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2007 Prius wont start, no response, new 12 v installed.

Discussion in 'Gen 2 Prius Care, Maintenance and Troubleshooting' started by DieselFem, Jan 4, 2018.

  1. DieselFem

    DieselFem Junior Member

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    Have had my 2007 Prius for 150,000 + miles now, and love it, but a month or so ago it failed to turn on at first attempt, and at second attempt it turned on with a blank dash display. I was alarmed but drove home without incident and scanned the forums for fixes. I did the door shut and close and power button trick and the display reappeared, also unlinked and re-linked 12 volt as per another fix. No further problems. Then 3 weeks later it wouldn't start at all. Dead as a doornail. No lights or power to locks etc. Jumped it (properly) and it worked fine for the next 2 weeks. Then same thing, wont start, and jumping it did nothing. Checked the 12 volt in the back and it was dead, bought a new one and installed it. Had to get a new battery cable for the 12 volt pencil post connection (negative) because it was welded to the old terminal (may have arched?), and there was no removing or rescuing it. I also put new batteries in both my fobs. Installation went fine, but it still wont start. No lights or response from the on button. I do notice now that I have replaced the 12v battery, that the power locks work, the mini lights at the bottom of the doors come on when I open the door, and the auto unlock happens when the fob approaches the car. When I put the fob in, and push the button (I press the brake all the way down hard, and have tried pushing power multiple times), I can hear the noise I normally hear the whirl click, before or after the prius starts or turns off. But no display, no triangle symbol, no response from the car. I checked all the fuses, then had my mechanic come over and check my work. He tightened the 12v cables and check all fuses and battery (prius main battery and 12v) and couldn't find anything wrong. He suggested I get someone to tow it to the Toyota dealership or someone who specifically knows a lot about hybrid/electric cars, because he is out of his depth. I think with the combined knowledge of the prius chat members, I may have a chance to avoid that final option. Any thoughts?
     
  2. 2k1Toaster

    2k1Toaster Brand New Prius Batteries

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    I'd put my money on a combination meter failure.
     
  3. DieselFem

    DieselFem Junior Member

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    Thanks 2k1Toaster, I will look into that. In the past I've had a wonky right headlight that came on and off as it pleased, as many have documented online, no recall, no solid fix, so I thought it may be something electrical, or a short. I'll do some research into the combination meter.
     
  4. 2k1Toaster

    2k1Toaster Brand New Prius Batteries

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    There is a lot of FUD out there about Prius headlights. Lights that go on and off on a Prius with HID lights, is a bad bulb. These bulbs do not go out and stay out when dead, that's not how the plasma ignition in the salt region of the bulb works. On an oldschool halogen with a filament, when the filament burned out, the bulb was dead dead dead, never to make light again. In a HID bulb, when it can't ignite the salt to make the proper plasma arc, there is not light. But that depends on the temperature and all sorts of other things. So it is completely possible for a dead bulb to turn back on. This is excellent if you understand what it means. That means you need to replace BOTH bulbs because they fail around the same time. And while waiting for the weekend to replace them or a service appointment if that's how you roll, you have a work-around to make light by turning it on and off.
     
  5. DieselFem

    DieselFem Junior Member

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    Yeah, did all of those things you mentioned in regards to the light issue. It came down to assuming maybe the wiring for the right light had a short. When it goes out it always comes back on if you flash the headlights. Saved me a few tickets. Anyway, checked the symptoms for the combination meter being faulty and not sure that is the problem. My prius wont even turn on. The display doesn't respond, nor does the computer screen. The button doesn't light up at all. There isn't any response. I took a video I will attach. I apologize for my dirty prius and pajama pants, I'm just trying to fix it right now, not clean it, LOL.
     
  6. MickyMatter

    MickyMatter Active Member

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    Tried to read error codes via OBD?
    (Maybe you know someone with a diagnostic device. Or a Bluetooth adapter (ELM327) for 5.- and a smartphone will do, too.)
     
