Problem car

[tomfreed]

I don't have much luck with the 01-03 Prius Currently the 01 Prius i bought last year with 127k miles on it is not driveable after sinking in nearly $3000 in parts. Battery, inverter, tranny all had been replaced. Long story short i had bunch of codes but now battery code is gone, inverter code is gone, tranny still some kind of sensor code issue that i am unable to figure out. The tranny had been replaced 3 times that is 6 times in and out and I did the work. It was not fun since bleeding the air out of the coolant was the hard, tedious process. Coolant runs through the tranny to cool electrical motor, generator, etc... in case you don't know!

I am frustrated with this car as it sat in the gargage taking place and not driveable for a year now. There is time i feel like putting gas over it and burn it up to vent off my frustration

Back to reality i have to get this car fixes. Please help someone
Thank you for your help in advance.

[bwilson4web]

Originally Posted by tomfreed

. . . Long story short i had bunch of codes but now battery code is gone, inverter code is gone, tranny still some kind of sensor code issue that i am unable to figure out. . . .

What is the sensor code?

Bob Wilson

[tomfreed]

Originally Posted by bwilson4web

What is the sensor code?

Bob Wilson

You told me about the 12v battery on the 03. This one is 01 with bad battery 12V i recollect. I need to check to make sure the battery is good first then i see it will fix the problem. If there is code i will scan it and report back to you. The 01 is a pain in the rear sucking out $3k from me since last year and all my time and labor fixing number of thing and it had been sitting in my garage for a year now. It is time to fix it or trash it and get this car out of my system. Thank you for your help in advance. I felt a relief that there are helps out there and i found it on this forum

[bwilson4web]

There comes a time when expert help, an independent party, should be consulted:

Art's Automotive
2871 San Pablo Ave
Berkeley, CA 94702
510-540-7093
(~85 miles from Modesto, CA)

There are several methods for getting the car to Art's (call first to make sure they'll take a look.) This is the approach I used for 'dingy' towing:

Prius Flat Towing - AT YOUR OWN RISK

Another approach is to build a rigid tow bar that bolts to the tow eyelet. However, I'm not thrilled with that approach and have no idea what the California police would think about it.

The safest way is to rent a flat trailer from U-haul and if necessary, a small moving van that can trailer it. Alternatively, call around and see if any of the tow companies can give a good rate for the 85 miles.

I've also heard good things about this team:

Luscious Garage
549 Clementina St.
San Francisco, CA 94103
415-875-9030

As for internet known experts, I'm in Alabama too far away to stop by and the other Prius experts are in India, China, Massachusetts, North Carolina, Maryland and AutoBeYours only handles NHW20 Prius. The internet can do many things but there are limits to what folks can do with text and photo based diagnosis.

We can share contents from the Prius repair manuals and our opinions about what should be done next. But these are opinions based upon one source, the original posting. We aren't there with the parts in front of us with our instrumentation.

So when dealing with a transaxle 'sensor' problem, the ambiguity groups are:

1. transaxle side
2. connector-wiring
3. hybrid ECU

Transaxle side - using the electrical diagram and circuit information from the Prius manual, check the resistance of the sensor coils and thermistors to see if there is a short or open in the transaxle.

Connector-wiring - by inspection and use of a long clip and jumper, make sure no contact has 'pushed out' or is failed and look for a broken wire.

Hybrid ECU - the only choice is to swap the unit.

GOOD LUCK!
Bob Wilson

[Sandy]

When i start to sink more then a grand in any car, its time to go....

[tomfreed]

Originally Posted by bwilson4web

What is the sensor code?

Bob Wilson

Bob,

I hooked up a good 12v battery to the 01 today and consistently had code P3120 on scanner (see attachment). I pulled all and current after clearing each time and it is the same thing P3120.

Another thing is this 12V was disconnected for awhile. Upon starting up with good 12V source (using jump start hooking up to existing battery in parallel) today it ran with no code for about 10 min then shut down. Restart code keeps coming back and clearing at this point does not clear both EL and monitor panel off. I want to work on one at a time so i will leave the 03 code out for now.

What do you think i should do next?

[tomfreed]

Originally Posted by Sandy

When i start to sink more then a grand in any car, its time to go....

Yep that makes sense but you see i already shot an arrow i have to follow. Too late not to finish it especially when i am so close. Once code left.

[tomfreed]

Originally Posted by bwilson4web

There comes a time when expert help, an independent party, should be consulted:

Art's Automotive
2871 San Pablo Ave
Berkeley, CA 94702
510-540-7093
(~85 miles from Modesto, CA)

There are several methods for getting the car to Art's (call first to make sure they'll take a look.) This is the approach I used for 'dingy' towing:

Prius Flat Towing - AT YOUR OWN RISK

Another approach is to build a rigid tow bar that bolts to the tow eyelet. However, I'm not thrilled with that approach and have no idea what the California police would think about it.

The safest way is to rent a flat trailer from U-haul and if necessary, a small moving van that can trailer it. Alternatively, call around and see if any of the tow companies can give a good rate for the 85 miles.

