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horrible ride home

Discussion in 'Gen 2 Prius Care, Maintenance and Troubleshooting' started by dlddvm, Dec 21, 2014.

  1. dlddvm

    dlddvm Junior Member

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    Hi folks,
    I drove my 2007 to an out-of-town sports event today, topped the tank before hitting the highway, had an uneventful 80 mile drive. She sat outside in 48F and mist. Got out of the game 3.5 hrs later, hit start, and got 3 warning lights on the dash - a big red triangle with an exclamation point, the icon I've come to learn means a low tire, and "VSC". Also the top edge of the computer display had a red car outline with an exclamation point instead of whatever it usually says.

    Reading the owner's manual for a description of what those symbols mean was not illuminating. Having less than zero car knowledge, far from home and no hubby nearby to bail me out, I thought I'd head to the nearest gas station and at least check the tires. All between 38 and 41 - can't explain any of the lights now. Right next door to the gas station was... a Toyota dealer! Closed Sunday.

    Well since the engine was running I just headed home. Everything seemed to work except the cruise control. Got about halfway home, all on interstate, and a fourth light came on, the check engine light. Driving seemed normal so I kept going. Got about 25 mi from home, realized my windshield was getting foggy despite being on heat/front defrost. Put it on just defrost but it didn't completely clear. Turned off the highway 7 miles from home and as I turned, the brake light came on along with a shrill whistle that lasted about 1/2 mile. The brake light went off right after the whistle.

    Another mile down, another turn, as this time it felt like she died - no gas. I barely turned back into the station where I had filled, and she wouldn't move at all. I put on the flashers and tried to find a downhill direction to roll her out of the way when she suddenly started going again. Let her run 30 seconds to see if she'd die again, then crept back out on the road. Drove normally the rest of the way home except a 10 or 15 second repeat of the brake light and whistle, and I had to crack the windows in the mist to defog.

    I gave her time to cool and checked the only things I know how to check - the oil and all the little fluid containers under the hood. They all seemed fine. I hit 88,000 on the harrowing drive, and my next oil change sticker says 89-something. I do have my grills stuffed, but if she overheated, why would that manifest after a 3.5 hr rest? And I drive with my grills stuffed all winter, usually.

    It's 12 miles to work in the morning, or 20 miles to the Toyota dealer. I'm not sure if I should attempt either one. Any ideas for me? Hubby is out on a call and won't be much help.
     
  2. css28

    css28 Senior Member

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    Has the 12 volt battery been replaced in the last few years?

    A failing 12V battery is a common source of Prius lunacy.
     
  3. Patrick Wong

    Patrick Wong DIY Enthusiast

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    Time to arrange a tow to your local Toyota dealer for assistance.
     
    frodoz737 likes this.
  4. uart

    uart Senior Member

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    Hi Dianne. Here are a few important things that you can check fairly easily. You'll need a cloth or rag and a flashlight.

    1. Check the 12V battery. If you have a voltmeter (and know how to use it) then measure the voltage at the front jumper points with the prius in accessory mode (not in ready mode), with and without the headlights on. If you don't have a voltmeter then no problems, just use the procedure here: Weird stuff happening? MPGs dropping? Test The Battery | PriusChat

    2. Check the coolant in the actual radiator, not just in the expansion tank above the radiator. To do this you might need to remove the black piece of plastic that sits on top at the front of the engine bay. Make sure the engine is completely cool before removing the pressure cap. The coolant level should be right up to the neck of the radiator.

    3. Check the coolant level (pink fluid) in the other reservoir near the inverter (the shiny silver part on the right side of the engine bay as you look from in front). Check that the level is right but also check for flow when the car is on (ready mode). Remove the filler cap and look down at the surface of the coolant (car on) and you should see some amount of gurgling or ripples as the fluid is pumped through that reservoir. It is very important that you can observe this.

    4. Make sure the prius is turned off (don't leave it in ready mode for this step). Using the flashlight look carefully down on the extreme left hand side of the engine (looking from in front) at where the pulley wheels are. Make sure that you can see the rubber v-belt where it goes around those pulleys and check its condition.

