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Warning lights after hitting a raccoon

Discussion in 'Gen 2 Prius Care, Maintenance and Troubleshooting' started by Prolix, Apr 13, 2018.

  1. Prolix

    Prolix New Member

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    So I bought a Gen II Prius a few months back. I am the third owner, and it now has about 170k miles with the original hybrid battery. Easter Sunday a suicidal raccoon ran in front of my car and caused $1600 worth of damage. At my local body shop, the A/C compressor was replaced along with the bumper parts, and I found out that it was in an accident before. Anyway, when I first started up the the car, the big red triangle light was on, check engine light, and the hybrid warning light from the console screen was on. The body shop owner ran the lights, and there was a notice about the battery. I have an appointment with the dealer to check the lights in 8 days. I have two main questions, should I be concerned that the hybrid battery is going, and could there be a plausible connection between either the body shop work or the raccoon hit and these lights?
     
  2. PAUL SCHULTZ

    PAUL SCHULTZ Member

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    It would be nice if the body shop provided the error codes. I am wondering if they let the 12V battery discharge during the repairs? Check the health of the 12V battery. Many posts regarding this.

    Paul
     
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  3. Prolix

    Prolix New Member

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    I will do that. I was driving the car today and after the second stop, the warning lights went off. Before the second stop the battery spent some time at 2 bars, before charging up.
     
  4. The Electric Me

    The Electric Me Go Speed Go!

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    Once you get the codes, you'll know more.
    It's suspicious and easy to speculate directly after an accident and repair that any warning lights are related to that same accident and/or repair, but we don't really know.

    170 K miles, 11 years old, 3rd owner, has been in an accident before.

    Sure, anything or everything can be a concern.
    But I would think the first step is actually getting the codes and evaluating them.
     
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  5. edthefox5

    edthefox5 Senior Member

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    First thing that comes to mind is the ac compressor runs on high voltage and if not properly installed
    And usually wrong refrigerant it may be conductive and will throw a master caution alarm detecting hi volt ground fault.
    With all that’s been done it’s hard to speculate how many things may be wrong.

    It’s real easy to find out get a OBD tester that has Toyota techstream software and will pull ALL Toyota hybrid ciodes. No Toyota software it will not pull hybrid battery codes and you will have no idea why it’s unhappy.

    Here’s the possibility’s:

    Borderline hybrid battery. Long period of inactivity killed it.

    Borderline 12 volt battery . Same reason. Easy to check get voltmeter and read dc at front underhood jump points.

    Ac compressor.

    You can get an obd code reader fast off amazon VXDIAG runs with XP or WIN7-10. Plug and play.
    $99.
     
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  6. edthefox5

    edthefox5 Senior Member

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    Using the wrong oil when recharging the ac compressor will make it lodge a high volt fault. Most ac systems use PAG oil a G2 uses electric hi volt 3 phase and requires POE Oil. An inexperienced ac tech may not know this.

    Have to pull codes.
     
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  7. Prolix

    Prolix New Member

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    As the lights are now off, I don't think I will be able to get any code information? Regarding the compressor, I noticed that when turning the temperature to 72 degrees, the car was rumbling like a tractor trailer using an engine brake, but that noise went away.

    I did the non hybrid battery check via the Vehicle signal check, and the voltage was within the expected ranges (though it dipped to 11.9 V at the start of putting a power load on the battery).

    As there are no lights on right now, though the battery is spending more time in the purple bar zone when I first started up the car, would it be a wise idea to take the car to the dealer to check the hybrid battery and the work done by the body shop?
     
  8. edthefox5

    edthefox5 Senior Member

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    The 12 volt battery looks ok so sorry but it’s probably the hybrid battery
    That’s becoming the number one post on the g2 site
    If it was me I would spend $100 and get a obd code puller next day amazon
    $100. If u have a lap top.
    It’s going to pull the exact same codes the dealer will see and we can tell you what’s it’s uhappy about
    Dealer look will be much more $$$ and u will have nothing to show for it .
    VXDIAG WITH TOYOTA TECHSTREAM

    There’s others techstream Like Torque and mini VIC
    Google both or search here
     
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  9. Prolix

    Prolix New Member

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    Would this be the right product? I am looking at the
    VXDIAG VCX NANO Toyota and Lexus Diagnose and Programming Tool Compatible with SAE J2534 WiFi Version on Amazon.


