1. Attachments are working again! Check out this thread for more details and to report any other bugs.

advice needed: traction light on full time

Discussion in 'Gen 3 Prius Care, Maintenance & Troubleshooting' started by TharakaD, May 6, 2015.

  1. TharakaD

    TharakaD Member

    Joined:
    Oct 25, 2014
    137
    11
    0
    Location:
    Colombo
    Vehicle:
    2010 Prius
    Hi my 2010 70,000km car has this problem since yesterday.
    That was after leaving it at car wash, they call to tell me it's not starting. Display message said to press brakes while starting, which I did, yeah I pressed it very hard.
    After online look up and phone call with Toyota Lanka, I myself checked brake light switch in pedal, since brake lights were not turning on but switch was fine.
    Then Toyota Lanka engineer came to location and started by long pressing start. Replaced brake light fuse, which was burned.
    But still this light is on. Toyota Lanka wants to run a complete scan, and solution can be very expensive.
    Anyone has an idea, why this happens. I think it could be due to hard pressing of brake. But now car works fine apart from the brake hold function.
    Will display reset work, then how to do that
     
  2. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

    Joined:
    May 11, 2005
    107,571
    48,862
    0
    Location:
    boston
    Vehicle:
    2012 Prius Plug-in
    Model:
    Plug-in Base
    how is the 12v health?

    also, disconnect the negative for a minute to see if the light goes away.

    do your brake lights work now?

    by 'brake hold function', do you mean hill start assist?
     
  3. mrbigh

    mrbigh Prius Absolutum Dominium

    Joined:
    Sep 6, 2005
    3,686
    699
    2
    Location:
    Long Island, NY
    Vehicle:
    Other Electric Vehicle
    Again, check the Aux battery heath, 13.5V at rest, NO engine on.
     
  4. Patrick Wong

    Patrick Wong DIY Enthusiast

    Joined:
    Mar 8, 2008
    18,198
    6,461
    0
    Location:
    Green Valley, AZ
    Vehicle:
    2015 Prius
    Model:
    Two
    1. You can press the brake pedal down, as long and as hard as you need to, and that should cause no harm to the brake system, the brake pedal switch, or the circuit which powers the brake lights.
    2. If a fuse is blown, then you need to figure out what is causing that issue. See if the replaced fuse is still good now, or not.
    3. Get Mini VCI so you can retrieve the diagnostic trouble codes on your own. Once you have the DTC available, that will provide a clue about what is wrong.
     
  5. JC91006

    JC91006 Senior Member

    Joined:
    Nov 10, 2013
    16,463
    8,377
    0
    Location:
    Los Angeles, CA
    Vehicle:
    2008 Prius
    Model:
    II
    That reading would be too high at rest
     
  6. TharakaD

    TharakaD Member

    Joined:
    Oct 25, 2014
    137
    11
    0
    Location:
    Colombo
    Vehicle:
    2010 Prius
    @bisco; could not remove negative in morning rush time, but removed positive for abt 10mins. It resets trips & radio stations. But light still on.

    Now brake lights working fine.

    Yeah. I meant hill assist not working. It's the same display light.
     
  7. TharakaD

    TharakaD Member

    Joined:
    Oct 25, 2014
    137
    11
    0
    Location:
    Colombo
    Vehicle:
    2010 Prius
    I tried fi
    Is there a way to check 12v bat using car display. I could not find how to: I found how to do in gen 2 Prius.

    It's a sealed battery. I don't know battery shop can check
     
  8. TharakaD

    TharakaD Member

    Joined:
    Oct 25, 2014
    137
    11
    0
    Location:
    Colombo
    Vehicle:
    2010 Prius
    @patrick

    1. Okay. But I thought because of that this light came. because it happened after pressing it too hard

    2. You're right. I checked ASAP I got the fuse. It's blown. But how to find why

    3. I'm sorry. What is VCI and DTC
     
  9. Patrick Wong

    Patrick Wong DIY Enthusiast

    Joined:
    Mar 8, 2008
    18,198
    6,461
    0
    Location:
    Green Valley, AZ
    Vehicle:
    2015 Prius
    Model:
    Two
    2. If you want to attempt a DIY repair then you will need the electrical wiring diagram for your model, be able to understand it, and then test the circuits that are downstream from the fuse to find where the short circuit is. See if you can subscribe to the Toyota Europe website:

    Toyota Service Information

    techinfo.toyota.com is the North American website, but I believe your credit card billing address must be in NA for a subscription request to be accepted.

