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

2006 Prius hybrid system overheats with codes P3190 and P3191

Discussion in 'Gen 2 Prius Care, Maintenance and Troubleshooting' started by Enik, Jan 2, 2014.

  1. Enik

    Enik Junior Member

    Joined:
    Dec 11, 2008
    11
    1
    0
    Vehicle:
    2006 Prius
    Something in my Gen II 2006 Prius is causing a type of overheating condition in the hybrid system. The fault/error codes coming up are P3190 and P3191. If I turn the car off for 30 minutes and restart it, it runs fine for a period of time (but usually not more than a week).

    I first noticed the problem a couple of months ago during my 45 mile (mostly highway) commute. While driving on the highway, I noticed that the Prius wouldn't accelerate when I stepped on the gas pedal. A couple of minutes later, my dash warning lights come on and the car started slowing down (no response to the gas pedal at this point). For a minute or so, I was able to change gears (reverse or drive) and move a little in either direction but the transmission stops responding altogether very quickly.

    Dash lights that light up
    [​IMG]

    Hybrid system error symbol lit up and I noticed that the hybrid battery charge level was at one purple bar.
    [​IMG]

    The first time it happened, I had my car towed to the nearest Toyota dealership.
    The flatbed tow truck driver (to my surprise) was able to start the Prius and back it into a spot at the dealership.
    Some of the dash lights were no longer lit.
    [​IMG]

    The dealer couldn't find anything wrong with the car except for the fact that my water pump was leaking. They replaced the water pump, cleared the error codes and drove the car around for about 45 minutes but couldn't reproduce the problem. I drove my car home.

    note: this dealership replaced my hybrid battery and 'computer' (I'm sure it has a specific part name - sorry I don't have the info) right before my warranty ran out over a year ago. I didn't have any warning lights lit up on the dash at the time but I told the master mechanic working on my car that it didn't have much power going to the wheels when I put it in reverse (I couldn't back into my driveway). After the hybrid battery and computer were replaced, I had no issues with backing into my driveway.

    The same issue happened a week later. I turned the car off for 20-30 minutes, started the car and noticed that the bulk of the dash warning lights turned off so I drove it home. I took it to my local mechanic the following day. He cleaned the intake manifold, changed the spark plugs, cleared the P3190 and P3191 codes indicating that they were generic codes indicating a misfire and said that it was now running fine.

    A week later the same thing happened. I did some research and brought the car back to my local mechanic and asked him to change the transmission fluid & to use the Toyota ATF WS fluid. He changed the transmission fluid (and noted that it was dirty), cleared the codes and I brought the car home. I unfortunately didn't get a sample.

    We had a power failure that night so I plugged my pond aerator into the cigarette lighter to keep my koi alive and less than 2 hours later I came out to find the pondmaster ap-20 (20 watt) air pump (blows bubbles through 1/2" tubing) wasn't running and my car had shut off with the dash warning lights illuminated. I have run this little aerator for 4 days on a single tank of gas without issues in the past.

    Now that I know that the hybrid system 'overheating' issue happens when the car is parked and running for an extended period of time as well as when driving it for 40+ minutes, I wanted to try to collect more information for the Toyota dealership before I bring it back to them. I purchased an OBD II bluetooth device and installed Torque Pro on my android phone. I didn't find any data in the pre-configured Torque display that jumped out at me when I took the car out for a short drive around town. I downloaded, copied and imported the USBSeawolf2000 Gen2 Prius extra PIDs/Sensors when I got home.

    Sorry for the long post but I thought the details might help. Any suggestions on which of USBSeawolf2000's PIDs/Sensors I should focus on (and log)?
    I'm guessing that something seriously expensive has developed a problem (maybe a short) in between the inverter, the transmission and the hybrid battery. (the dealership tested my hybrid battery and said it was fine. The plastic pole/cable covers was off the battery in the trunk behind the right wheel so I'm guessing they tested that one too).

    I found a post a while ago on testing the MG1/MG2 but I can't seem to find it now (tbh, it was a little beyond me but there was an image of a wiring harness with a short that caught my eye and made me think that I might have a short that is causing the hybrid battery to overcharge & is overheating it as a result).

    Any thoughts or recommendations would be greatly appreciated.
    The master mechanic I used to have my car serviced by at Bowie Toyota has moved on to a Nissan dealership so I'm open to suggestions in terms of Prius gen 2 gurus in the Maryland area. I live in the Annapolis MD area and work in the DC area.
    Thanks a lot,
    Mark
     
  2. 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. I do not think you have an overheating problem. I don't see any warning lights in your photos that relate to that.
    2. P3191 means "engine no-start" and P3190 means "poor engine power".
    3. How many miles on the odometer?
    4. How much fuel is in the tank when you have a problem? For now, keep the tank 1/2 full or greater.

