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2008 Prius with new 12 V battery won't shift; lots of warning lights

Discussion in 'Gen 2 Prius Care, Maintenance and Troubleshooting' started by SuzyGS, Aug 20, 2017.

  1. SuzyGS

    SuzyGS Member

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    I will do that. I did take a picture of the codes we saw in the car. Would that be the same thing? There's a photo attached with the first message of this thread.
     
  2. SFO

    SFO Senior Member

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    The equipment the dealer uses and the codes retrieved are different.
     
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  3. SuzyGS

    SuzyGS Member

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    Okay, thanks. I requested a copy of the quote to be sent to me in writing (by email) and I'm just waiting for it. Everything has to go through the service advisor, who's never readily available to answer a question or act on a request.
     
  4. SuzyGS

    SuzyGS Member

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    I found the code the dealer used to diagnose the problem is P0AA6-526. They say it needs a new transmission, although it's not called a transmission on a Prius, apparently. My husband spoke to the service adviser. He was told it's part # 30900-47040, and it's some new, updated transmission. I guess maybe Toyota is no longer making the original transmission that came with the car? It's about $1,000 in labor alone to install. Still waiting for that emailed quote.
     
  5. Sam Spade

    Sam Spade Senior Member

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    Before you sink anywhere near that much into any car.......you NEED to get a second opinion from another Toyota shop.
    Preferably a LARGE one where they do a lot of work.

    And take NOTHING for granted.
    Be sure that they disconnect the 12 V battery to reset the codes AND that they charge it up fully before reconnecting.
    THEN see what happens and what codes are set.
     
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  6. SuzyGS

    SuzyGS Member

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    Thank you for your reply, Sam. I wondered if I should get a second opinion. There is no way I can sink $4,800 into a $6,500 car, although I guess the alternative is basically throwing it away. I took it to the only Huntsville AL dealer which, sadly, is probably the biggest dealer in north Alabama and the only one in our city. I was holding for them for 5 minutes to ask them if they have disconnected the 12 V battery and checked to see what codes come up, but apparently that's the limit and you just have to leave a message. I guess they know they are the only game in town.
     
  7. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

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    google around for hybrid shoppes that might install a salvage unit.

    did we ever finalize the 12v status?
     
    #27 bisco, Aug 22, 2017
    Last edited: Aug 22, 2017
  8. edthefox5

    edthefox5 Senior Member

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    Trans failures are very very rare. Let's investigate.

    Go to Toyota.com/owners and join that forum. It will ask your vin number. That's listed on your insurance card.
    List your vin on that site.
    Then search its history. On that site you will see every instance the car had seen an authorized Toyota service center. You may see why the car was traded in.

    It's imperative that you harvest all trouble codes the car launches for us to help you. The car will tell you exactly why it's unhappy. It's your only hope. If you see trouble codes on the dash and on the mfd it has logged a code. Without deciphering those codes you are at the dealers mercy and that's the last place you want to be. Post those codes verbatim back here. Dealers are notoriously
    Inept at complicated Prius issues and will quote you high ball park before they start swinging at it,
    Got it?

    Go to an auto store and buy a Scangauge Xgauge which will read hybrid codes. The code you listed is a hybrid code so the code reader must be hybrid capable. You will get a lot of use out of that gauge its very convienant.

    Go to lusciousgarage.com they are a premier Prius service center in San Francisco and read there blogs.
    They discuss the code you listed, I believe it's the code where the inverter has failed and many dealers mistakenly condemn the transmission. Inverter failure is sometimes caused by the Inverter coolant pump failing. Easy to tell if it has failed just open the reservoir cap and see the if the coolant us moving. Not moving pump is dead. Pump is dead inverter overheats.

    Good luck,
     
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  9. SuzyGS

    SuzyGS Member

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    I am so thankful for this community. Bisco, the battery is supposedly not the problem, but if I EVER get to speak to a mechanic over there, I'll make him tell me what all they checked. I really want to know if the codes will change after the battery is disconnected and reconnected.

    Ed, the hybrid gauge sounds like a good idea. I had found myself on that lusciousgarage.com site briefly today while trying to figure out if the dealer was lying or inept. I'll go back and more carefully read about the issue you mentioned. Can I ask you about that coolant? You just open the reservoir cap and look for movement in the fluid? I assume the engine must be running; can the observation be immediately after start up? I don't know if it will run in its current state. Whatever we end up doing, I think it won't be at Bill Penney Toyota. We had it towed there. Hopefully they will reset the codes to make drivable, though I'm not sure that's advisable. I would like to drive it to a different shop if we can find one.
     
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  10. SuzyGS

    SuzyGS Member

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    Wow! The plot thickens. I joined Toyota.com Ed suggested and it was VERY illuminating. I looked up the service records and this code showed up before. The last time was in October, when it had about 1000 fewer miles than when we bought it 8 months later. At that time, the dealer recommended a new transmission and the customer declined. I bet he traded it in. And before that, the 12V battery was replaced by a Toyota dealer. That battery was 11 months old with only about 4k mi!es on it when our dealer charged us $300 to replace it. Shouldn't it have been under warranty!? And get this! The code, P0AA6, was detected in May 2016, and in response, the dealer replaced the hybrid battery!!! The next day the car was brought in again because it was still experiencing issues. I bet that hybrid battery wasn't even needed. It might have been under warranty but if it wasn't needed, the dealer managed a profitable warranty repair. We will grill our dealer tomorrow. The car was previously serviced in Atlanta, not Huntsville, by the way, so it was a different dealer from ours. Surely dealers have access to these records, though.
     
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  11. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

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    absolutely. great info, at least you have a new hybrid battery, that's 99% of the battle!(y)
    surprised the seller didn't disclose this, as it is a big selling point on old cars.
     
