Prius died while it was being driven

[jtl]

My 2005 Prius died when my girlfriend was driving it. All the warning lights lit up first and then it went dead. This morning, the Toyota dealer here in Chicago called and said they found a blown 15 amp fuse and replaced it. It started right up but then died again when they put it into drive (the fuse blew again). Now they want 3 hours to take apart the dashboard and find the problem of what is blowing the fuse. I'm sitting on pins and needles waiting for the answer. I'm afraid that they might come back with a very expensive problem to repair. This is a re-built car that I got from LA Auto World in Los Angeles through ebay. It already had one electrical problem a few weeks after I got it in May, 2008 and now this one. Does anyone know if these cars are prone to electrical problems? The dealer, LA Auto World, said that it was just a sheet metal kind of accident on one side but I had a body shop look at it and they said it was in a major accident because the frame was straightened and re-welded. Does anyone know of any recourse I have with the dealer who apparently hid the seriousness of the accident? The Toyota dealer here in Chicago said that because the car was rebuilt, Toyota will never warranty any work they do on it.

[qbee42]

You buy a rebuilt car and you take your chances. There is a reason that insurance companies total a car that was in an accident like yours. The Prius isn't prone to electrical problems, but they do have a lot of electronics and wiring to mess up in an accident.

Tom

[Shawn Clark]

Originally Posted by jtl

The dealer, LA Auto World, said that it was just a sheet metal kind of accident on one side but I had a body shop look at it and they said it was in a major accident because the frame was straightened and re-welded. Does anyone know of any recourse I have with the dealer who apparently hid the seriousness of the accident?

Unless you have it in writing or on tape about all you can do is try to file a complaint. Used vehicle sales are like that, they will say what it takes to make the sale. They are corrupt by nature. Plus the sales folks bounce from dealer to dealer.

The Toyota dealer here in Chicago said that because the car was rebuilt, Toyota will never warranty any work they do on it.

It's not Toyota corporate that is the problem, it's the dealer(s). Dealers will create an excuse not to honor their own warranty, or absolve themselves of actually offering one on their work. So you never really have a dealer warranty anyway, just the illusion of one. You can get honest ones that will fix their own mistakes...or not. Personally, if a dealer tells me they won't warranty ANY work they do on a vehicle, they will never see me or my vehicle again. They are telling you they really don't need your business, but will work on you car for money if you insist.

[a priori]

I would say Shawn has had at least one pretty bad experience to make such general, blanket statements about used car dealers and Toyota dealerships not honoring warranties. Still, the truth is that your recourse against the LA folks is most likely going to be a claim for fraud. You will need to find out whether there is an applicable consumer fraud statute in CA (meaning, does it apply to sales of automobiles and do you have time left to make the claim), and whether you are able to file the claim yourself. I suggest an attorney, but the cost for the lawyer may well approach the costs you'll have in making the necessary repairs.

On the Toyota dealer end, please understand that if your car was listed by the responsible insurance carrier as totalled, then its VIN record will be listed and Toyota's warranty will be voided. The only warranty you have is from the re-seller. If the re-seller offered nothing, then check to see if there are any California laws that require a return period or minimum limited warranty.

One option for you is to find another buyer who is looking for a Prius to do a major change on -- conversion to full EV, for example. If the body is in good shape, then the buyer can take advantage of the lowered price being related to things the buyer intends to change anyway.

Sorry not to bring better news. Here's hoping someone out there can contradict at least some of my sobering statements.

[TonyPSchaefer]

Originally Posted by qbee42

You buy a rebuilt car and you take your chances. There is a reason that insurance companies total a car that was in an accident like yours. The Prius isn't prone to electrical problems, but they do have a lot of electronics and wiring to mess up in an accident.

Tom

The decision was made and the chances were taken. That's all there is to that chapter of the story.

Let's now focus on moving forward. What's blowing that fuse?

[2009Prius]

Sorry to hear your unpleasant situation.

I would start from here:

Consumer Alerts, Information & Complaints - California Dept. of Justice - Office of the Attorney General

Good luck!

[Mike Dimmick]

15A fuses: DOME, FR FOG, HID, AM2, EFI, PWR OUTLET FR, PWR OUTLET, ECU-B, RR WIP, M/HTR, ABS MAIN3. I can't see how losing front fogs, HIDs, power outlets, rear wiper or mirror heaters would be a shutdown problem.

DOME is mainly interior lighting but does also seem to be involved in powering the Body ECU and the Certification ECU and receivers for Smart Key. Even if the fob is in the slot, I think losing DOME would lose the Body ECU and the car would forget it was supposed to be ON. You would get some warning lights triggered by the emergency power supply (bank of capacitors in the trunk next to the AUX battery) but these won't last very long.

AM2 is involved in engine control, ignition, push button start, shift control, illumination, and the hybrid system. It appears to power the four injectors, and also the Power Source Control ECU. That ECU is responsible for handling the Power switch and routing power appropriately.

The EFI fuse powers the Engine Control Module. No ECM = no engine.

ECU-B powers the Gateway ECU, which converts between the various communication buses: CAN, for fast communications between e.g. HV ECU and ECM; BEAN, the Body Electrical Area Network, for Body ECU, Power Source Control ECU, Smart Key, etc; AVC-LAN for the multi-function display. It also runs the MFD.

ABS MAIN3 provides power for the brake control power supply (aforementioned bank of capacitors). I would expect a failure here to trigger a DTC (C1377/43, Capacitor Malfunction) and probably a switchover to hydraulic braking (front brakes only, no assist), but not a complete shutdown.

Given the car's history I'd be inclined to get all the wiring harnesses thoroughly checked over for short-circuits.

AM2 and EFI should be fairly easy to diagnose. Wires runs everywhere in the car from DOME, e.g. the map lights and centre interior light, door and trunk courtesy lights.

[Bobwho]

IF you get the car back from the dealer without having it fixed:

Buy a scan gauge and see what codes come up.
Buy the manual on the Prius and learn how to read the electrical diagrams.
Buy high voltage electrical line man gloves. Wear another pair of disposable gloves inside of those. Keep the rest of your body out of contact with all wires, connectors, etc.
Buy a multi meter, learn how to use it. Learn how to troubleshoot electrical short circuit problems without getting electrocuted.
Get a triggered sweep oscilloscope from a place like Fry's electronics. Learn how to use this without damaging either yourself or the car's electronics.

Better yet don't even think about going into the wiring, you will get hurt or die.
You have a large learning curve ahead of you, otherwise:
Give up and scrap the car.

Anyone who asks what to do about checking electrical circuitry without a degree in electronics will end up dead or with a dead car from idiotic things that they do.

I am sorry about the answer but it is not an easy thing to answer. This car is a complex electromechanical device with more traps than the US Government has in the Internal Revenue Code.

[jayman]

I wonder if they just spliced the broken parts of the harness together? Most splices are poorly done, eg just a cheap crimp-style splice, no heat shrink, no nothing.

[richard schumacher]

A dealer technician will eventually find the short in the wiring harness where the insulation has worn through because it was not repaired correctly after the accident. Consider yourself lucky if this costs less than $1000.