    With the Prius IG-OFF, open the hood, remove the engine air cleaner cover and look at the throttle body interior. Rotate the throttle body shaft by hand. Use a flashlight to get a good look at the throttle plate.

    If you see black dirt on the throttle plate or the throttle body interior, that all needs to be cleaned off using throttle body cleaner.

    The mass air flow sensor mounted on the air cleaner housing is also suspect. It should be removed and cleaned using MAF sensor cleaner. Do not use some other cleaner.

    While you are at it, remove the air filter and hold it up to sunlight. If you don't see light coming through the filter, replace it now. Compare to a new filter if you have any doubt.

    If all of the above are good, I suggest that you have the fuel rail pressure measured, which should be 44-50 psi. Maybe the fuel pump is getting marginal.

    Also have the air induction system checked for leaks, especially downstream from the MAF sensor. Perhaps the throttle body gasket is leaky, allowing unmetered air to enter. A loose PCV valve hose, loose/missing engine oil cap or oil dipstick can also contribute to this.
     
    Enik likes this.
  3. Enik

    Enik Junior Member

    Joined:
    Dec 11, 2008
    11
    1
    0
    Vehicle:
    2006 Prius
    Thanks for the analysis and suggestions Patrick. My car has 124000 miles and I never let the tank go below 1/4 but I'll keep it above 1/2 and I'lI look into the items you suggested. Could these items cause the hybrid battery to stop charging and then allow normal operation after 20-30 minute wait time with everything turned off? The last time I worked on cars, fuel injection was just getting popular... so debugging hybrid car issues is a whole new world to me :)

    SCH-I605 ?
     
  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
    Check the throttle body interior and throttle plate, regarding DTC P3191.

    Also check the inverter coolant reservoir when the Prius is READY, looking for fluid turbulence. If you do not see this, the inverter coolant pump has failed or there is air in the coolant loop which is allowing the inverter to overheat.
    That may cause temporary drivetrain issues which will go away after a cooling period.
     
  5. Enik

    Enik Junior Member

    Joined:
    Dec 11, 2008
    11
    1
    0
    Vehicle:
    2006 Prius
    Thanks a lot Patrick.

    SCH-I605 ?
     
  6. Enik

    Enik Junior Member

    Joined:
    Dec 11, 2008
    11
    1
    0
    Vehicle:
    2006 Prius
    update - I brought my prius home from the Annapolis dealership today. They found mouse droppings in the hybrid battery area but no sign of damage (nothing they could see anyway - when they mentioned it, I had visions of shredded wiring harnesses). They cleaned the throttle body, MAF sensor and replaced the auxiliary battery but the car stalled after idling for 22 minutes. They put the car in 'maintenance mode' (they explained that this bypasses the hybrid system) and checked the fuel pump for current. After running for a brief period of time, the fuel pump was no longer running.
    They replaced the gas tank explaining that the fuel pump was inside the tank.
    My wallet is $1500 lighter, but I'm thrilled that it seems they fixed the problem. Patrick, your earlier post suggested that the fuel pump may be getting marginal... I didn't understand how shutting the car off for 20 minutes temporarily let the fuel pump run again but you were right on the money. Thanks again for your help on this - much appreciated!
     
    Data Daedalus likes this.
  7. jadziasman

    jadziasman Prius owner emeritus

    Joined:
    Jan 17, 2011
    1,355
    486
    0
    Location:
    District 6
    Vehicle:
    Other Non-Hybrid
    Model:
    N/A
    Patrick is the MAN.

    Bad fuel pump, eh. That really blows. Not many miles on your 06 I see.

    I hate to say it but it seems you unfortunately own a lemon since the traction battery was replaced before the warranty expired as well.
     
  8. Enik

    Enik Junior Member

    Joined:
    Dec 11, 2008
    11
    1
    0
    Vehicle:
    2006 Prius
    Love your avatar jadziasman... the happy helmet episode is awesome :D
    Yeah I've had a couple of issues but I've really enjoyed the car up until this latest problem (and I'm glad the traction battery started failing before my warranty expired). If the new gas tank & fuel pump resolve the issue, I'll get over the recent maintenance storm. It could have been the transaxle so I still consider myself lucky. Plus I have all of these cool metrics I can track through Torque (geeked out adding some of USBSeawolf2000's PIDs including MG1 and MG2 temp before I left the dealership)
     
  9. Enik

    Enik Junior Member

    Joined:
    Dec 11, 2008
    11
    1
    0
    Vehicle:
    2006 Prius
    sorry dup post
     
  10. Joe 26

    Joe 26 Member

    Joined:
    Feb 20, 2008
    242
    42
    0
    Location:
    Columbus, Ohio
    Vehicle:
    2010 Prius
    Model:
    III
    Worn electric fuel pumps can get weak/cut out when they get hot, and work just fine when cold. Just replaced one on a Ford Taurus with the same symptoms, and have seen many examples over the years.

