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Charging failure

Discussion in 'Gen 1 Prius Plug-in 2012-2015' started by jfschultz, Sep 23, 2016.

  1. jfschultz

    jfschultz Active Member

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    My Pip stopped charging! I would plug in and after a few seconds the charging light would flash ten times and stop. When starting the display would indicate a cable or other problem. I tried a public station and the same thing.

    I told the Service Advisor that this would give their techs a early preview of the Prius Prime. The dealer clocked 4-5 hours of diagnostic time and Cincinnati District even sent an technician to help. The verdict is that the charging ECU needs to be replaced. (Also a good charging ECU is needed to see whether the charger is OK or not.)

    The Service Advisor had called several contacts in California, including Carson Toyota, and this is the first charging ECU failure they heard of.

    Has anyone here encountered a similar issue?
     
  2. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

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    i don't recall ever reading about one. we have had some chargers replaced though. it will be interesting to see if that fixes it. how many miles on her?
     
  3. Pluggo

    Pluggo Senior Member

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    Just wondering, does the car still charge while coasting and braking? Hopefully you always used a grounded outlet, no questionable extension cords and you always connect and disconnect at the charging port while the charger is plugged into the wall. A body shop guy told me he was warned not to strike an arc on his welder anywhere near a Prius because of all the sensitive electronics.
     
  4. jfschultz

    jfschultz Active Member

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    I have a bit over 31k miles on the car.

    The only thing that was unusual, is that after plugging in and going inside, I found a circuit was out. I flipped several circuit breakers off and on to find the one that was tripped. So that may have cycled the socket it was plugged into. Also the GFI in the charger was tripped.
     
  5. Pasaman

    Pasaman Active Member

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    Any trouble charging at public places? I can't charge reliably at home. It will charge 20 minutes or so and trip the gfi. At work I have no problems. I'm thinking it's my charger which looks beat to heck.
     
  6. fotomoto

    fotomoto Senior Member

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    Too late now but I would have suggested rebooting/resetting all the car's ECM's by disconnecting the 12v.
     
  7. Mendel Leisk

    Mendel Leisk Senior Member

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    This is covered under warranty I guess? Could you ask them what it cost if it was out-of-warranty? Be good to know.
     
  8. jfschultz

    jfschultz Active Member

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    Apparently, at least in the US, this is only covered beyond the basic in California and perhaps the other CARB states. The repair bill will come to about $1,100 for the charger ECU.
     
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  9. fotomoto

    fotomoto Senior Member

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    Ouch. That erases much of your fuel savings.

    If this was somehow caused, at least partially, by the home circuity/resets issues, I'm glad I use a new, separate 240v circuit for my charging as my previous 120v garage socket has had numerous trips due to an air compressor being on the same leg (since moved).
     
  10. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

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    i would not be a happy camper if i had to pay for a defect like that on a 3 y.o. car.

    otoh, i wonder if the continual issues you are having with your outlet can eventually fry things, and why the require a dedicated circuit?