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Red Triangle - 2008 Prius w 90,000 Miles

Discussion in 'Gen 2 Prius Main Forum' started by jbusta, Sep 1, 2018.

  1. jbusta

    jbusta Junior Member

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    Hey guys,

    I have a 2008 Prius that i bought used last year from my MIL. She kept it well maintained at the dealer. Car has about 90,000 miles of which I've only put on 6,000 in the last year

    Long story short. I just got back from a 1 week vacation and left my prius parked in our spot (southern California, so temp isn't an issue)

    I got home, car started up fine and i went to the grocery store. Then after coming out 20min later, I start up the car and get the red triangle of death. As well as the VSC, CEL, and that exclamation point sign.

    I checked my 12V both front and back with a voltmeter and used the MDF trick. When testing the voltage was 12.5V. When i started the car it was about 14V

    I ordered the mini vci and see the following codes

    Other than that, the car was fine driving home. no other problems during my time with the car (other than some lousy mechanics blowing my one of my tire sensors, not sure which one though)

    Inverter pump was changed via recall about 2 years ago along with a new 12V at that time. Hybrid battery is same from purchase

    Any ideas ? Thank you in advance


    20180901 183614 — imgbb.com

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    Jones Very Faith
     
  2. Raytheeagle

    Raytheeagle Senior Member

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    I’d start looking into the C2318 code.

    We’re there any other codes and did you look at any other screens on Techstream?
     
  3. jbusta

    jbusta Junior Member

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    I actually just checked again and realized I'm unable to see any of the codes related to the powertrain/HV Battery/All the important stuff...

    What gives? Uggggghhh.
     
  4. Raytheeagle

    Raytheeagle Senior Member

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    What version of Techstream are you running?
     
  5. jbusta

    jbusta Junior Member

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    I'm running v 8.00.034

    and using this mini VCI cable J2534

     
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  6. Raytheeagle

    Raytheeagle Senior Member

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    Maybe try a newer version (like 10.30.028).

    That’s what I use on our 2010 and have used it on various Prii that were newer and older:).

    It cycles all the menus and allows for viewing various screens and menus for troubleshooting ;).

    When you get the other codes, post them back up and we’ll see what we can help with(y).
     
  7. jbusta

    jbusta Junior Member

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    Ok gotcha. Gonna install it now, run it again and report back. Thank you
     
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  8. dolj

    dolj Senior Member

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    At this point I'd be a bit more concerned about all the Uxxxx codes that are "lost Communications" codes. Maybe you have a faulty cable. If it is a Mini VCI, that could be a possibility.

    I don't think your version of Techstream is anything about which to worry – version 7.xx.xxx, 8.xx.xxx or 9.xx.xxx all work fine with Gen 2 Prius.
     
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  9. JC91006

    JC91006 Senior Member

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    Check the 12v voltage in the morning with a volt meter, don't start the car or use MFD. See what readings you get.
     
  10. strawbrad

    strawbrad http://minnesotahybridbatteries.com

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    What gives is Mini VCI cables suck. Sometimes they work and sometimes they don't. The VXDIAG cable is much more reliable.

    The U codes match what I have seen caused by a failed ABS computer.
     
  11. jbusta

    jbusta Junior Member

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    Crap. So I had tried for hours to install a techstream v10 without a virus. And its been annoying as crap.

    My car actually died the next morning and after I jumped it all the lights disappeared and I hoped I was in the clear. But then I read about how that's only temporary and sure enough the red triangle came back.

    My volts were like 12.3 idle, 14.2 with the car on..

    Now up until this point the car was driveable, no change in anything at all other than the red triangle errors. But today is a different story

    After having not run the car at all yesterday, I go to start it up today and there is a loud rumbling noise coming from under the hood. Not sure what it is but its loud as crap. SOUNDS LIKE A MOTORCYCLE under there...

    Now I feel like I'm at the whim of an auto shop or dealership. I need my car fixed but also have to be into work tomorrow. My mini vci cable isn't working. I'd hate to have my car towed somewhere and be forced into making some $$$$$ decisions.

    I dont know what to do at this point, I'm completely down. :/
     
    #11 jbusta, Sep 5, 2018
    Last edited: Sep 5, 2018
  12. JC91006

    JC91006 Senior Member

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    This is what I would do for now.

    1. Buy a new 12v battery
    2. Check all engine fluids and make sure it's not low.

    Then see how things go

    Edit: I see you're in Los Angeles. Which part?
     
