Toyota Prius Gen3 inverter replacement

In this video, I'll show you how to replace the inverter converter in a gen3 (
Model years: 2010-2015)Toyota Prius.

[@tayscarborough5227]

Thank you for this video!!! It was extremely helpful. I just fixed my prius thanks to you!

[@davidcooper7140]

Step-by-step easy to install inverter converter guide, thanks

[@user-mx4et6mn3u]

Perfect video, thanks man! Just replaced my old one with one from a salvage yard....only issue i had was the fuse for the A/C was blown in the salvage inverter so I replaced it with the one from my old one and my A/C was good to go!!!!!!

[@igorrosales1799]

Hi I have the same problem, where can I get a salvage yard inverter? And how much it costs average?

[@alan6832]

@@igorrosales1799 I'm seeing a selection on Ebay in the $300 to $400 range. I think the maker should still film himself disconnecting and reconnecting the batteries and also draining the coolant and splice them into this video. It is missing important steps and it looks too easy as a result.

[@pierrehourdequin8316]

Je viens d'avoir le problème...je suis en train de chercher comment le remplacer. Merci pour ta vidéo : ça me remonte le moral ! Grâce à ta vidéo, j'ai pu changer le mien ! Merci pour cette vidéo et la méthode pour reconnaitre le nouveau (voir le commentaires)

[@michaelbodine6142]

GREAT. INFORMATION video; 3,6,8,2harness , 9 bolts ; Filterbox, then replace fluid. D.N.O. overfill. GREAT video.

[@eugeneleroux1842]

Thank you for this informative video.

[@jroque7891]

Very well executed God-bless

[@bdsportstv7801]

Really useful information

[@mechanicslife24]

Thx

[@joeretiredmarine8468]

Outstanding video...I may try this myself now! 2013 Prius V, codes: P0C3A and F, P0A94

[@bartbiniecki3711]

Very Nice 👌 Thank you!!!

[@gig3k948]

hi thanks for the tutorial, is 8 wire horness bolts longer than other inverter bolts? just replaced my old one with new from a local store and i'm so confused about bolt locations, also replaced inverter water pump that was very hard job, only water pump left that has to be replaced on my gen 3, seems to be pretty easy.

[@technicalsum7717]

Great and keep safe

[@perterchinonso4617]

Great work

[@mechanicslife24]

Thx

[@lastsummer2277]

I really like the way u did

[@mechanicslife24]

Thx

[@21boxhead]

@@mechanicslife24HMM NO MENTION OF PULLING THE HIGH VOLTAGE KILL SWITCH OFF THE HYBRID BATTERY FIRST

[@oaklife15]

Great video, thanks

[@mechanicslife24]

Thx

[@mechanicslife24]

Thx

[@khaledzaitoun7321]

Beautiful ❤️👍

[@foodfactory4339]

hi please I've a problem where if a drove my 2010 Prius for a certain miles all the caution signs come up, the heater works so as the ac.....do y'all think changing the coolant can stop that

[@beto5.016]

Thank you

[@Spekylyant88]

Thank you for your work, quite detailed and informative. Did everything step by step like you, after which the car will not start. The Ready lamp is off. Please tell me where to look?

[@Biophyswiz]

You forgot to reset the hybrid battery switch (the neon orange one on the hybrid battery)

[@dinoteolis191]

you have to disconnect 12v battery have some one get in the car step on brake before you reconnect the battery . it take 2 people .

[@samehsaeed8686]

Nice good luck

[@mechanicslife24]

Thx

[@user-ib2id9nt9m]

Hello, I have a question! How do I know when the inventory pump on the third generation Prius is damaged? Antifreeze should circulate in the tank

[@dabitout6975]

Thank you Sir

[@rh63892]

If you have a 2nd gen and new prius and your inverter failed, check to see if there is a recall on the firmware. Mine failed about two weeks ago and I did just that. The dealership repaired it for free because it was associated with the recall. Mine was a 2012 Prius with 115k miles, Hope this helps.

[@mechanicslife24]

Yes .. you r right...unfortunately this software update came after i made this video...

[@njunaid7802]

This happened to me today (MK3 2011 Prius) My car lost power as I put the AC on, it still drives but no battery connection. I’ve booked the recall for Monday so hoping it’s related.

[@brgo_1787]

@@mechanicslife24 there is a recall for that on the gen 3 but we have to wait a few months for it to kick in

[@peterdpham]

@@mechanicslife24 Thank you how do you know what gen you have? Mine is 2012 prius C. Dealer told to replace the inverter/converter $2500 plus labor. I scanned but did not see any codes or dealer has been reset? Where did you buy the inverter?

[@NeedATank]

dose it need to be programmed or re calibrated?