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  12. SuzyGS

    SuzyGS Member

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    I think the seller had bought the car from another reseller, or an auction, so maybe he didn't know. He was newly licensed in Georgia.

    My husband finally got to talk to the service adviser and then emailed me. He said:
    "Parts 3462.02
    Tax 311.58
    Labor 944.00
    Misc. 100.00
    Total 4817.60
    I talked to Adam. Above is email estimate he sent. He said he emailed you but maybe wrote down wrong address. The car is drivable now but said it could change on the lot back to undrivable in same situation.
    They do not disconnect the battery. He said they have a high end computer scanning system that thoroughly goes over the system. It’s much more than just a code reader. That is what tells them what the problem is: specifically the transmission thing.
    I told him about the car’s history and asked if he had access to it with the vin. He said he had only Bill Penny Toyota but then was able to see what we saw. He said it has new hybrid battery like you said. I just told him I didn’t want to continue putting money into the car if it was a lemon. I mentioned that they told us the car was fine but apparently it has some issues in the past that they didn’t mention to us. I told him I didn’t have an answer to what we wanted to do at this time. I did say I don’t want to leave the car on the lot if we decide not to do anything."

    So I think we'll pick up the car and then look at the coolant to see if it might be the inverter.
     
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  13. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

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    you can buy the 'high end computer scanning system on amazon for $25. combined with a compatible laptop, you can see everything they do.
    while the system is excellent, sometimes mistakes are made because we are human.
    hopefully, this is one of those times. always get a second opinion before dropping 5 large.
     
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  14. SuzyGS

    SuzyGS Member

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    I just went on Amazon and found the Scan gauge X-gauge Ed mentioned, but it's $159.95. Does that sound right? Or is there a cheaper version that still works? The description name shows this: ScanGauge II Ultra Compact 3-in-1 Automotive Computer with Customizable Real-Time Fuel Economy Digital Gauges.

    We do already have a couple OBD2 scanners, which were inexpensive (under $30, I think). I'm not sure if those are what you referred to, though...?
     
  15. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

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    scan gauge will do some things, ed would know better.
    mini vci, with appropriate laptop is the same software as toyota. gives you all the information necessary to go to the service manual and follow the troubleshooting tree.
    but they can be tricky to use, and you may want to read some of the many threads here about them before deciding.
    either are for serious diy'ers.
     
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  16. SuzyGS

    SuzyGS Member

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    I'll check out those threads. I had just started looking at one. I'm not good a working on cars, but I'm good at trying to avoid a $5,000 repair, and if you think the mini vci will help, it sounds like a good idea if we can figure out how to use it. I don't mind making some investment. I hope we do end up keeping this Prius, especially since it has a new hybrid battery. When I joined PriusChat, it asked me to list my car, but I actually recently bought a Prius for myself (literally a week after we bought my daughter's car in June), so we're a Prius family now and issues will come up.

    I'm going to try to reply to Ed's post about the gauge. Thanks, Bisco!
     
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  17. Beachbummm

    Beachbummm Senior Member

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    this is the one most of us order, you will need an older laptop with windows XP or I have it running on windows 7.. outdated laptops are cheap on craigslist..

    be sure you use it on a laptop you don't care about because my copy set off my anti virus warning.. but its the only think on that computer so Im not worried about it..

    you might want to look up the Toyota regional managers number on line and give them a call let them know about the known hidden defect and you feel they knowingly sold you a car that was no good and another dealer.
     
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  18. SuzyGS

    SuzyGS Member

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    Ed, I hope you see this. Does $159.95 sound like the correct gauge? On Amazon, it was called ScanGauge II Ultra Compact 3-in-1 Automotive Computer with Customizable Real-Time Fuel Economy Digital Gauges. Or is there some cheaper version that is still appropriate? Thanks, Suzy
     
  19. JimN

    JimN Let the games begin!

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    Suzy, the $159.95 ScanGauge is the one we are recommending. I also bought a second cable as I use the Scangauge for additional instrumentation.

    The mini-vci is a knock off of Toyota's Tech Stream, the diagnostic software the dealers use. Your scanners may not be good enough. Take them with you to see what they report and what they can clear. My vote is that you need better diagnostics so buy the mici-vci first. If you want more instrumentation buy the Scangauge later.

    The engine does not have to be "running" to see the turbulence in the inverter coolant tank. If the pump isn't running you won't be able to drive far before the inverter gets too hot and shuts down. Choose the coolest part of the day for any trip.

    I would dispute the $300 battery bill with the dealer as it should be covered under warranty. If they won't refund, initiate a warranty claim with Toyota.

    Just curious, was the traction battery replaced just before or after the 8year/100,000mile warranty expired? Warranty work is not very profitable and Toyota isn't going to eat the cost of a battery it doesn't have to.
     
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  20. SFO

    SFO Senior Member

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    Suzy,

    Which year Prius have you purchased for yourself, as this could make a difference in which code reading device you might potentially end up purchasing.

    There are only a few affordable options (generally speaking) for reading Toyota hybrid specific codes:

    The device that you are looking at, which is one and the same as Ed had recommended. Cost is $159 or less.

    Another device, like an ELM OBD2 with bluetooth (or wifi) that would require the use of a cell phone and an application like Torque (assuming an Android phone). Could cost as little as $2 plus a phone or tablet.

    Or as mention above a mini-VCI cable and the Toyota Techstream software, which would require a computer to install the software on. This would be about as advanced as it gets (for the price) and the local deale is using something like this. Cost is about $20 or more, plus a usable computer.

    There might be other options, including all-in-one devices similar to the units you mentioned already possessing.. except they would be hybrid code compatible and most likely cost more.
     
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