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  13. jbusta

    jbusta Junior Member

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    Thanks for all the advice everyone. I ended up getting a new cable off Amazon and I had success with getting all the ECU Codes. I uploaded the photo below

    As for the 12V battery (purchased brand new 1yr ago before I bought the car) and MDF trick

    When I press power button once - 11.6V, then when I turn on lights 11.1V
    When I press power button twice - 11.3-11.4V, then when I turn on the lights 10.8V
    When I turn on the car (helicopter/motorcycle under the hood) - 14.8-15.0V

    The fluids all look okay, oil levels are okay as well

    [​IMG]


    https://i.imgur.com/Qx23L62.png

    I'm in Culver City (frequently go to Santa Monica/Westwood and sometimes Hollywood)



    Uggghh. What sucks is that my MIL bought the car mid August of 2008. I live in southern California (10yr/150K miles). Car has 90,000 miles on it. And I'm just outside of the warranty. She took it to the toyota dealership like clockwork when the car was in her possession (Northern California). And now that it's been in my possession for the past year, any chances local dealerships out here might give me some good will? Or am I SOL?

    I'm open to any and all help :(
     

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  14. JC91006

    JC91006 Senior Member

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    You are just out of warranty, bring it to the dealer and ask Toyota corporate for a goodwill warranty on the hv battery. Hopefully they'll give you some help.

    They want to replace your 12v battery again. But if you bought it from a Toyota dealer within the last couple years, it should be replaced for free
     
  15. jbusta

    jbusta Junior Member

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    Ok I can get the 12V replaced. As for the toyota corporate goodwill warranty, is there a method to doing this? Do I take the car to the dealership and then call corporate? Or do I call corporate first? Thanks for your help JC!
     
  16. JC91006

    JC91006 Senior Member

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    Take it to the dealer first, then after they confirm the battery failure, you call corporate. You can also ask the dealer to make this request for you, they'll call
     
  17. strawbrad

    strawbrad http://minnesotahybridbatteries.com

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    Clicking on the little blue snowflakes next to the codes will bring up detail pages with more information. This is also where you will find the sub, detail, or info codes.

    I'm not convinced that your hybrid battery is bad. You should run a forced discharge and charge test. Click on the Hybrid Battery heading on the left side of the screen. From there you can get to the live data list. Then you can see the individual battery block voltages while charging and discharging. Is your car running well enough to run this test?

    If this were my car I'd plug in a different ABS/skid control computer. There is enough slack in the cables to connect a new computer without removing the old. Replacing the computer is an exercise in contortionisim. I keep spares around because they do go out. It's the U codes that point towards the ABS computer. A bad ABS computer can make your car seem possessed .
     
  18. jbusta

    jbusta Junior Member

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    Those bastard dealers. I've called a few of them and one said $3700 total for the replacement and anothers said around $4000. Ideally I'd like them to honor the warranty but I'm thinking worse case scenario

    @strawbrad I'm gonna rerun the techstream and look at the codes. But I have no idea about switching out the ABS computer. How manageable is going that for an average Joe?
     
  19. JC91006

    JC91006 Senior Member

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    Do you have warning lights on now? The dealer will need to diagnose the car to determine the failure. Only then can you request a goodwill repair. The diagnostics will run around $130 an hour
     
  20. Data Daedalus

    Data Daedalus Senior Member

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    I had those lights pop up on my 2008 Prius Tspirit (UK).
    I was alarmed initially, and the only thing that really seemed affected was....the vehicle dropping out of cruise control when the lights lit up on the dashboard. I drove my Prius for a week, with the lights lit up. Nothing seemed actually wrong with the vehicle - except cruise control wouldn’t work when the lights manifested themselves.

    Fortunately, I didn’t have to go to a stealership.
    A friend brought a Toyota Prius “Guru” to my place to trouble shoot the problem.

    What he revealed after plugging in his diagnostics device will surprise you, methinks.

    The Prius 2nd Gen does appear to have a small Achilles heel problem concealed in the rear baggage compartment (behind the cladding on the left hand side) - just under the lip of the rear hatch left side.

    There’s a wire loom with a plastic joint, in the rear quarter body of the vehicle (cargo bay) just under the left side of the cargo bay door lip - you’ll need to pull the inner cladding away from the body.

    In there is this wire loom and the plastic plug.
    It seems Toyota skimped on filling in the holes where the wires go into the plastic plugs (with a water proof wax substance).

    As a result, condensation forms on the cold metal body above the wire loom plastic plugs and drips on to them! This results in the wires in that plastic plug CORRODING and snapping off.

    The affected wire caused the error codes / lights flashing up on the dashboard. It erroneously gives the impression the ABS module unit is faulty and needs to be replaced.

    There was nothing wrong with it!

    The Guru dude predicted what the problem really was, opened up the location in my cargo bay, showed me the corroded wire, yanked it out, reinstalled it in the plug properly after cleaning it out.....and the problem was solved.
    No lights, no error codes.

    That was 4 months ago! No problems since.

    The Stealership would likely have charged me up to £700 for a replacement ABS unit, labour included - while probably knowing what the REAL problem was. Nice little earner!

    I paid Guru dude £80 for his kindness.

    Now you know.

    This may, or may not correspond to the problem mentioned in this thread - but I’m putting it out there, in case it does solve a problem for anyone else

    p.s. First mysterious fault ever, in my Prius!!!


    iPhone ? Pro
     
    #20 Data Daedalus, Sep 8, 2018
    Last edited: Sep 8, 2018