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Brake electronic issues

Discussion in 'Gen 3 Prius Care, Maintenance & Troubleshooting' started by Mendel Leisk, Aug 22, 2015.

  1. Mendel Leisk

    Mendel Leisk Senior Member

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    With increasing frequency now, we'll have 3 warning lights come on, coupled with a change in brake feel. They're still working, but there's a subtle increase in effort, decrease in feel. Pulling over, shutting down and restarting has been clearing the behaviour and lights. Yesterday my wife was driving alone, tells me it took two shut downs and restarts.

    This for sure is one of the lights coming on, steady, with no buzzer:

    Capture.JPG

    And I believe these two:

    Capture.JPG

    Our Scangauge say's no codes are stored. Not sure how valid that is; maybe it's limited in the codes it can show?

    I've got an appointment with the dealership, they're gonna check it out next Wednesday. The service writer check and said there were no recalls, service bulletins for the issue.

    So wait and see, but in the interim: anyone else noticing these symptoms, any resolutions?
     
    #1 Mendel Leisk, Aug 22, 2015
    Last edited: Aug 22, 2015
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  2. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

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    i think you've lubed those puppies one too many times.:cool:
     
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  3. m.wynn

    m.wynn Senior Member

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  4. Mendel Leisk

    Mendel Leisk Senior Member

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    I've done that recall, but thanks: I'm printing that one, will bring it along as well, maybe it didn't "take"?
     
  5. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

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    12v battery and connections?
     
  6. Mendel Leisk

    Mendel Leisk Senior Member

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    All good I think: car's been sitting for 24 hours, says 12.62 volt, at rest. The connections haven't been touched in months, by me. Sure they're good, I never screw up. Well almost never, lol.
     
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  7. Patrick Wong

    Patrick Wong DIY Enthusiast

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    1. Check the tire pressure at all four wheels.

    2. Get Mini VCI. The skid control ECU has logged DTC given the presence of the ((!)) light.
     
  8. Mendel Leisk

    Mendel Leisk Senior Member

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    Tire pressures checked about a week back, and this is ongoing, multiple months now. No TPMS alerts.

    Mini VCI, and a laptop, not gonna happen between now and Wednesday. Scangauge says nothing current or pending. Again, not sure what it can or can't detect.

    Oh well, let em troubleshoot next week. Thanks.
     
  9. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

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    all the best mendel, keep us posted.(y)
     
  10. ChapmanF

    ChapmanF Senior Member

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    If I'm not mistaken ... I've seen at least one post confirming the Gen 3 braking computer still can do the blink-codes-on-the-dash-lights trick just as Gen 1 could, if you're in a pinch and don't have a CAN code reader you can use. Have you tried that?

    -Chap
     
  11. Mendel Leisk

    Mendel Leisk Senior Member

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    No. I could check that out.
     
  12. Patrick Wong

    Patrick Wong DIY Enthusiast

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    You are not mistaken.

    In that case, please post a sharp photo of the warning light(s) that is(are) producing the blink codes when you report which light is producing which blink code.
     
  13. Den49

    Den49 Member

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    Do auto parts stores in Canada have free loaner code readers like they do in the U.S.?
     
  14. Mendel Leisk

    Mendel Leisk Senior Member

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    Not sure about code readers. I searched for "2010 Prius code read" and various similar, in vain so far. I'm ok with letting the dealership diagnose, will report their findings.

    Regarding my initial question, this brake behaviour doesn't seem to be happening to others.
     
  15. ChapmanF

    ChapmanF Senior Member

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    It's probable that they do ... and also probably that, just as in the US, they will lend you a code reader capable of reading maybe one seventh of the diagnostic information you need from a Prius.

    The thing is, you sort of need to be a regular reader of PriusChat to have heard which code readers are the useful ones, and too few of the people working in auto parts stores hang out on PriusChat.

    -Chap
     
  16. m.wynn

    m.wynn Senior Member

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    This will be interesting to follow, Mendel. Since we really haven't heard of any issues, I'd guess the brake booster replacement is not prone to failure. And since you've done the updated rear pads/shim kit and had the D0H, and have generally been the most observant PC-er of the marginal brakes (rear, anyway) on certain 2010's, it's sort of ironic this is happening to you.

    My feeling, after having the D0H, carefully filing the caliper brackets of corrosion and following the TSB pad/shim/clip replacement procedure, is that the rear calipers are simply weak at best. Of course this could be a caliper issue or the front/rear bias could be off or who knows what. Hopefully your local dealer is strong (and honest) in the back-shop.

    And you are for sure a great mini VCI candidate. I can recommend a ~$60, XP-running, Dell Latitude from ebay. These are stout laptops with a reputation for being bombproof. I recently "upgraded" from a terminally ill EEE PC and scored a 620 Latitude ($63 shipped) which runs like new. Follow dolj's post #11 install procedure Using MVCI: cannot connect to VIM error..... | PriusChat to the letter for a pain free set-up. Turn off antivirus during install and also before opening Techstream. If you dedicate a laptop to mini VCI, don't even bother with antivirus. If antivirus flags the complimentary MVCI trojan while opening Techstream, it can cause connection-VIM issues, meaning you won't be able to get Techstream to connect to the vehicle.

    Good luck,

    Mike..
     
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  17. Mendel Leisk

    Mendel Leisk Senior Member

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    I think this page describes how to read codes without techstream, using jumper between some terminals:

    Toyota Workshop Manuals > Prius L4-1.8L (2ZR-FXE) Hybrid (2010) > Brakes and Traction Control > Sensors and Switches - Brakes and Traction Control > Steering Angle Sensor, Traction Control > Component Information > Testing and Inspection > Initial Inspection and Diagnostic Overview > Page 4784

    I'm gonna hold off on this though. Having committed to bringing it in, the last thing I want is to screw it up before the appt.
     
  18. ChapmanF

    ChapmanF Senior Member

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    That's an interesting link ... do you happen to know who runs the site? It says very little about itself, but it has a "Donate" button to "help keep workshop manuals freely available."

    I would be totally psyched about donating to a legitimate company if it had reached some agreement with Toyota and other mfrs about compensating them fairly and putting the stuff freely on line. On the other hand, if it's just Fred Phishnik trying to collect as many PayPal donations as he can before the mfrs take his site down, not so much....

    For what it's worth, it does seem to be a genuine PayPal button (and not, for example, clickbait to somewhere else). If you click it, you're paying "donation" at "workshop-manuals" dot com... whoever that is.

    -Chap
     
  19. Mendel Leisk

    Mendel Leisk Senior Member

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    Oh, you're paying more attention than me. Maybe that's why I NEED Norton, lol.
     
  20. Mendel Leisk

    Mendel Leisk Senior Member

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    Getting more persistent. Got about a block from home, brakes went kinda weird, and lotsa lights:

    image.jpg

    Multiple shut downs. Didn't help much, drove home and took this shot in garage before shut down:

    image.jpg

    (The two brake symbols in right corner gone. )

    Might take bus to the dentist tomorrow. :(