[@sulitalewale7077]

What was the problem with the old inverter .

[@zillurrahmanrakib3701]

Good bro

[@mechanicslife24]

Thx

[@jeremypeck5781]

All the same size bolts? What size?

[@josegarcia-th3pj]

how do you connect the inverter plug

[@alanw5812]

you don't torque any bolts? even the wires?

[@vintess7779]

Great, informative video! I have a quick question. I had the 20TA1 recall software update on my 2014 Prius Four performed. On my way home, I noticed that the traction battery charge indicator was a tad higher that about the 25% charge level AFTER getting home from the dealership (about a15 minute highway trip). Prior to the the update, the battery charge indicator was never that low after a highway trip. After the car sitting for weeks, while I was on a trip, and after recharging the battery, I now am getting a "check hybrid system" note on the display. The care won't go into drive or reverse and the steering wheel is as stiff as a skyscraper I-beam. In other words the car can't be driven! Other than this, all other car functions seems to be working fine. In your experience, does this sound like an inverter issue?

[@GummyRiches]

It seems like it. Didn't have a scan tool?

[@tanzaniacarschannel6975]

Did get the solution to this Problem?

[@noelabela9283]

Hi thanks for the video I have a Prius Gen3 and replaced the hybrid battery in 2021 and now I got the same message 'Check hybrid system' and the error is showing DC converter performance. Does this means need to replace the inverter? Thanks

[@CtRacerX]

Yep, the switches on the inverter went bad/ burnt due to the coolant either not circulating well or because the fluid was contaminated. Definitely check the electric water pump, and put in a new (used) inverter

[@kumara5492]

Nice video. I am here to see how I can move inverter so that I can have access to replace inverter pump ( as part of maintenance on my Prius V 2013 with 190,000 miles ). So, is there any other better way to replace the pump from below or from the side ( removing headlight assembly ) without disturbing the inverter so that I need not have to disconnect orange hybrid battery safety plus for this process. I am afraid I might have to deal with some codes after reconnecting the orange safety plug. Does it usually throw errors after reconnecting the safety plug? Thank you and I subscribed.

[@user-mx4et6mn3u]

From my understanding you have to remove the inverter to get to the pump.

[@pydepiperproductionsllcjon7585]

You can replace the inverter pump by simply removing the right headlight. You do not have to take out the inverter. It takes about 15 mins removing the headlight. You disconnect 3 bolts to losen the bumper, then 3 bolts to remove the headlight.

[@kumara5492]

@@pydepiperproductionsllcjon7585 well, that works only on second generation Prius. I have third generation prius and it's not that easy. Are you referring to second generation or third generation prius?

[@austban]

@@kumara5492lil late but i removed whole inverter only way

[@herbsthewerd1]

Hello. Do you know what model OBD2 scanner will be able to confirm what is wrong with my Prius? I have the check hybrid system warning but want to buy a scanner to pin point the issue. Thank you.

[@igorrosales1799]

Hi did you solve your problem? What was it? My 2010 Prius is also warning me with the “check hybrid system” light

[@pangrac1]

Why replace inverter anyway? How you find it not working?

[@juancsm2677]

Hello again ... greetings when changing the inverter, do you have to program? It has to be the same part number ... example my car is 2007 do I fit a 2008 Prius?

[@mechanicslife24]

dont need to reprogram but need to have the same part number

[@GummyRiches]

07 n 08 have same part number

[@dinoteolis191]

how did you no your inverter was bad ?

[@andypeterson2126]

Why would you need to change the inverter had gone bad what are the symptoms of a bad inverter? Thanks.

[@21boxhead]

VERY DIM LIGHTS SLOW ACCELERATION EVENTUALLY DASHBOARD WILL LIGHT UP WITH CHECK ENGINE LIGHT, ABS LIGHT, BUNCH OF LIGHTS GOING OFF USING DIAGNOSIS WON'T HELP IT WILL SHOW A CRAP LOAD OF DIFFERENT CODES ONLY THE STEALERSHIP HAS DIAGNOSIS MACHINE TO FIGURE IT OUT IF YOU GOT THE RECALL SOFTWARE UPDATE AND THE INVERTER FAILED SOME TIME AFTER YOU CAN GET IT WARRANTIED

[@peterdpham938]

is this same as 2012 - 2016 toyota prius c hybrid inverter assembly w/ converter? thank you

[@CtRacerX]

Yep

[@B04Leverkusen78]

It threw me POA7A and POA94. Do i hv to replace the inverter pump too? And how long you let the charge die after taking out the battery and starter battery connection out?

[@mechanicslife24]

Theres a new recall for check with the dealer first u may get it fixed for free

[@davidrc5164]

I have the same codes as you...whatever happened? did you have to change the inverter?