    EDIT: Forgot to add. I know you've already checked the oil but it mightn't hurt to double check. Be sure to remove the dipstick and wipe it, before reinserting it and taking a reading. If the car has been sitting for some time on level ground then you should get a fairly distinct and easy to see oil line doing it this way.
     
    #4 uart, Dec 21, 2014
    Last edited: Dec 21, 2014
  5. Former Member 68813

    Former Member 68813 Senior Member

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    Go to autozone and read the engine codes in addition to checking the 12V battery.
     
  6. Munpot42

    Munpot42 Senior Member

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    +1 with your stated knowledge of car mechanics, Have it towed to the dealer.
     
  7. dlddvm

    dlddvm Junior Member

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    Thanks for all the ideas. Couldn't possibly find the voltmeter in hubby's tools, so used the alternate method and the battery is ok. We did just have it changed this spring. I'm afraid I'm not going to unbolt that black thing to look at the coolant under it, but the coolant seems to move when the engine runs. And it looks like the belt you describe is okay, not that I really know what it's supposed to look like.

    Sooo, if she starts in the morning my hubby can follow me to the service center, if not, we'll get a tow.
     
  8. Easy Rider 2

    Easy Rider 2 Senior Member

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    Check the oil......please......before driving it any more.
     
  9. Mendel Leisk

    Mendel Leisk Senior Member

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  10. dlddvm

    dlddvm Junior Member

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    An uneventful drive to the dealership this am. Preliminary word is wires chewed on by a nesting mouse! The guy said it would take 3-4 hrs to take the car apart far enough to get to the wires to see about repair. This sounds expen$ive!
     
  11. ftl

    ftl Explicator

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  12. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

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    yes, mice have expensive taste. all the best!(y)
     
  13. Yakoma

    Yakoma Active Member

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    Wow...lately seems like mice and dogs are more hazardous to Prii than failing Toyota parts.
     
  14. Patrick Wong

    Patrick Wong DIY Enthusiast

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    Yes, especially if the dealer tech wants to install a new wiring harness. That will cost into the high four-digits.

    You will want to encourage the tech to repair the existing wiring harness via splicing, if at all possible. That will probably cost you in the low four-digits if they are quoting 4 hours just to access the damage. Another 4 hours to reassemble the car, so ~$1.2K just for labor to access and reassemble.
     
  15. Mendel Leisk

    Mendel Leisk Senior Member

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    Good to hear at least the problem has been found. We had a small rat take up residence in the engine bay, very frustrating. At least no serious damage done. Problem was diagnosed by this little guy:


    IMG_1713.JPG
     
  16. DGH

    DGH Thread Terminator

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    Did you find the nest?
    If not please check the engine filter housing, the airbox that is located is behind the glovebox and finally pull out your hatch storage box and look at the area under it.

    Good luck.
     
  17. Mendel Leisk

    Mendel Leisk Senior Member

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    If that's about our case, the nest was right on top of the engine. He'd (or she, not sure) had dragged all sorts of stuff in there.
     
  18. DGH

    DGH Thread Terminator

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    Sorry I did not quote, I guess it applies to everyone.
    After learning the hard way, I would monitor those areas periodically.
    I highly recommend the thread on "mouseproofing". If you have screened off those openings....no worries.

    Thanks,

    Dan
     
  19. dlddvm

    dlddvm Junior Member

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    So I got my car back yesterday, not nearly as much damage as they had feared, did not get to the wiring harness. "Only" $494. The dealership did not find the nest, so we checked the engine filter housing and the under hatch area around the spare tire and didn't find anything. I haven't yet dug out the manual to see how to get to the glove box air filter - they have always changed that for me on schedule.

    Meanwhile I have her back in the garage with 2 mousetraps in the engine, one on the front passenger floor, and four more around the garage floor. I will search for the mouseproof thread.

    Thank you so much to everyone who helped talk me through this -- you all are great! Happy Holidays!
     
  20. DGH

    DGH Thread Terminator

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    Glad it was a somewhat inexpensive fix. My problems were in the airbox, hopefully yours is undisturbed.
    You will never keep them out of the engine bay, but the mouseproofing thread will at least keep them out of the interior.

    Cheers

    Dan