    Sometimes we get so blinded by all the electronic controls and such that we forget the basics!

    Glad you got the problem solved!
     
  11. KiwiAl

    KiwiAl Junior Member

    Joined:
    Feb 1, 2014
    146
    19
    0
    Location:
    New Zealand
    Vehicle:
    2008 Prius
    Model:
    N/A
    Hi Enik,

    Great story, well told. Stumbled over it earlier while surfing on my phone, but had a hard job finding it again.

    Yes, Patrick is the MAN, for sure!

    I love to try to solve these puzzles myself, before I get to the end of the thread, and when I saw the One Bar on the HV Battery picture, thought, must be the ICE... That was a question I have wanted to answer - what happens if the IC engine fails to restart? How long does it crank for, how many times does it try, and how do you know if it failed to start? Now I have an answer. Sort of...

    Typical of the enigmatic Prius. The main engine fails to re-start (a "significant" problem) due to lack of fuel but in spite of all the technology, sensors, computers, MFD and everything, it doesn't bother to tell you. Just throws a couple of codes deep in the system. Yet it tells you quick enough if you have the door open and put the transmission into Drive.

    Anyway, I see jadziasman suggested you might have a lemon...


    Although I'm only a noob myself, I have been doing a lot of reading on here (Great Forum!), and I want to say, I very much doubt that you have a lemon. In my guessimation, the only lemon in the equation is the Dealer who replaced your Traction Battery and Computer under warranty - lucky you. But my bet is they were simply stabbing in the dark, and the problem was a dodgy, intermittent fuel pump the whole time. Just, replacing the battery etc "seemed to fix it" at the time.

    Happy free-wheeling!
     
  12. Enik

    Enik Junior Member

    Joined:
    Dec 11, 2008
    11
    1
    0
    Vehicle:
    2006 Prius
    Joe26 and KiwiAl,
    thanks for the well wishes and yes the tech in this car is impressive but I agree that it would be nice if it threw a code indicating that the fuel pump stopped instead of the more abstract 'poor engine performance'... equivalent to "something appears to be wrong" o_O :D
    Awesome forum indeed... thanks all!
     
  13. Ytsejamer1

    Ytsejamer1 Junior Member

    Joined:
    Mar 8, 2009
    79
    6
    0
    Location:
    Somersworth, NH
    Vehicle:
    2006 Prius
    I just received this exact set of error message today on my 2006 (171K)...including the battery drain issue. I'm staying with relatives in NY and was just starting to head to Philly when this error came up after filling up the tank (was at just under 1/2 tank prior). I got the car into the dealership and they said all codes point to the hybrid battery, but the hybrid tech wasn't confident that the battery system was at fault. The rep was just telling me "there are a lot of codes, etc, etc, etc. So I'm not quite convinced that the real issue has been discovered by the technician quite yet. I wasn't on the schedule and rushed it into them, so I'm sure he wasn't in much of a hurry to find the problem at the end of Saturday shift.

    I "hope" this post sheds some light on it. Thanks to all the posters here (including wonderful detail on OP). Maybe I can drop the hint when I talk with them on Monday morning.

    Cheers...
     
  14. TampaPrius.com

    TampaPrius.com Active Member

    Joined:
    Feb 20, 2013
    461
    296
    0
    Location:
    Tampa, Florida
    Vehicle:
    2008 Prius
    Model:
    N/A
    What are the codes?
     
  15. Ytsejamer1

    Ytsejamer1 Junior Member

    Joined:
    Mar 8, 2009
    79
    6
    0
    Location:
    Somersworth, NH
    Vehicle:
    2006 Prius
    Darn it all... it's not the P3190 or P3191. The codes on mine are: P0A0D (High Voltage System?) and P3000 (Battery Control System?).

    I will say...Toyota Customer Care has really stepped up and even at 171k, they're covering a good portion of the replacement part (main hybrid battery) as gesture of goodwill. They indicated that because I take my car to the dealership for service, they want to help out. It's huge...i can't really afford the $3500 repair bill nor can I deal with a monthly payment.
     