[@JEY74]

👌

[@Hong-py7fk]

You didn’t mention to remove the safety plug first before working on the high voltage components

[@pierrehourdequin8316]

C'est indiqué en début de vidéo

[@CtRacerX]

⁠Vous avez mal compris, le commentateur a conseillé que cette vidéo ne montre pas COMMENT déconnecter la batterie hybride et la prise de sécurité There are other videos that show these steps

[@west_park7993]

Prius 2012 will not shift to Drive or Reveres. Instead it goes to Neutral. 12-V battery is 12.6 Any idea? My NiCd battery appears to work OK so far.

[@swimbikerunfun]

I got this same issue!

[@swimbikerunfun]

The shop my prius is at now tells me its the inverter. There like 200 on ebay. Called the dealer and apparently there is a software update. May be related but unsure if its part of the same problem

[@musclesmouse]

Mine failed a couple of months ago. I see a recall that came about the same time.

[@21boxhead]

GET IT DONE AT THE DEALERSHIP THEY REPLACE INVERTERS FREE IF YOU HAD THE RECALL SOFTWARE UPDATE BEFORE

[@OfficalTenzing]

Hey do you have to drain the coolant to do this job ? I see that your coolant was empty

[@JS-hg4vj]

I am not sure on Gen 3 but I know on Gen 2, there a cooling inverter, most young mechanics just top off cooling but if your doing it yourself do it the right way. Bleed the cooling it takes 20 minutes and pretty easy to do.

[@west_park7993]

I heard that Toyota does not want to announce recall for the inverters. However, they give extended warrantee and will replace it for free, if problem occur.

[@FAasheim]

They replaced my 2010 inverter and gave me 12 yr extended warranty. The inverter doesn’t deliver as many amps and my gas mileage is poor ( 42mpg)

[@raymondgonzalez4521]

@@FAasheim need help, how did you get them, stealership, to replace for free? mine is saying it is not covered and mine is a 2011 as compared to yours... thanks!

[@FAasheim]

​@@raymondgonzalez4521Toyota has issued a memo to replace certain inverters. My failure occurred as a limp home mode . ( Engine only) after I had gunned it getting on an on ramp ND IT JUST SHUT DOWN. Im not sure why mine was covere and not yours. They gave me a 12 year extended warranty ( the car was 10 years old!)

[@jhill4071]

Any recalls or TSBs on this Inverter. What was the criteria for replacing the Inverter? This is a highly reliable Toyota product and this an extremely expensive component. that's not known for failing. One should get a test/opinion from a second Indy shop to see if thire $20,000 test tool confirms the malfunction/replacement need. Then the question of where did the replacement Inverter come from because it sure doesn't look like OEM with a warranty.

[@mechanicslife24]

Eventhough this unit rarely failed but it is not failed proof, they will go bad at some point. Replacement is depending on ur budget.. u can easily get a reman or used one from a trusted source since they r highly reliable for a fraction of a brand new one from toyota.

[@21boxhead]

READING HOW MUCH THEY CHARGING FOR THIS IS ABOUT $1400 + LABOR

[@GummyRiches]

Everything dies with age. Fixing my Prius I became a mechanic

[@janepaulhutson7426]

Well this is about as straightforward as you can get. So why does the dealer need the car all day + with huge labor cost for what can be done in less than an hour and no need to jack up the car?

[@njunaid7802]

Do you need to drain anything before this? I note that your coolant is empty?

[@brgo_1787]

Yes I think you do bro that’s what I’m noticing rn. Not to bitch or anything but everyone who has made a video changing an inverter they don’t say if you have to drain your coolant but it’s always empty in the videos

[@njunaid7802]

@@brgo_1787 Yea I’ve noticed that as well across the videos available. I actually changed my inverter around two months ago and I did need to cap two coolant lines on either side. I did not have the option to pick the car and and drain so I used a clamp on both sides. The change was successful and increased my MPG by 5 miles to the 50 - 55 MPG range.

[@brgo_1787]

@@njunaid7802 I’m about to change it tmrw I’m just getting the coolant for it rn. I’m getting 2 gallons for my gen3 Prius. I didn’t know I would have to drain the engine coolant and the inverter. I thought it was all connected but it’s separate system and you have to bleed it in maintenance mode. Which coolant did you use for it? I know a lot of folks get anal and say only use the Toyota one.

[@njunaid7802]

@@brgo_1787 good luck, it’s not too bad of a process and will save you a lot compared to the dealership. They quoted me £1,900 for parts and labour to change whereas I did it myself for £150. I used generic coolant to replace the the small amount which leaked out, but yea I’ve heard a lot about Toyota brand and people saying to use it.

