expected.

[@SemanticSEOs]

Thanks as a curiosity i think the inverter and engine coolant are same thing both have same coolant?

[@MarkMethods]

Correct, they use the same coolant; I think the inverter reservoir is mostly to reduce air pockets in the system. The loops connect to both utilize the radiator for cooling.

[@minkus89]

Thank you for the video! FYI it is possible to drain and refill both the engine and inverter coolant without removing plastic underbody panels. I don’t think I had to remove any undercarriage plastic bits. Tried to remove one but one bolt head was very rusted so I just reached from the bottom/top of the car to do it all. It took a bit of contorting and I had to wiggle the engine drain petcock to get it unstuck after 10 years of Ohio winters, but I got it open after some twisting and pulling. I was confused why the engine coolant wasn't draining at first until i realized I didn't open the pressurized metal coolant cap. Instead of removing the coolant reservoir hose, I used a hand pump to empty the reservoir. The coolant I used was Walmart Super Tech OE Red Antifreeze Prediluted 50/50, $11.83/gallon.

[@Sidicas]

thanks man. I was about to take the vice grips to mine and pull with both arms but I decided to read comments and see what I could find. After removing the metal pin, I was pulling it with at least 50 pounds of force and it just would NOT come out. So I did about 10 minutes of little twists and wiggles because I could feel it was very stiff but loosening up nicely. Eventually it just popped right out like a cork on its own and started draining!.

[@minkus89]

​​@@SidicasGlad I could help! I was definitely tempted to channel My frustration into it, but I'm glad I resisted and avoided causing a worse problem. Hopefully the next time we have to do it it will be a little bit easier. It reminds me of my recent wisdom tooth removal experience, actually..

[@bch6707]

@Mark Methods Hi, thank you for sharing this video. I was wondering, what's the area behind the black plastic coolant cap used for? Do you ever pour coolant directly into that? In my case, I'm dealing with low coolant.

[@leonkernan]

Cool, the dealer was about to charge me hundreds for this change. Looks simple enough that I’m doing it myself now

[@MarkMethods]

Good luck! It's not too difficult and it'll definitely save you some money.

[@samiamor3955]

@@MarkMethods I paid $150

[@jahdel.j]

Qnw

[@joekerz689]

I'm not a DIYer but I like to look stuff up that my mechanic recommends doing if more than a couple hundred. I watched LOTS of videos relating to the inverter cooling system. Yours was very professional and understandable even to me. One helpful thing would have been to say what you'd be trying to address by replacing the coolant, or is it something you do at a certain odometer reading, or . . .?

[@MarkMethods]

According to the service manual, 100k miles or 120 months; I haven't found information for subsequent changes however they typically sooner than 100k but I'd feel comfortable with that interval using OEM fluid.

[@nicko4996]

@@MarkMethods hey Mark I brought my 2015 Prius C to the toyots dealer to get this done and after driving the air is now now cool at 72 it should be warm. I took it back telling them there is still air in the system and they said they fixed it but upon driving it back home still blowing cool air at 72 to 74 if i turn it all thr way to high its hot but i noramlly would leave it at72 to 74 and its warm . Is there anything I can do to check purge air or make sure it's purged

[@ema8909]

Wow super helpful video. Thank you. If the coolant in the inverter tank is below the L, just below the ridge on the tank can I simply top it off with more coolant? It is a drain and refill necessary? It is a 2014 prius c with 86000 miles. Whoa...I hadn't realized I already watched it a couple months back! Again, very very helpful. Thank you

[@aleortiz1400]

I seen many videos on prius and most videos de go inside and a reset after the cooling system change that the part that scary but this video look straight forward, I wondering if the reset is optional?

[@alexisjqr]

I didn’t quite get the how to drain the inverter pump. You key the ignition to “ON” real quick or just get it in the key cylinder? If you could please elaborate it would be much appreciated. Thank you in advance.

