Dash Warning Light

Hi Russell,

The red triangle is the Master Warning light. Its purpose is just to alert you to look around for additional warnings.

The MFD icon is the hybrid system warning icon. This is showing you that the hybrid system has a problem. This is potentially a serious issue. You really need to have the diagnostic trouble codes read to determine the problem.

I suggest that you travel as necessary to find a dealer whom you can trust, since the repair is likely to be covered under warranty. The bumper-to-bumper basic warranty is 3 years/36K miles; while the powertrain warranty is 5 years/60K miles and the hybrid system warranty is at least 8 years/100K miles.

Good luck.

 

Russell, Prius are reliable cars but complex. So much can go wrong with them it'll turn you white. Don't fool with this; take it to a dealer for proper diagnosis and repair. And read the owner's manual and the scheduled maintenance guide. They will save you bother and expense.

 

Russell,

I recently had the same problem with my 2001 Prius.

Shortly after I started my car the other day, a warning light with exclamation mark on a car appeared on the MultiVisual Display Unit. It has only happened once (so far), but I am concerned that it will happen again and I will need to spend a lot of money to get it fixed.

Did you ever find out what was causing the similar problem with your car? If so, please let me know!

Thank you!

 

Hi Russell,

Does your repair invoice show the DTC (diagnostic trouble codes) logged?
Which ECU's firmware was updated (i.e., engine, hybrid vehicle, or ?) I had not heard that 2007 models are subject to a firmware update.
Were any physical parts replaced as part of the repair?

Thanks!

 

I just went through the diagnostic process for Prius V dashboard warning lights coming on, some staying on while driving, some not coming on at the next startup. I searched the internet looking for explanatory information to no avail, maybe my poor search skills. A dealer or repair service will probably always recommend the owner bringing the vehicle in to be checked; that is only prudent. But the owner/driver is worried: is the car going to quit on me on the freeway? Or worse? Here are 2 things I learned from my dealer that would have saved a lot of worry. (1) A loose gas cap can cause a light to display (I can't remember if it was the "Maintenance Req'd" or another). (2) A low battery will simulate a malfunction and a number of lights may display; check your battery! That turned out to be my problem.

 

What seemed extremely screwy to me was when I got three warning lights. And the code was that the gas cap was faulty. Never did get a satisfactory explanation for why it lit those lights. I guess having a "check gas cap" was too difficult to do. Check engine. Check doors. But not gas cap. And frankly, to get off the topic a little, I am not a big fan of the Prius dash. Just for one example, I think a rotary knob for raising and lowering heat would be better than the hokey LCD thing with the up and down arrows. Not everything in the Prius is genius.

 

What they really should have done is have a set of up/down buttons on the steering wheel, now that would have been genius.