A Toyota Prius owner went to a restaurant to pick up an order. When they returned, the car was filled with smoke, and the rear seat was burning from the inside.
The owner shared the incident on Reddit, explaining that the vehicle was a 2010 Toyota Prius with an automatic transmission and had just over 200,000 miles.
According to the post, nobody was inside the vehicle when the fire started. The owner also made it clear that there were no cigarettes or seat warmers in the vehicle that could have caused the incident.
The owner questioned what could have caused the fire and asked others for help identifying the problem. The battery of a Toyota Prius is located in the general area of the rear seat where the fire occurred, and the owner suspected the battery was the cause of the fire.
What Caused It?
What the hell happened to my PriusðŸ˜
by
u/zestiemami in
AskMechanics
Several commenters pointed out that the 2010 Toyota Prius has a hybrid battery. The battery relies on a dedicated cooling system to help regulate its temperature during operation.
One commenter suggested that the battery ventilation fan was clogged, causing the overheating, and somehow the safety didn’t kick in. They also suggested it could have been too hot outside.
Another commenter identified themselves as a Toyota mechanic and said on older models there was a wire mesh filter that had to be cleaned, and the replacement interval is every two years. They clarified it really depends on how dirty the car gets.
The original poster did not clarify whether the vehicle’s battery was ever replaced or modified.
Battery Cooling Problems
Toyota has previously acknowledged problems involving debris accumulating in hybrid battery fans.
In a technical service bulletin filed with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, Toyota explained that dust, lint, and other debris could build up in the cooling fan of certain hybrid vehicles, including the 2010 Prius. The notice is mostly about severe usage of vehicles.
Toyota explained that to clean it, use a vacuum and compressed air to remove any debris buildup. They also emphasized that you should not clean the cooling fan while it is still installed in the vehicle because doing so may cause dust or debris to enter the battery case.
Other commenters also discussed cleaning the cooling fan and inspecting its intake for accumulated debris. However, maintenance advice cannot establish why this particular vehicle caught fire.
The owner’s account leaves several important questions unanswered, including whether firefighters or a mechanic inspected the Prius and whether the vehicle had any aftermarket battery modifications.