[@antonymhazo3592]

Hi i have a 2014 aqua, seems systems are similar. Is it possible to change the radiator coolant without changing the inverter coolant. Are they the same liquid?

[@nicko4996]

Hi I had thr coolant flush done at toyota now I used to have my temp on 72 and now it's blowing cool air I told them that air was in thr system and they need to evacuate it more so I took the car back and they did it but still blowing cool air at 72 to 74 which should be warm so I don't think they know what they are doing is there anything I can try on my own to burp it and make sure it's burped

[@tkdleeds]

On my Prius when engine running and stationary, sometimes I hear kind of water waves. It started happening recently. Do you know what it can be please?

[@rishalprakash6887]

Don’t we have to drain the reserve tank?

[@matthewahrens4887]

Hey, I am looking to replace my coolant temperature sensor on my Prius c. Can’t seem to find where it is located. Do you know where it’s at?

[@maroofhaider1759]

Hello Sir I buy toyota aqua 2015 model, i am from Pakistan i have a question with you my aqua car have driven 116000km kindly tel me which engine oil is best. some one tell me 10w40 is best for this millage kindly help me sir to choose correct engine oil?

[@merc980]

How do you drain the 3rd one where you added the anti freeze?

[@carxpert736]

Hii ur work is really v appericiative. Please suggest me when transmission oil need to be change. I mean at which milage..

[@MarkMethods]

Under heavy driving conditions 60k miles; light driving I changed mine at 90k because I didn't see anything in the service manual. Here's a video on how to do it: kzbin.info/www/bejne/Y5SXZGarbshsf7s

[@josegarcia-th3pj]

do you know if prius c inverter coolant also show turbulence

[@hedgehogthesonic3181]

May i ask what are the songs used in this video? thanks you.

[@ludovicl-perez8369]

Hello, thanks a lot for this vidéo ! Is there necessary to do a bleedind ( is there bleed screw in this model like in the Prius Gen 2 ? ) I've got à Yaris 3, same system like Prius C in Europe.

[@MarkMethods]

I don't believe there is a bleed screw for removing the air from what I've seen.

[@jasonrussell1570]

I noticed he didn’t burp air bubble out of the system . Is that normal now ?

[@guzzywebtvchannel5865]

Nice video. Other videos had maintenance reset message required but mine doesn’t. Did your aqua had it too? Is it normal not to see it? What happens if you change it based on mileage than waiting for maintenance reset message?

[@MarkMethods]

It's possible that it was disabled or maybe the Japanese variant wasn't coded to have that message.

[@madhusudhanbandari9102]

Hi Mark, Nice video from you. Thanks a lot. After topping all inverter coolant and Radiator coolant , can I just start the car and drive around 1 or 2 miles. What is the best procedure

[@MarkMethods]

Correct, you'll see coolant levels drop once the thermostat opens; add more coolant as necessary. Don't add it directly to the radiator or inverter unless it's cool.

[@madhusudhanbandari9102]

@@MarkMethods Thanks Mark for all your suggestions

[@mohammedlabeeb]

Did you end up using both containers for the coolant or just one of them? I was watching your video and did not see when you switched or open the second container. Maybe I missed that part.

[@MarkMethods]

I ended up using not all of both bottles but I did need the second bottle to top off.

[@richardking6066]

You can buy a Chinese -made airlift very cheaply these days. Means you won't have any air to 'burp' out of the system. Not an essential tool - but very nice to have.

[@MarkMethods]

That would be nice to have, I need to investigate this further.

[@rjrawlings9211]

TURKEY BASTER!!!! you can use a turkey baster to get that excess fluid out of the funnel instead of making a mess :)

[@glhomni]

Any chance you have a video of changing the thermostat?

[@MarkMethods]

Haven't had to yet, I will certainly be putting one up when I do though!

[@arztadler6231]

Thanks for the video, Mark. I just changed my Prius C coolant but the mechanic made the same mistake. He didn't flush all of the coolants from the radiator and only one gallon was enough for both the inverter and engine. Will that be a problem if there is old coolant in the engine? my car is driven 200k on factory coolant.