[@teezeetransportation8781]

PLEASE HELP! I replaced the bad inverter with a good used one from my other Prius . I connected the two batteries again (making sure the orange plug is locked in) and the car now won't start .It still says check hybrid system but the engine won't even come on now. I checked all the connections and hoses . Am I missing something ?Please help I m stranded here until I fix it

[@landwarrior3960]

Have you managed to fix the problem

[@teezeetransportation8781]

yes@@landwarrior3960

[@west_park7993]

Inverters are around 500 on ebay. yes it is expensive, but is nothing compared with what dealers will charge you, and small fraction compared to the insurance and registration fees.

[@vintess7779]

Amen, brother!

[@igorrosales1799]

Man could you share the link of the inverter on eBay? I have a 2010 Prius and it’s showing the message “check hybrid system” it has 230,000 miles, also if I buy the inverter, can I install it myself like in the video? I just don’t want to go to the dealer and pay the double $

[@jaycircuits]

Great vid! I am right now with my 2010 in the driveway, it was turning the dash on and saying "Check hybrid system" The repair man disconnected the orange plug on the back and nothing. He said it needed a new inverter, he brought a refurbished and installed it and now is giving P3004 and still wont start. He didnt remove the air filter and we havent put new coolant in, but not sure if that could be why or the problem wasn't the inverter in the first place. Any idea 😫?

[@kumara5492]

So, what was the problem ? Is it water pump that's not working ? Thank you.

[@vintess7779]

Hi Jay, Did you ever get your car going? Before you decided to replace inverter, did you have the high voltage fuse checked that's inside the inverter? I have a 2014 that has that dreaded "Check hybrid system" notice just like you reported. Of course, I did a stupid thing like hook up a battery charger with cables reversed and that started this whole nightmare!!!

[@jaycircuits]

@@vintess7779 Hey! The tec said i needed a new inverter. I asked him if mine could still be fixed and he said that yes, but the part for its repair is very hard to find (he didn't specified what part that was) so he replaced it for a refurbished one and its been working fine ever since.

[@vintess7779]

@@jaycircuits Jay Circuits, thank you for the laser quick reply. I really appreciate the additional information. Glad you got your car back on the road! Cheers!👍

[@FAasheim]

Many of the check battery faults can be fixed by replacing corroded buss bar links $ 42.

[@pangrac1]

Any worry about high lethal DC voltage current in connectors? 🤔🥶☠️

[@hedgehogthesonic3181]

This is how you remove the inverter in the Prius C as well? They look very similar.

[@mechanicslife24]

yes very similar

[@anthonylau3065]

@@mechanicslife24 also, similar for Lexus? I just had mine swapped out on my RX 400h.

[@rondhole]

It is FREE UNDER RECALLS

[@raymondgonzalez4521]

so there isn't a said period or mileage? please let me know how I have to proceed to get the staelership to replace it. thanks

[@rondhole]

@@raymondgonzalez4521 just call Toyota USA and give the VIN number. If it is part of the recall, they will tell you how to get free inverter. If not, you can ask that you have problems that most likely related to the recall/campaign from NTHSA website. Or you can call local dealership to help you getting new inverter. Dealership often can help for such case and they will get the money for the labour without paying anything for parts.

[@SIMPLEGUY423]

What’s the mileage

[@mechanicslife24]

300k

[@joeshmoe8952]

How often does the inverter go out on the gen 3?

[@mechanicslife24]

Rarely......

[@joeshmoe8952]

@@mechanicslife24 ok cool, thanks for the info.

[@sebhecs7269]

There is a problèm on gen3 Prius 2010 , in USA Toyota has replaced all inverter for free (by campaign).in France they don't want 😡, only a reprogram in 2014 ,but the inverter is in bad healthy now(4 years with a bad program) ... many people have to change the inverter, it's very expensive by Toyota service. We ask reduce price to toyota France , but the battle is hard...

[@21boxhead]

MINE FAILED AT 217K MILES BUT I DID A RECALL SOFTWARE UPDATE 20K MILES BEFORE THE INVERTER FAILED THEN I CHECK THE CODES IT WAS 20 ERROR CODES SO I COULDN'T FIGURE IT OUT WHAT WRONG SO I DECIDED TO TAKE TO THE STEALERSHIP AND THEY FIX IT FOR FREE

[@raymondgonzalez4521]

@@21boxhead how did you manage that? what is the warranty for the inverter? my stealership is saying 15 years or 150k miles..

[@timedj9164]

So pay someone else to do it.. understood! :)

[@pydepiperproductionsllcjon7585]

I hate videos that tell you to remove or replace parts without telling why or what to check to find out if that is even the problem.