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Warning light

Discussion in 'Gen 2 Prius Care, Maintenance and Troubleshooting' started by mattmonsour, Feb 27, 2011.

  1. mattmonsour

    mattmonsour Junior Member

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    OK, I guess I really have 2 questions. The less urgent one first. Is there a web page with pics of the various warning lights that can show up on the screen explaining what each one is? The only way I know to find out is to post a pic on here and hope for a reply.

    Now for the more pressing question. Would anyone be able and willing to tell me any more about the warning in the attachment? It's a red square w/ the outline of a car w/ an exclamation point over it. The manual is very vague, just says it's something to do w/ the electric side of things and to take it to a Toyota dealer. Does anyone know if it's ok to drive it there or if I need to have it towed? I left it at my independent mechanic, I'm hoping it's something he can deal with as the local toyota place likes to leave me w/ unsafe cars, so I'd have to drive (or God forbid have it towed) 40 miles to the next nearest dealer.

    It's a 2005, has all the options. 107500 miles. I was driving along with the cruise on 60 mph and all of a sudden the light came on and the cruise cut out. Am I leaving anything else pertinent out?

    I'd greatly appreciate any info and thanks in advance!

    Matt
     

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    #1 mattmonsour, Feb 27, 2011
  2. seilerts

    seilerts Battery Curmudgeon

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    Most likely it is the inverter cooling pump. There is a recall in effect for free replacement with a coolant change to boot. The DTC is P0A93. You won't get reimbursed if your mechanic does the work, which would be about $200. It is a 1 hour job at your local Toyota shop.

    If it indeed has P0A93 set, you will not have the DC converter charging your 12V. Unless you have a fully charged Optima battery, I don't think your car would make it 40 miles to your preferred dealer.

    And don't let the dealers talk you into any other repairs while they have your car. If they say there is a problem, take it back to your indy mechanic
     
    #2 seilerts, Feb 28, 2011
  3. mattmonsour

    mattmonsour Junior Member

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    Thanks so much for the info!

    I got a letter about that recall and called a Toyota service center. They never returned my call and I hadn't gotten around to calling another one. To frustrate me even more just before the recall was announced I had my ind mechanic replace the coolant and a couple hoses!

    I'll have my guy check the code first thing this morning.

    By 12 v batt. You mean the small one right? Which I assume means Optima means
    the "big" one?

    Would I do any harm in trying the drive? If not I figure worst case is I wait for AAA somewhere along the way.

    Thanks again!

    Matt


     
    #3 mattmonsour, Feb 28, 2011
  4. cwerdna

    cwerdna Senior Member

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    There are 2 separate cooling loops: one for the engine and another for the inverter. Which coolant did that ind mechanic change?

    The service campaign is for the inverter coolant pump and calls for new coolant in that loop.

    12 volt is the small battery in the passenger side corner behind the large black box. By Optima, I believe he was referring to Toyota Prius 12 Volt Auxiliary Battery with install kit for 2004 - 10 instead of the 12 volt batteries Toyota includes/supplies.
     
    #4 cwerdna, Feb 28, 2011
  5. mattmonsour

    mattmonsour Junior Member

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    I THINK he changed both loop, I know for sure he replaced 2 hoses.

    The mfd indicated that it was charging the main battery while I drove it the 5 miles to my mechanic, guess that's no guarantee though.

    Now that you mention it I think I've read about some people changing the small battery out for a non-stock version. Kinda off topic, but what are the advantages?
     
    #5 mattmonsour, Feb 28, 2011
  6. cwerdna

    cwerdna Senior Member

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    People claim the Optima Yellow Top is a better battery. The advantages are listed at the link I gave earlier. It's certainly not going to save any money. I then asked why eLearnAid at http://priuschat.com/forums/gen-ii-...ry-why-elearnaid-seattle-area-installers.html.

    FWIW, I went w/the above instead of a battery from Toyota. If you're on your original, at your car's age and mileage, it's almost certainly in need of replacement now.
     
    #6 cwerdna, Feb 28, 2011
  7. mattmonsour

    mattmonsour Junior Member

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    Sure enough, there is a link up there. I missed it, sorry.
     
    #7 mattmonsour, Feb 28, 2011
  8. seilerts

    seilerts Battery Curmudgeon

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    If it is the IC pump (which we still don't know), then the primary risk is running your 12V down so low that sensors fail to operate and the computer systems shutdown, along with the car. This also has the unintended feature of erasing your original P0A93 code and, usually, adding a whole bunch of ABS/VSC codes. To my knowledge, that has not happened to someone that has an Optima 12V installed and has the IC pump failure, and that includes me driving 30 miles without issues, other than a sweating, cranky wife.

    If you reset the code, the DC converter will work again, and you'll be much more likely to make it. But leave off all non-essential 12V systems like A/C, headlights, etc, you'd be able to make it quite a ways, if not all the way, before the inverter coolant gets warm enough to set the DTC again.
     
    #8 seilerts, Feb 28, 2011
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  9. mattmonsour

    mattmonsour Junior Member

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    Awesome info, thanks! It's at my mechanic now, he's going to check the code and make sure that the recall applies to my vin (though I wouldn't think Toyota would have sent me the notification, which had my vin on it, if it didn't apply).

    Humm, sounds like if my guy resets the code then I'd have a really good shot at it. Of course it's a cold dreary day here so I'd have to have headlights and prob. some heat:-( I may get someone to follow me so I can have some heat if I find myself waiting on a tow truck. Then again AAA will tow up to 50 miles for free last time I checked, that'd be cheaper than paying for a friend's gas.

    Sounds like leaving accessories off means the inverter has less work and hence produces less heat, right? and once it does overheat then I could go longer running off the 12 v battery?

     
    #9 mattmonsour, Feb 28, 2011
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