[@Swoliosis1]

I'd say you are fine...

[@rondhole]

Thanks for the video. How old and miles is your car? I believe it is 7y or 150k miles interval. Your car is so clean, no surface rust. I believe there is no separate coolant for the inverter. They are all for the engine and inverter as one unit. The transmission in PriusC or Yaris hybrid is not cooled by coolant. Only by ATF fluid. Therefore, ATF change in PriusC is very important. Probably every 60k miles instead of 100k miles like in regular prius.

[@MarkMethods]

No problem! My Prius is a 2013 with currently 125k miles on it, time of filming was 100k. Surprisingly has lived on the east coast and not been eaten yet by rust. Under the hood I found the interval for the coolant was 150k miles but I didn't see a time interval.

[@rondhole]

@@MarkMethods Thanks for the answer. Toyota WS indeed has really good additives and stability although it is not fully synthetic. Hybrid transmission is all gears, just like differentials. It does not get as much heat as torque converter-style transmission. There is no time interval, ATF life is more about how it was used. If we live in mountains or towing a lot, changing 2x earlier is good prevention, just like changing oil every 5k miles/6 months for people who do short trips a lot.

[@alexeimaterov3226]

My stop ring didn't come off that easy and went flaying somewhere, now I can find it :(

[@Sweet4y2300]

To purge the ICE part there is a tap at the radiator level...

[@ema8909]

Thanks!! Does this need to be changed at 90,000 miles?

[@MarkMethods]

Coolant is at 150k miles from the sticker under the hood; I've heard 7 years as being the interval but I would check the PH to make sure it doesn't need to be done sooner.

[@marinoroyster1457]

Looks like you only used 1 gallon. Does that mean it's similar to the trans where a large portion of the original fluid will remain in the system with a dump and fill?

[@MarkMethods]

If you're careful you can get away with 1 gallon during a dump and fill (having a second gallon might be a good idea if a spill occurs), according to the manual the full system capacity is 1.25 gallons so only 20 percent will be left behind.

[@eldinahundley3496]

I have question? I have a 2014 Prius C, toyota dealer charge me for 699.00 to flush a coolant and the refill it was shocked that's a lot of money. Do you have idea how much does it cost if DIY?

[@MarkMethods]

About $50 or less for coolant, a few bucks for a funnel, a few bucks for a bucket. I'd say maybe $60? That's highway robbery, not surprising for a dealership but wow.

[@fatherleo4603]

How much easier of a job would this be if you used the no spill coolant funnel?

[@MarkMethods]

It's a lot less messy, I definitely suggest using the funnel that attaches to the radiator with the plunger.

[@josephrz6230]

Thank you for this. You don't need to flush the system first? I was considering getting a back flush kit so I could flush it myself but if it's not needed, I'll just drain and refill it as you did here. I have a 2012 Prius C with 109k miles on it that I acquired Jan 8, 2020. One more question : Can the inverter coolant be changed separately from the radiator coolant? I had a car care place flush my radiator and add new coolant 2 weeks ago. Now I'm wondering if I should drain it and add OEM coolant.

[@MarkMethods]

Hey! It won't hurt to do a flush, personally I end up keeping to a coolant change schedule of 80-100k miles which seems to prevent corrosion in my experience. Theoretically you could change them separately but it makes more sense to do them together in my opinion. OEM coolant is my go to personally, I know that Peak has some similarly formulated stuff but I don't like to roll the dice on my daily drivers. It's tough to make that call if you should replace it, if you are concerned change it a little early at 60k miles or 2-3 years.

[@josephrz6230]

@@MarkMethods The care care place won't touch my inverter coolant. The inverter and radiator cooling systems are connected?