  16. JC91006

    JC91006 Senior Member

    Joined:
    Nov 10, 2013
    16,466
    8,377
    0
    Location:
    Los Angeles, CA
    Vehicle:
    2008 Prius
    Model:
    II
    WOW, this is good news Toyota reached out and offered assistance at 171k. You probably hold the record for the most miles and getting assistance :)
     
  17. Jackson123

    Jackson123 New Member

    Joined:
    Jun 11, 2014
    4
    0
    0
    Location:
    Gila Bend, az
    Vehicle:
    2004 Prius
    Model:
    N/A
    I have 2004 prius, I drive in the hot summer in arizona. every about 40 mile, it lost power and make a beep sound I brought to the dealer, at first the dealer said to change the radiator fan for $725. I bought fan online and put it on by myself. The problem not go away. I talk to the technician, he said it may the hybrid water pump, he suggest to put the car ready and see if there is a movement in the water reservoir for hybrid cooling system. and there is. Finally the manager call me and will re diagnose for free.

    they found there is a hybrid water pump not working when hot. Look like work properly when I start but there is a problem with wiring inside the pump, and not working when it hot. the dealer replace it for additional 235 dollar and solve the problem. here is the video if you want to replace by your self

     
  18. Ytsejamer1

    Ytsejamer1 Junior Member

    Joined:
    Mar 8, 2009
    79
    6
    0
    Location:
    Somersworth, NH
    Vehicle:
    2006 Prius
    Not quite the record I'd like to hold, but really...kudos to Toyota for helping me out in pinch. The dealership mentioned that the battery cooling fan was pretty nasty and clogged up. I'm guessing it was because I tow my rotten golden retriever around constantly. The hair that must have been in there is probably one of the things that didn't help matters much.

    This link indicates on how to clean it...and I'll probably do so every now and again:
    How To Clean The Battery Cooling Fan in A 2004-2009 Toyota Prius

    Sorry to highjack the thread...cheers everyone!
     
    Naren likes this.
  19. avocadoman1

    avocadoman1 Member

    Joined:
    Jun 23, 2008
    217
    36
    0
    Location:
    Fallbrook-CA
    Vehicle:
    2022 Prius
    Model:
    Limited
    I experienced a P3190 code
    ICE would not start
    Had to get towed
    It was a failed O-ring in the fuel line that blocked fuel to ICE

    The mechanic had previously done recent work on my vehicle in the area of failure. That is, within past week, mechanic had disconnected & re-connected fuel line where the O-Ring failed in order to do other fixes.
    However mechanic would not take blame saying the O-Ring was bad
    Although mechanic performed the fix for free (replaced O-Ring), I was inconvenienced & had to pay for towing (I hope to get reimbursed from Insurance)
     
    #19 avocadoman1, Oct 10, 2015
    Last edited: Oct 10, 2015
  20. greenbubba

    greenbubba Junior Member

    Joined:
    Jun 9, 2009
    8
    0
    0
    Location:
    Raleigh, NC
    Vehicle:
    2001 Prius
    Model:
    N/A
    Posting here as Enik's problem closely resembles mine. I have a 2001 with 201,000 miles or so. Been running a salvaged regen battery since 126,000+/-. My prius always starts and if handled gently will run at highway speed for about 10 minutes, then it starts to chug and sputter. I'm also getting crappy mileage - 37 mpg. Like Enik, I can pull over, turn off the ignition and restart. I'll go for another 10 minutes before the same thing happens. The other quirky thing is sometimes it will not go in reverse. I had Advance Auto read the codes today and got; C1202 No DTC definition found, C1259 Malfunction in regenerative of HV engine control unit, P3006 Batteries levels are unusually different, P3016 and 3017 Battery Block 6 (and 7) becomes week, P0300 Random multiple misfire, P301 Cyl 1 misfire (same code for all cylinders), P1455 Vapor Reducing fuel tank system, P3190 Poor engine power, P3191 engine does not start.

    I have already cleaned the throttle body and mass air flow sensor and have a new air filter. Going to replace the plugs as well since I can't remember the last time they were replaced.

    From reading threads it sounds like I could have a fuel issue and a regenerative battery issue. My question; Is it possible to have a fuel pump issue that triggers false battery codes? I don't want to spend too much on fuel pumps if I need another battery pack.

    Sorry - just re-read. Sounds like fuel pump requires a new tank, so if it's the fuel pump or the regen battery I probably need to look at getting a new car. ugh.
     
    #20 greenbubba, Oct 26, 2015
    Last edited: Oct 26, 2015