I've also heard good things about this team:

Luscious Garage
549 Clementina St.
San Francisco, CA 94103
415-875-9030

As for internet known experts, I'm in Alabama too far away to stop by and the other Prius experts are in India, China, Massachusetts, North Carolina, Maryland and AutoBeYours only handles NHW20 Prius. The internet can do many things but there are limits to what folks can do with text and photo based diagnosis.

We can share contents from the Prius repair manuals and our opinions about what should be done next. But these are opinions based upon one source, the original posting. We aren't there with the parts in front of us with our instrumentation.

So when dealing with a transaxle 'sensor' problem, the ambiguity groups are:

1. transaxle side
2. connector-wiring
3. hybrid ECU

Transaxle side - using the electrical diagram and circuit information from the Prius manual, check the resistance of the sensor coils and thermistors to see if there is a short or open in the transaxle.

Connector-wiring - by inspection and use of a long clip and jumper, make sure no contact has 'pushed out' or is failed and look for a broken wire.

Hybrid ECU - the only choice is to swap the unit.

GOOD LUCK!
Bob Wilson

Bob,

The code had been changed! At this point consistently P3120 with fresh good 12V source. Now that is the ECU but i understand i can't swap between year. I currently have two ECU from different year when i was working on this car i had to buy. Unfortunately i can't return them now i am stuck with them already paid I found out the hard way by sticking a different year in the 01 it will lit up just fine but will not start up and run. I swapped with the 02,03 all same symptom, no start but panel will lit up.

I recollect this is the only thing that is not replaced on this car. So far battery pack, inverter, transmission all were replaced. I had this sucker since last year August/08. Lord what a nightmare with this Prius.

I cross my finger i am out of the blue with the tranny. Not sure i want to towe this sucker 85 miles to Berkeley to have troubleshoot just to find out ECU needs to be replaced then i have to deal with shop charge and towing expense. I don't think there is anything on this Prius on the hybrid side that i have not replaced beside the ECU. I recollected last year when i bought the car (long story why i bought it and yes you can say stupid me)I took the cover off the inverter lo and behold i found nuts, bolt loosely lying inside Some body had f. around with this car and dumped it on me. Monkey repair that what it was.

If i can confirm it is the ecu with a lot more certain with the P3120 code I can order another ECU from LKQ (commercial source that i used when i was a used car dealer) I dealt with this source for the $3k i spent last year on this car so hopefully they allow me to return the ECU if that does not fix it.

I did not know about this forum last year when i encountered this problem. I bought and sold about 6 01-03 Priuses and 4 were lemons. The 01, 03 currently are the worst. One was tranny, the other one was the inverter. 2 others i got lucky. What a pain with first generation Prius

[tomfreed]

Originally Posted by bwilson4web

There comes a time when expert help, an independent party, should be consulted:

Art's Automotive
2871 San Pablo Ave
Berkeley, CA 94702
510-540-7093
(~85 miles from Modesto, CA)

There are several methods for getting the car to Art's (call first to make sure they'll take a look.) This is the approach I used for 'dingy' towing:

Prius Flat Towing - AT YOUR OWN RISK

Another approach is to build a rigid tow bar that bolts to the tow eyelet. However, I'm not thrilled with that approach and have no idea what the California police would think about it.

The safest way is to rent a flat trailer from U-haul and if necessary, a small moving van that can trailer it. Alternatively, call around and see if any of the tow companies can give a good rate for the 85 miles.

I've also heard good things about this team:

Luscious Garage
549 Clementina St.
San Francisco, CA 94103
415-875-9030

As for internet known experts, I'm in Alabama too far away to stop by and the other Prius experts are in India, China, Massachusetts, North Carolina, Maryland and AutoBeYours only handles NHW20 Prius. The internet can do many things but there are limits to what folks can do with text and photo based diagnosis.

We can share contents from the Prius repair manuals and our opinions about what should be done next. But these are opinions based upon one source, the original posting. We aren't there with the parts in front of us with our instrumentation.

So when dealing with a transaxle 'sensor' problem, the ambiguity groups are:

1. transaxle side
2. connector-wiring
3. hybrid ECU

Transaxle side - using the electrical diagram and circuit information from the Prius manual, check the resistance of the sensor coils and thermistors to see if there is a short or open in the transaxle.

Connector-wiring - by inspection and use of a long clip and jumper, make sure no contact has 'pushed out' or is failed and look for a broken wire.

Hybrid ECU - the only choice is to swap the unit.

GOOD LUCK!
Bob Wilson

On the subject of towing simplest, fastest, easiest is the tow dolly. Just drive the front wheel on, chain it down then you are done. I am not too sure about flat towing as heck no i want no more new problem. I pulled the tranny out too many times to know that it is one heck complicated and heavy part with full of electronic, motor, sensor, generator, CVT in there. The drives shafts attach to the tranny and who knows exactly what is happening with the car going at high way speed. I just want the darn car fixes. I want no more new problem

Prius is modular built i just lack the info. as i have no problem working on it myself. You give me the brain power i can fix it. I can feel i am close to nailing this sucker fix

[orange4boy]

It sounds like you are frustrated but please keep your posts clear and on topic. It is hard to wade through information on all your cars without getting confused. Please stick to one at a time.

P3120 is an HV transaxle failure code.