    My laptop runs Windows 10 x64, would this work with my operating system? Is the software sent with these units legitimate, i.e. not knockoff software.
     
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  10. Raytheeagle

    Raytheeagle Senior Member

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    What price did you pay?

    The actual diagnostic tools are upwards of $400, so unless that is what you bought, you’ll still have a great diagnostic tool, just not the Toyota “real deal”.

    I have the mini vci setup on a 20 year old windows xp laptop and it works well ;).

    There are members here who have successfully installed this on a windows 10 platform :).

    I think @grid is one of them who installed on windows 10 and @m.wynn runs the vxdiag j2534 wire.

    They’ll be along eventually and might share any challenges with the install faced(y).
     
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  11. Prolix

    Prolix New Member

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    On Amazon, the one that I am looking at is $89. I haven't purchased it yet, as I want to make sure that I purchase the right one.
     
  12. edthefox5

    edthefox5 Senior Member

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    No that’s not the right VX you want the blue one that specifically says TIS
    SOFTWARE.

    It will work on XP or W7 not sure about W10.
    I’m running mini vci or VXDIAG on a burner xp laptop. You can get one on
    Craigslist all day long for peanuts. The VX installs real easy unlike the
    Mini vci which sometimes is cranky. Look up mini vci on amazon for $25 And read the reviews lots of info there and links to drivers etc. I do not know your computer skill level. But yeah it’s a knockoff software so I do not run it on my good gear. But it’s the real TIS software and it works good.
    Same program the dealer uses.
    TIS software and this site and you’ll know what’s going on at least.
     
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  13. m.wynn

    m.wynn Senior Member

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    ^Good synopsis by ed, here...^

    I run both mvci and VXDIAG on an XP 32-bit OS, fully dedicated laptop with anti-virus turned off. I'm not IT savvy and can't speak to windows 10 set-up regarding either, but tech savvy types seem to be able to install both on 10. Agree that with 32-bit, both install with ease on my ~2006 Dell Latitiude.

    I find the added cost of VXDIAG well worth it. My mvci can be buggy, refusing to connect to certain ecu's, or connects inconsistently. It's slow on the draw, making live data reading a challenge or an impossibility. VXDIAG is smooth and instantaneous with live data. I've said before, I'm not sure how the real $1500 Techstream could work much more seamlessly. So if you're looking for a can't miss code reader, mvci is a no-brainer at ~$20. If you're looking for a bit higher level diagnostic capability, go VXDIAG.

    All of this said, it's possible my mvci is just shit. It appears there are several versions of various dubiousness available, packaged in various ways - seemingly seller's choice, a real wild-west product in it's presentation. VXDIAG actually comes in a real, professional-grade appearing box, and at least gives the appearance of a more tightly controlled Chinese hack :cool::D:D...
     

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  14. Prolix

    Prolix New Member

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    Good to know. I am leaning toward the VXDIAG, as I would rather have a unit that would be more reliable. Is this the right one


    It's my first time buying one of these and I want to make sure that I get the right one.
     
  15. edthefox5

    edthefox5 Senior Member

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    I like M.Wynn experienced the same thing on my mini also.
    And he has the exact same VX I have.
    XNano Powerd by TIS. It must have TIS software.

    But go on Amazon and look up Mini VCI and look at the customer reviews as there's tons of good info on how to set it up in those reviews links to drivers and registry fixes etc if you would like to go that way. I have had Torque when I had a Samsung phone and I have Mini and VXDIAG. The VX connects every time and very stable on my XP laptop. I had a few XP Dells kicking around 2 D630's that I like too much to shit can. Ones running Win7 and its not a happy camper lol.
    Slow slow slow.
     
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  16. Prolix

    Prolix New Member

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    Update: The lights went away of their own for three months. They came on again when I was out of the country, and the hybrid system had failed. I had to have both batteries replaced, which I did at the dealership.
     
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  17. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

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