[@MarkMethods]

At 3:00 I point out the inverter petcock, the other radiator drain is off to the left; in the description of my video is a clip of that I missed when making this. The shop must have been concerned with burping the inverter, if cavitation occurs it can damage the pump. This occurs when air is introduced due to a lack of coolant typically. I'll give the shop the benefit of the doubt but it seems suspicious, maybe it was a money grab. But yes, they are connected.

[@josephrz6230]

@@MarkMethods Hey Mark. Do you think I'd be better off to drain them both so I don't create a cavitation? I tested the inverter coolant and it tests for very high and low temperatures. It may have already been changed. The car has a very clean CARFAX and it was serviced by a Toyota dealer about every 5000 miles. It doesn't say the coolant was replaced but they replaced the tranny fluid once or twice and the brake fluid twice.

[@MarkMethods]

If you plan on changing the fluid, I'd suggest both systems at the same time personally. It sounds like someone was sold the dealership special maintenance plan on that one, that's a lot of early work imo but hey; lucky for you someone else paid for it. More than likely it's been changed but it's always best to be on the safe side if you're not certain.

[@IvanMartinez-ck8qw]

I have a 2015 Prius c my inverter is at e what should I do ???

[@MarkMethods]

Could add some coolant, is it leaking?

[@christopherfarrell51]

So what's all involved to recycle after the radiator flush

[@christopherfarrell51]

Just turn the ignition on then it recycles??

[@rajwantsinghkambo5353]

Hello Mark, do you use the same coolant for both engine and inverter?

[@MarkMethods]

Correct you do.

[@lenzomaru]

How often should this be changed?

[@MarkMethods]

According to the service manual, 100k miles or 120 months; I haven't found information for subsequent changes however they typically sooner than 100k but I'd feel comfortable with that interval using OEM fluid.

[@hedgehogthesonic3181]

May i ask how do you empty the coolant reservoir?

[@MarkMethods]

Unbolting it and dumping it out would probably be the easiest.

[@hedgehogthesonic3181]

@@MarkMethods Well i looked around it but did not saw a way to take it out, i saw no bolts so i was unable to drain it.

[@adeshmanohar8330]

Is it the same method for a 2015 aqua

[@MarkMethods]

Yes it will be.

[@throughmyeyes9940]

what about a "reverse flush"?

[@MarkMethods]

You could do that, since this isn't an overdue flush I wouldn't consider it.

[@lady4dogs1]

How often should I change it?

[@MarkMethods]

According to the service manual, 100k miles or 120 months; I haven't found information for subsequent changes however they typically sooner than 100k but I'd feel comfortable with that interval using OEM fluid.

[@hedgehogthesonic3181]

So the inverter and engine use the same type of coolant?

[@MarkMethods]

Yes, absolutely!

[@hedgehogthesonic3181]

@@MarkMethods Good to know, thanks for answering : - )

[@rafaellebron9526]

Is there a procedure to flush this type of car?

[@MarkMethods]

ChrisFix has a video on flushing the coolant system; I would suggest refilling with distilled water a couple time until it comes out clear if you have brown sediment coming out. On the final fill use coolant and verify the PH level to make sure it isn't too diluted.

[@tichua]

Paid $435 at the dealer today for this. I feel like an idiot now

[@MarkMethods]

Now you know you can save money next time, no reason to feel bad; does seem like these dealers are charging a lot though.

[@tichua]

@@MarkMethods will definitely do it myself when the car reaches 200K miles. I did the 150K one ($435) at the dealership. You are right about the price. Everything in San Francisco costs extra. When I did the 100K miles in Orange County, it was $289

[@howardmanley3388]

What is a inverter?

[@MarkMethods]

An inverter converts the DC electricity stored from the battery to AC for the motor.

[@howardmanley3388]

Mark Methods thank you Mike for taking the time and explaining that to me about the inverter

[@howardmanley3388]

Mark Methods meant to say mark

[@temido7]

Tha dealer wanna charge me $500..

[@MarkMethods]

Wow, that's a profit margin!

[@joemackbrunswick7608]

Thank you