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Master warning light fails to come on during startup?

Discussion in 'Gen 2 Prius Main Forum' started by 2009Prius, Mar 26, 2009.

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  1. 2009Prius

    2009Prius A Wimpy DIYer

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    Does your master warning light (a triangle with a "!" in the middle) turn on briefly during startup? The 2009 manual says it should turn on "when the POWER switch is turned to ON mode ... There may be a malfunction in a system if the lights do not come on ..." I just checked and the master warning light in my car does not come on as described. :confused:
    Thanks!
     
    #1 2009Prius, Mar 26, 2009
  2. jayman

    jayman Senior Member

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    I have a 2004. My Triangle of Doom very briefly blinks during the power up cycle. If you're not watching for it you'll miss it
     
    #2 jayman, Mar 26, 2009
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  3. David Beale

    David Beale Senior Member

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    My 2007 also briefly lights the triangle during startup (and all the other lights as well, and they don't all go out at the same time).

    You could have a "bad bulb" or even a problem. If it doesn't light, take it to the dealer.

    This is funny. If it lights take it to the dealer. If it doesn't light take it to the dealer. I want a dealership! Thars money in them thar hills!! ;)
     
    #3 David Beale, Mar 26, 2009
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  4. EZW1

    EZW1 Active Member

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    Just about all the lights come on at startup so indicate a system problem, then each goes off as the sytem comes online and is in a good state. This is known as default fail: they indicate a failure until the system reports its okay (aka - guilty until proven innocent).
     
    #4 EZW1, Mar 26, 2009
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  5. 2009Prius

    2009Prius A Wimpy DIYer

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    A good friend of mine checked his 2005 Prius and user manual. His triangle does not come on during start up and his manual does not indicate it should come on either. Could there be a change of design between different model years? :confused:
     
    #5 2009Prius, Apr 6, 2009
  6. warrior

    warrior New Member

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    I think its just to show it is working
     
    #6 warrior, Apr 6, 2009
  7. peterbright

    peterbright New Member

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    I have a 2009 & mine comes on at startup.
     
    #7 peterbright, Apr 6, 2009
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  8. Frayadjacent

    Frayadjacent Resident Conservative

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    I just went to the garage to check mine. In the startup lights-blinky phase, the master warning light does NOT come on at all.
     
    #8 Frayadjacent, Apr 6, 2009
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  9. Patrick Wong

    Patrick Wong DIY Enthusiast

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    With my 2004, I do not notice the Master Warning Light coming on during startup.

    However, if you want to confirm that the MWL light is working properly, make the car READY and shift to D while keeping your foot on the brake pedal, then open the driver's door. You should see that light turn on and a warning message appear in the MFD.
     
    #9 Patrick Wong, Apr 6, 2009
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  10. edthefox5

    edthefox5 Senior Member

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    You have 2 indicator positions in the car. One is the dash the other is the multi function display. On my 07 upon either ON or READY I have NO indicators on the mfd. Only the Toyota brandmark display on start up which quickly disappears and then shows normal page.
    I don't believe there should ever be any indicators on the MFD upon start up. There's 5 warnings located on the MFD and the Triangle is one of them.

    On my 07 only the DASH normally shows indicators which should show the following in orange briefly upon start up to Ready:

    traction loss/brake warning/vsc/abs/ srs and maint. req. up on the top right.


    On my 07 I never see anything on the MFD upon start up except the TOYOTA brandmark.
     
    #10 edthefox5, Apr 6, 2009
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  11. edthefox5

    edthefox5 Senior Member

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    On the MFD?
     
    #11 edthefox5, Apr 6, 2009
  12. 2009Prius

    2009Prius A Wimpy DIYer

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    Wow! Thank you so much! :) You asked the question that I should have been asking: "how do I make sure my master warning light works?" and gave the perfect answer. :thumb: This question has been the source of my concern but I never managed to ask it explicitly. :redface:

    I just went to the parking lot and followed your instructions and sure enough the triangle light came on together with a warning message and audio buzz. This is probably the first time in my life that I am elated to see an alarm coming on. :)

    The funny thing is that instead of asking me to check the doors, the warning message says something unrelated: "Shift to the P position when parked. The batteries will not charge if the shift position is in Neutral (N)." Go figure.

    Thanks again! Problem solved! :)
     
    #12 2009Prius, Apr 6, 2009
  13. firepa63

    firepa63 Former Prius Owner

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    I think Toyota hired some people from Microsoft to write some of the warning messages...
     
    #13 firepa63, Apr 6, 2009
  14. Patrick Wong

    Patrick Wong DIY Enthusiast

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    ...or else the original Japanese-language warnings were translated by someone who has less-than-perfect English language skills...
     
    #14 Patrick Wong, Apr 6, 2009
  15. 2009Prius

    2009Prius A Wimpy DIYer

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    I was wondering why some people see the light briefly during start up and others don't. Then it dawned on me that the first thing I did when I got the car was to turn off the backup buzzer. I wonder if this would cause the difference, say an unintentional change of the start up sequence, especially after seeing how the computer managed to mess up the error message. :rolleyes:
     
    #15 2009Prius, Apr 6, 2009
  16. halpos4

    halpos4 "Taxi"!

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    This has happened to me a couple of times but only when i've started the car whilst standing outside[with driver door open] but putting my left foot on the brake pedal,it's never happens while sitting in the car on startup,i put it down to not having enough pressure on the brake pedal because of my dodgy right knee.
     
    #16 halpos4, Apr 6, 2009
  17. KK6PD

    KK6PD _ . _ . / _ _ . _

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    Duplicated the experiment on a 2008, SAME RESULTS!!

    I never see the TOD at Power Up!!
     
    #17 KK6PD, Apr 6, 2009
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  18. KK6PD

    KK6PD _ . _ . / _ _ . _

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    All Your Base Now Belong To Us
     
    #18 KK6PD, Apr 6, 2009
  19. 2009Prius

    2009Prius A Wimpy DIYer

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    Here are pictures from the experiment.
    [​IMG]
     
    #19 2009Prius, Apr 7, 2009
  20. qbee42

    qbee42 My other car is a boat

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    "A fatal eventuality may occur."

    Tom
     
    #20 qbee42, Apr 7, 2009
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