( Another)ABS, VSC, Brake, and (!) lights on 2007 Prius

2007 Prius
~151k miles (bought used at around 145k)

I started my car this morning, and the above mentioned lights were on. It drove fine but I'm a slow driver so my brakes are rarely utilized. I checked my break fluid and its not low. I have not checked the fuse box as I don't have a voltmeter.

There are a plethora of posts on this issue, which I have tried reading, but I get lost in the terminology used because I'm not a car person.

A lot of the discussions mention the 12 volt battery being the issue, but I replaced my battery in winter of 2019. I also had the hybrid battery replaced last summer. I booted up the self-diagnostic menu (the menu that is accessed by holding down the display button and flashing the lights 3 times) and it said my battery was sitting a bit over 14 volts.

I used an autozone code reader and unsurprisingly there were no codes (check engine light is NOT on). I am currently trying the TC, CG pin method of getting codes to "flash," but this is where I get lost in the terminology and I can't find a clear set of instructions someone of my experience level could follow. I found an ODB port diagram in this thread and tried sticking a paper clip in the appropriate holes and then starting my car. I must've done it wrong because nothing happened. Where are the "flashing codes" I'm supposed to see even supposed to show up? On the dashboard lights, or on the console screen? The issue also may be that I didn't press the brakes an appropriate number of times or something (is it 8 times or 2?).

If someone could provide a link to a step-by-step description of this process, it'd be much appreciated. Its unclear to me how far in I need to stick the wire, and exactly how the wires I'm using (paper clips) are to be inserted. The videos I've found were not detailed on this.

From there I'll need to know what to do with the codes. Can they be found in the owner's manual? I looked up the ABS and VSC warning lights and of course it just tells me to see my dealer. From other threads I've read, it seems that an actuator or accumulator (or both) may need to be replaced, depending on the codes, which could easily cost a couple grand if its something I can't do myself.
The car is probably only worth two grand anyway so if this isn't a cheap DIY fix, is the car basically totaled? I'm a grad student living in an apartment so its not like I have access to a garage and a bunch of tools aside from some wrenches.

 

It was "refurbished" I believe, which makes me suspicious of it, but it did come with a 2 year warranty. I was in Austin TX when I had it replaced but now am living in Lincoln, NE. Last time my hybrid batter gave out though I had a lot more warning lights come on.

 

Thank you for the corrections, I originally actually tried a real piece of wire with no luck so that's why I resorted a paper clip. I got the following codes:

(!) EBC: 65
ABS: 42
VSC: 45

I believe the ABS 42 may be DT code C1355 (which indicates the brake actuator assembly as a trouble area), still trying to sort out the other two.

I got a quote for a diagnostic from 2 non-dealership repair places for $150 so I'm trying to figure out as much as I can before taking it somewhere.

 

My 12 volt battery is at 11.5 volts when the engine is NOT on (2 start button pushes), 14.something when it is on (although I'd have to check again). It'd be a blessing if its just the battery causing the problem, but how common is it for a <2 year old battery to go bad?

 

Surprisingly the local dealership (there's only 1 toyota dealer here) charges $99 for a diagnostic, less than the first two places I got quotes from. The only laptop I have is a work laptop and while I could emulate windows on it, its a POS but I don't think its worth the risk of (further) ruining a computer that isn't mine. I don't have the money or space to have spare laptops lying around and neither do my friends. I'd be interested in getting tech stream at a later time although based on reviews it seems like a 50/50 shot that the cable and software will actually work.

I ultimately ended up taking it to a mechanic that charged $70 for a diagnostic. Unfortunately I did not get to write down what the mechanic told me, something along the lines of the rear brake pressure being off and they adjusted the rear brakes to fit according to the shoes remaining life. They asked me if I had ever had the brake line open and I said no but the car has had 4 previous owners so who knows what they did with it. It cost a total of $157 for the diagnostic and brake adjustment. Perhaps I could've done it myself with techstream but I don't trust myself to work on something as important as brakes and working outside in a Nebraska winter is miserable. They drove the car for 10 miles to make sure the lights stayed off and the brakes worked, and the lights remained off on my trip home and my outing yesterday. I should've asked what DT codes they got but didn't know if that's the sort of think that a mechanic will tell you.

The prius got a multipoint inspection at a dealership 8 months ago and the only thing they noticed was the drive belt needing to be replaced (which I later did on my own), nothing about the rear brake pressure or shoes. Perhaps that isn't normally covered in an inspection or something happened between now and then. The temp fluctuates a lot here so I keep an eye one tire pressure, which supposedly can cause braking problems if your pressure is too far off. I'm very gentle about braking and the only fiddling around I've done was to change the oil and the drive belt, plus having someone but in the refurbed hybrid battery when it died about 3 months after the inspection. I didn't think to ask what could've caused the uneven pressure.