    3. Mini VCI is basically pirated Toyota Techstream diagnostic software which is sold on Amazon.com here in the US and sourced from China. You'll have to see if this is available for sale to your country or not. DTC is diagnostic trouble code, and if your dashboard is showing a warning light then one or more electronic control units have logged a DTC.

    Regarding the 12V battery, use a voltmeter to measure the voltage across the battery when the car is IG-OFF.
     
    TharakaD likes this.
  10. TharakaD

    TharakaD Member

    Joined:
    Oct 25, 2014
    137
    11
    0
    Location:
    Colombo
    Vehicle:
    2010 Prius
    Surprisingly, I noticed extra long range. Pls see picture.
    True its 25kms after full tank. Gives 1200kms range, like never before. Usually its 870kms.

    About company tests. It's not a Toyota dealer in Sri Lanka. It's Toyota itself handling service / repair.
    Anyway I have to wait 2 weeks for appointment.
     

    Attached Files:

  11. TharakaD

    TharakaD Member

    Joined:
    Oct 25, 2014
    137
    11
    0
    Location:
    Colombo
    Vehicle:
    2010 Prius
    Hi. With the work life balance with a kid you hardly find time for your car. Managed to measure voltage
    Off: 12.63
    Ready mode: 14.32
    Acc: 12.65
    On: 12.20
    Can you pls advise about my battery condition
     
  12. Mendel Leisk

    Mendel Leisk Senior Member

    Joined:
    Oct 17, 2010
    54,468
    38,103
    80
    Location:
    Greater Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
    Vehicle:
    2010 Prius
    Model:
    Touring
    There seems to be a strong correlation between carwashes and Prius problems: at least as reported here.

    Was it the kind of carwash where the car has to be in Neutral, is pulled along a track? Maybe this allows hybrid battery to be rundown dangerously low? I'm not sure.
     
  13. TharakaD

    TharakaD Member

    Joined:
    Oct 25, 2014
    137
    11
    0
    Location:
    Colombo
    Vehicle:
    2010 Prius
    Not really Mendal. Actually problem occurred before they wash the car. It was parked, it has refused to start when they try to take it to the washing bay
     
    Mendel Leisk likes this.
  14. TharakaD

    TharakaD Member

    Joined:
    Oct 25, 2014
    137
    11
    0
    Location:
    Colombo
    Vehicle:
    2010 Prius
    Still I have the traction light on
     
  15. Patrick Wong

    Patrick Wong DIY Enthusiast

    Joined:
    Mar 8, 2008
    18,198
    6,461
    0
    Location:
    Green Valley, AZ
    Vehicle:
    2015 Prius
    Model:
    Two
    12V battery and DC/DC converter both seem OK.
     
    TharakaD and Mendel Leisk like this.
  16. TharakaD

    TharakaD Member

    Joined:
    Oct 25, 2014
    137
    11
    0
    Location:
    Colombo
    Vehicle:
    2010 Prius
    Hi Patrick, should I try to reset the display lights. If so how to do that
     
  17. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

    Joined:
    May 11, 2005
    107,571
    48,862
    0
    Location:
    boston
    Vehicle:
    2012 Prius Plug-in
    Model:
    Plug-in Base
    you need a code reader to do that. are there any local mechanics?
     
  18. TharakaD

    TharakaD Member

    Joined:
    Oct 25, 2014
    137
    11
    0
    Location:
    Colombo
    Vehicle:
    2010 Prius
    Yeah many local mechanics are around. Since toyota company in Sri Lanka is expensive. But i think many not so familiar with ECU vehicles. But I have not tried.

    Once my Japanese colleague in his visit said. He saw more Priuses in Sri Lanka than in Japan
     
  19. TharakaD

    TharakaD Member

    Joined:
    Oct 25, 2014
    137
    11
    0
    Location:
    Colombo
    Vehicle:
    2010 Prius
  20. Patrick Wong

    Patrick Wong DIY Enthusiast

    Joined:
    Mar 8, 2008
    18,198
    6,461
    0
    Location:
    Green Valley, AZ
    Vehicle:
    2015 Prius
    Model:
    Two