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check engine light, PO 301 Cylinder Misfire code

Discussion in 'Gen 2 Prius Care, Maintenance and Troubleshooting' started by Suzazoom, Apr 12, 2015.

  1. Fishcrab

    Fishcrab Member

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    this is a great post and thred...
     
    #21 Fishcrab, Apr 19, 2015
    Last edited: Apr 19, 2015
  2. Suzazoom

    Suzazoom Junior Member

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    I don't know if the hybrid mechanic used Techstream software. One of his other mechanic told me they paid $10,000 for what they test with, the mechanic said it was :
    simitech sweep test
    my local mechanic used something that told me what codes were coming up .
    I will surely report what Steve tells me. I am going to write an extended description of the problem and history with photos to send him.
     
  3. Suzazoom

    Suzazoom Junior Member

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    I wrote a 8 page report of the problem,emailed it to Steve at Prius hybrids sales and service Scottsburg Indiana last night and he replied by 9 am. Here is his reply:
    Hello Suzanne
    I read with interest and dismay about your prius.


    1. the original diagnosis abouyt the torqe or clutch was wrong, when in fact you had a misfire
    2. the most likely cause of the misfire was fuel issues like bad gas or plugged injectors
    3. the cut wire harness was caused by a mechanic and this absolutely must be fixed correctly
    4. see number 3
    5. see number 3
    6. we can replace the harness, if will cost 1200 here
    I suggest honestly selling the car for a loss and look for a buyer who is qualified to fix it.
    that buyer will be willing to invest the time to repair it.


    good luck
     
  4. Suzazoom

    Suzazoom Junior Member

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    Then I called a local mechanic who specializes in electric repairs of cars to ask if he could check to see if the cut in the harness was done correctly. He said he would not be able to tell. I asked if he put in engine harness. He said no he did not and he would not want to touch my car. So I will try to sell it for about $5000 disclosing everything to a potential buyer and cut my losses.
     
  5. JC91006

    JC91006 Senior Member

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    Wow that mechanic cost you lots of money. From the torque/clutch thingy ($2200), damaging the harness ($1200-$2800).

    The 1 bad injector and spark plugs would have been a cheap fix.
     
  6. Fishcrab

    Fishcrab Member

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    hope it's not too much of a loss.
    Parting it out is a lot of work also.
    Wish you the best.
     
  7. Suzazoom

    Suzazoom Junior Member

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    remembering how hard it was to sell my honda civic rebuilt hybrid that worked well and looked well at a $2000 loss last year, I am thinking of taking my car to steve at Prius hybrids sales and service Scottsburg Indiana in Indiania in a few weeks as he believes he can fix it for $1200 or less. If he can fix it for this amount I would lose less than trying to sell it as it is. After driving test driving used honda civics to buy as a second car from year 2000 to year 2012, I realize what a smooth quite ride my prius is.
    Steve wrote me today the problem could be the dash harness instead of the engine harness. I have been taking the car to 4 mechanics so far and no one mentioned a dash harness. I sure am learning a lot about prius.
     
  8. JC91006

    JC91006 Senior Member

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    Steve never said that was the cause of your problems. Just saying since that harness is damaged, it should be replaced for $1200. His recommendation to you was to sell it.

    If you are still experiencing misfires, you may still have issues with the fuel injectors. If you choose to keep the car, you might want to also address the fuel injectors too.

    You also mentioned the HV battery has sat for 5 years, I don't want you to spend all this money to fix what needs to be fixed and then face another issue costing thousands of dollars. You should carefully look at all your options.
     
  9. Suzazoom

    Suzazoom Junior Member

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    My Prius acted so bad yesterday (missing cylinder) that I drove down to Steves at Prius hybrids sales and service Scottsburg Indiana last night. He's checking my car out right now. They found out one thing that went wrong but they're looking for more
     
    #29 Suzazoom, Apr 22, 2015
    Last edited: Apr 22, 2015
  10. Suzazoom

    Suzazoom Junior Member

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    and trying to improve my promise I just found out now I made a big mistake by adding fuel cleaner to the gas tank. The wife of the mechanic said you should never do that with Priuses which probably all of you already know.ok
     
  11. ChapmanF

    ChapmanF Senior Member

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    Uh, totally new one on me. I haven't very often, as the owner's manual doesn't seem to think it's necessary, but I have on occasion and nothing bad happened, and others here use such products regularly. What sort of fuel cleaner? Unless you confused it with a jug of swimming pool chemicals or something, I wouldn't add that to any list of things to worry about.

    -Chap
     
  12. Fishcrab

    Fishcrab Member

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    Verrrrrrrry Interesting................
     
  13. Suzazoom

    Suzazoom Junior Member

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    I don't know what kind of fuel cleaner but I do know the wife of the Prius mechanic said they had to replace a lot of gas tanks for prius owners who used the gasoline cleaners, something about it ruined the gas tank filter. I used one that was supposed to take any water out of the gas as I read on prius chat it was one way that my eliminate the cylinder misfire.
     
  14. Suzazoom

    Suzazoom Junior Member

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    So Steve Woodruff of Prius hybrids sales and service Scottsburg Indiana made his initial assessment of my car today. He found a leak in one of the vacuum line that alone could cause the misfiring. His wife explained that the engine wire harness my local mechanic "fixed" had to be fixed in a way that put each of over 30 wires in it in the right order. Steve recommended the engine harness be replaced, he uses a used engine harness and charges $600 rather than the dealer cost of $2800. He also said the water pump pulley was crooked and needed to be straightened. His mechanic found black freezer tape around one set of wiring. He wants to keep the car for a few days to repair and keep testing it out since the problem has been so intermittent.
    The misfiring has always resolved within 6 to 25 minutes except on the trip down to Steve's, where it acted up 6 and half hours straight, causing the hybrid battery to have no charge most of that time. It was a 9 hour windy scary drive but I am oh so glad I made it there.
     
    #34 Suzazoom, Apr 22, 2015
    Last edited: Apr 22, 2015
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  15. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

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    you're in good hands now, all the best.(y)
     
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  16. Suzazoom

    Suzazoom Junior Member

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    I am in very good hands. My friend asked if I trusted to leave my car with Steve for a few days. I exclaimed, "I would trust him with my dog!" below photo of a car he or his mechanic is working on
    20150422_080940[1].jpg some photos from the Prius g
     
  17. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

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    yup, steve's good people, from everything i've read here.
     
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  18. JC91006

    JC91006 Senior Member

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    You are very brave to drive that many hours with a car that's not working right. I would've not made this trip, in fear of breaking down half way there
     
  19. Suzazoom

    Suzazoom Junior Member

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    a customized prius at steve's shop 20150422_082632[1].jpg
     
  20. Suzazoom

    Suzazoom Junior Member

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    I almost turned back after 90 minutes but I emailed steve to ask if he felt the car was safe to drive the way it was acting and he wrote back "Drive it". so I did.
    I knew if I did not get down there, the car would not get fixed and I would lose thousands more trying to sell it to someone telling them 4 mechanics could not find the solution, that it was a rebuilt hybrid. they are very very hard to sell in my area when they do work.
     
    #40 Suzazoom, Apr 22, 2015
    Last edited: Apr 22, 2015