Engine Light on dashboard - help please :-(

[bulletprooffool]

I recently purchased an 04 T Spirit in London,
She runs sweetly and I get around 57mpg, but I have just spotted an issue.

Twice in the past week, I accelerated relaticely hard, to passs trucks on the motorway. Both times, an orange light apperaed on the dash, flashing for a few second before going away (the light looks like an engine)

My girlfriend drives the car to work each day and toda, on her way home, the light came back on . . .but it has stayed on - even after switching the car off and on again? Any ideas what could be causing this? the car had a Toyota service about 3 months ago and has only 14000 miles on the clock.

Any ideas / thoughts would be greatly appreciated - I do not feel like squandering a bunch of money to find out what is / is not wring by going to a dealer.

Thanks

[archae86]

Originally Posted by bulletprooffool

Both times, an orange light apperaed on the dash, flashing for a few second before going away (the light looks like an engine)
Any ideas what could be causing this? the car had a Toyota service about 3 months ago and has only 14000 miles on the clock.

There are a myriad of possible causes. I think your best of hope learning more is to ask around your friends to see if one owns an OBD2 code reader you can borrow.

Plugging that into the OBD2 port with the engine running when that symbol is showing on dash should let you get a code. Looking up that code on the Internet should tell you what the system things has one wrong, and may give you some ideas of what to do.

One common (and cheap to fix) problem that causes that light is an imperfectly seated gasoline tank cap. If the light is on now, run right out and try re-seating the cap.

[Bill Merchant]

If you can post a picture of the light it will be most helpful. That's very low milage for a 2004. I wonder if it was well maintained before you got it. I fear it may be a problem with the inverter and blocked cooling lines causing it to overheat. You will probably have to go to the dealer to get to the bottom of it.

[richard schumacher]

[deleted for silly irrelevancy]

[Patrick Wong]

Originally Posted by bulletprooffool

...She runs sweetly and I get around 57mpg, but I have just spotted an issue.

Twice in the past week, I accelerated relaticely hard, to passs trucks on the motorway. Both times, an orange light apperaed on the dash, flashing for a few second before going away (the light looks like an engine)

My girlfriend drives the car to work each day and toda, on her way home, the light came back on . . .but it has stayed on - even after switching the car off and on again? Any ideas what could be causing this? the car had a Toyota service about 3 months ago and has only 14000 miles on the clock...

What is the powertrain warranty in the UK? In the US, the car would still be covered and hence I would suggest taking the car to the dealer.

I am assuming that your gallon is the Imperial gallon, so 57 mpg means ~47.5 miles/US gallon, which is good.

[bulletprooffool]

Patrick, what is the warrantee in the States? I can ring Toyota up and find out ifd the same is covered here, though I am not sure whether this is a powertrain issuesor not?

I have a scantool ready to hook up and get an error code - I'll try get round to it later today.

[bulletprooffool]

Right, hooked up to the OBD2 with Scantool and got the following error code:
P0301
P0301*
I believe this means cylinder01 misfire detected.

Now, I am more computer yechy than car fundi, so I'm wondering if anyone here can tell what the possible causes and fixes are?
I am guessing it is probably something like spark plugs or something similar? - I only get this when I accelerate hard . .

Oh, and in response tpo the earlier post about how low my mileage is . . I live in London, the previous owner was a Hedge Fund banker that used public transport to get to work and worked 14hour days - he only used the car for weekend journeys - seldom more than 100 miles.

Even my car, which my girlfried uses to get to work and back each day only averages 8000 a year. I guess now my Prius will be doing 8000 a year . .

[bwilson4web]

Originally Posted by bulletprooffool

Right, hooked up to the OBD2 with Scantool and got the following error code:
P0301
P0301*
I believe this means cylinder01 misfire detected.
...

There was a Toyota technical note about water getting into the igniters (aka., the spark plugs.) I don't know all of the details but they had a fix for the problem. But to ask about a related problem, do you 'hear' water when driving or especially turning?

There is a problem with the drain holes getting plugged in the pan that holds the windshield wiper motor. This water, if it is there, could easily be part of the problem. I've not read of a fix other than to make sure the pan gets periodic maintenance to clean out the debris.

Bob Wilson

[Patrick Wong]

Originally Posted by bulletprooffool

Right, hooked up to the OBD2 with Scantool and got the following error code:
P0301
P0301*
I believe this means cylinder01 misfire detected.

Now, I am more computer yechy than car fundi, so I'm wondering if anyone here can tell what the possible causes and fixes are?
I am guessing it is probably something like spark plugs or something similar? - I only get this when I accelerate hard . .

In the US the powertrain warranty is 5 years/60K miles.
Toyota Warranty and Coverage

You have correctly interpreted DTC P0301. Cylinder #1 is closest to the right-hand fender (or driver's side fender in UK). Bob offered a good suggestion about inspecting for water leaking from the cowl into the spark plug wells; a TSB exists to that effect.

If you wish to DIY, I suggest removing the spark igniter over the plug, then looking into the spark plug well to see if any moisture is within. Also examine the spark igniter to see if there are any cracks or discoloration of the plastic body; or corrosion of the low voltage terminals on top and the high voltage connector inside the plastic shell.

If you see no problems, then remove the spark plug for inspection. Correct spark gap is 1 to 1.1 mm. The gap of a used plug cannot be adjusted. The porcelain insulator at the tip should at worst have only a very light coating of combustion products on it and should have a near-white color. The spark plug porcelain tail should not have any cracks or burn marks.

If you need to replace the plug, only use the correct Denso or NGK iridium spark plug; your owner's manual should show the model #s.

Tightening torque of the spark plug is 13 ft.-lb. Tightening torque of the spark igniter bolt is 82 in.-lb. To improve your access to the spark igniters, it would help to first remove the relay box mounted to the cowl.

What is a "car fundi"??

[KayakerNC]

Originally Posted by bulletprooffool

Right, hooked up to the OBD2 with Scantool and got the following error code:
P0301 I believe this means cylinder01 misfire detected.

List of TSBs for 2004,with DTCs

Service Bulletin Num : 06305 Date of Bulletin: DEC 16, 2005
NHTSA Item Number: 10018851
Component: ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
Summary:
M.I.L. ON DTC P0300, P0301, P0302, P0303, OR P0304. *TT
Make : TOYOTA Model : PRIUS Year : 2004
Manufacturer : TOYOTA MOTOR NORTH AMERICA, INC.