  7. DieselFem

    DieselFem Junior Member

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    I'm borrowing my Dad's code reader tonight, but since it wont even turn on, I've been told it wont read. But I'm still going to try and I'll update, thanks :)
     
  8. padroo

    padroo Senior Member

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    I had the HID lights in my 2008 Prius and they were trouble. Toyota replaced the bulbs under warranty and I ran with them on all the time.

    I had to replace the bulbs a couple of times and they aren't cheap and the last time I had to replace the ballast that sits inside the headlight assembly. The ballast don't like water and they are in the bottom of the headlight assembly, guess where the water goes. I ordered a ballast on line and found good documentation on how to change it. Don't over think the light, try a new bulb then change the ballast.

    The car starting problem, do you have battery voltage at the terminal in the main fuse box under the hood where you jump the car? You can check it right at the battery but you should have the same voltage up front also, this is a good starting point. Do you have a meter to read voltage? If you don't buy one and learn how to use it. There are a lot of videos on YouTube that show you how. Checking battery voltage, fuses and old fashioned light bulbs are a good start.
     
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  9. davecook89t

    davecook89t Senior Member

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    I would still suspect a bad connection somewhere, probably between the 12V and ground. Can you get a voltage reading at the jump points under the hood? Perhaps you have enough power to unlock the doors and turn on the interior lights but not enough to put the car in Ready mode.
     
  10. MickyMatter

    MickyMatter Active Member

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    Headlights don't light up? Rear, brake and turn lights, too?
    Saying you see the lights in the doors, when the doors are open, you see the lights in the trunk, in the cabin and at the makeup mirrors, too? Horn?
    I would check every circuit at its fuse with a Multimeter. Perhaps you can isolate a damaged circuit. And maybe the wiring diagrams can help you further to locate the problem.

    I've uploaded the whole manual including wiring diagrams to my Google Drive. You should find it here:
    2006 PRIUS Repair Manual - 2006 PRIUS Electrical Wiring Diagram
     
  11. Disgustedwithtoyota

    Disgustedwithtoyota New Member

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    I'm having same problem. Even with brand new 12v battery car won't go into "ready". No power period. Also, smelled like chlorine prior to dying. Please let me know if you figure this out. Not ready to get a new car.
     
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  12. davecook89t

    davecook89t Senior Member

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    It sounds to me like your new 12V was not installed properly, if you smell gas. There is a tube that is supposed to vent the gases produced by the AGM battery to the outside. Not venting the gas will not prevent your car from starting, but it could be dangerous if the gas builds up inside the passenger compartment.

    If that part of the installation was not done correctly, I wonder if the rest was. I believe the advice given to the poster (to check the voltage at the jump points under the hood) would apply here as well. If voltage is insufficient there, the problem has been identified as a bad connection from the 12V to ground.
     
  13. DieselFem

    DieselFem Junior Member

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    I have Tmobile SYNC device I used for my Ford F150, plugged it into my prius and no codes, couldn't read it. Still might go get my dads reader just in case.
     
  14. Disgustedwithtoyota

    Disgustedwithtoyota New Member

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    The chlorine smell occurred just prior to car dying. It was very potent, actually seemed to come from engine compartment, not rear of vehicle. The new 12v was put in afterwards.
     
  15. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

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    what does the 12v measure in the morning before turning anything on?
     
  16. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

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    what reader does he have? prius needs a very specific code reader.
     
  17. DieselFem

    DieselFem Junior Member

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    MickyMatter,
    The mechanic checked each fuse and no problem found. I checked them too. The door lights, cabin lights, mirror lights all working, and the horn. The headlights turn on, and the brights, and the brake lights but not the turn signals.
     
  18. davecook89t

    davecook89t Senior Member

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    Ok, I don't know how to explain that. Something might have been sucked into the HVAC vents, which may have nothing to do with the car dying. All the same, I would try to get hold of a multi-meter and read the voltage at the under-hood jump points.
     
  19. DieselFem

    DieselFem Junior Member

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    He has the reader: OB D2 for models 1996 and above.
     
  20. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

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    never heard of it.