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Help! Red Triangle of Death

Discussion in 'Gen 2 Prius Care, Maintenance and Troubleshooting' started by journey4ce, Jun 14, 2018.

  1. journey4ce

    journey4ce Junior Member

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    I just got the Red Triangle of Death along with the check engine light on my 2004 Prius with 194k miles. I had it diagnosed at the dealer, and of course it's the hybrid battery and they want $3300 to replace it with a new one, which only has a 12 month warranty. In addition there were other codes, but they didn't diagnose them to know what the cost would be to repair. These are the codes: P0A80 (battery). The others are under ABS/VSC/TRAC and those are C1241, C1242, C1300. EPMS Code C1532. Air Conditioner code B1421.

    Can anyone help with those codes? Am I better off buying a new car? I can get a battery installed at my home by Green Bean Battery for $1550 with a 5-year warranty. So if the other repairs aren't too outrageous, I may go that route,

    Any advice would be much appreciated.

    Thanks,
    Pat
     
    #1 journey4ce, Jun 14, 2018
  2. JC91006

    JC91006 Senior Member

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    5 year warranty is hard to beat. But the question is.......will they be around that long?
     
    #2 JC91006, Jun 14, 2018
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  3. Raytheeagle

    Raytheeagle Senior Member

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    Welcome to Prius Chat (y).

    Some questions:
    • What is the overall condition of your Prius?
    • What are your long term plans?
    • Is the main reason you are considering Green Bean the warranty?
    • If you got the codes, would you DIY, or use another source for assistance?
    Good luck and keep us posted (y).
     
    #3 Raytheeagle, Jun 14, 2018
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  4. journey4ce

    journey4ce Junior Member

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    • The body is iffy at best. It had a large dent near the rear wheel well when I bought it. There are plenty of scuffs and scratches on it. I don't care about cosmetics. The trunk hatch is broken and hasn't been fixed. I gingerly open it, but it's very precarious. The engine has been fine. In three years, I've put new tires, new front brakes and a new regular battery in it. It has never let me down. I was told When I got the front brakes done that the rear brakes were going to be needed soon (like now probably).
    • Long term, I see myself getting another Prius sooner or later. I tend to go for buying used cars rather than new. I have begun looking at buying another used Prius because I like it so much and there seem to be some pretty decent deals on some with relatively low miles. I had a heart transplant last year after waiting three years. All of that care was done at the Cleveland Clinic, which is 3.5 hours away, so having the Prius is great on gas mileage. Also given the constant medical bills I have, it's important to have an inexpensive, yet reliable car.
    • The main reason I am considering Green Bean is because it less than half the price the dealer quoted me, and 5x the warranty.
    • I am quite possibly the least mechanically inclined person on the planet. I would take it elsewhere.
     
    #4 journey4ce, Jun 14, 2018
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  5. wjtracy

    wjtracy Senior Member

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    I just had the PA093 inverter coolant pump, but there was a whole bunch of other codes listed.
    I just ignored those and fixed the inverter pump. Simultaneously I had a dead OEM TPMS#2 die at 12-yrs old, so I got those codes. But I am trying to tell my wife that warning light that is OK to have. She is not really buying it.
     
    #5 wjtracy, Jun 15, 2018
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  6. dolj

    dolj Senior Member

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    Tell her they are ok to have as long as the puzzle they announce are solved so they go away.

    It would be less than optimal to just ignore the lights.
     
    #6 dolj, Jun 15, 2018
  7. Raytheeagle

    Raytheeagle Senior Member

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    I bet you my wife would give you a run for your money in the least mechanically inclined:love:.

    But I have gotten her to open the hood and check the dipstick on road trips she takes without me:).

    Thank you for sharing your story above. Here are some other points to consider:
    • If you have medical appointments and the battery fails and you’re waiting for green bean to respond, do you have alternate transportation?
    • What would your budget be for a new car?
    • If you are willing to spend $1500, what is your limit for this repair?
    • Do you have a good mechanic that you could have swap a battery in or out of your Prius?
    Good luck and keep us posted (y).
     
    #7 Raytheeagle, Jun 15, 2018
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  8. journey4ce

    journey4ce Junior Member

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    • We have USAA Roadside Assistance. Not sure if that would get me to Cleveland or not.
    • I'm seeing nice used Prii in the neighborhood of $8-11k. I can live with that.
    • My wife asked me the same question. I'm thinking somewhere in the neighborhood of $2500 total (including the battery) is my limit on what I'm willing to put into this car.
    • I take my car to Tire Discounters for virtually all of my maintenance. They have always done a good job and don't oversell me on stuff that is not needed. What they could/would charge for a hybrid battery, I have no idea. I should find all this out this morning at 11:00.
     
    #8 journey4ce, Jun 15, 2018
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  9. journey4ce

    journey4ce Junior Member

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    Update: My HV battery went caput just before the exit ramp. The engine started revving and i lost speed quickly. I put my hazards on and came to the light, praying I would make it the half mile or so to the shop. I did make it, but now my decision on what to do is imminent. The car is still in their lot while I decide what to do. I am leaning toward having it towed to my house and donating it to a charity/trade school, while I look for a new(er) Prius with fewer miles.
     
    #9 journey4ce, Jun 15, 2018
  10. Patrick Wong

    Patrick Wong DIY Enthusiast

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    If you are going to replace the high voltage traction battery, I strongly suggest you have a new battery installed by the dealer. The "remanufactured" battery with a five year warranty is of limited value if the battery fails repeatedly.

    Consider the investment in the new battery as one that you can transfer to another 2G Prius when you decide to sell the 2004. You know that the original battery lasted 14 years, so don't worry about the one-year manufacturer warranty.

    If you are not prepared to fund the new battery replacement then I suggest that you decide to donate the car now, and have the car towed to the recipient rather than tow to your house; then pay for a second tow to the recipient. (I doubt that the tech school or other recipient is going to be very interested in funding the tow.) Good luck with your decision.
     
    #10 Patrick Wong, Jun 15, 2018
  11. JC91006

    JC91006 Senior Member

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    I'd say tow it home and then think it over the weekend on what to do.

    You might even be able to drive it as many failures don't affect the car much
     
    #11 JC91006, Jun 15, 2018
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  12. ericbecky

    ericbecky Hybrid Battery Hero

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    Do not worry about the warranty for a NEW battery.
    A NEW battery feim Toyota will always last longer than a USED battery. Always.

    (Sidenote:The dealer is misquoting the warranty. It is a 3 year warranty. Not 1 year. He is clearly looking at old information. But again this is a moot point. It will certainly last longer than any USED battery.)

    If it is simply price then go with a USED battery or one from a junkyard.

    But NEW batteries and USED batteries are not really the same product.

    It's ok to buy used simply because it is cheaper. But it is not anywhere comparable as far as reliability and longevity as a new one.
     
    #12 ericbecky, Jun 16, 2018
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  13. journey4ce

    journey4ce Junior Member

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    Update: I was unable to track down a school that would pay for the tow, so I contacted St. Vincent DePaul to donate the vehicle. They wouldn't be unable to tow it until July 2. I needed to move the car before then because it was taking up space at the service station. I tried to go ahead and drive it, and was successful! The battery must have gained a little life over the weekend.

    There was a Car Max nearby (maybe 2 miles away), and I drove it there to get an offer. To my surprise, given the age, mileage and need for a hybrid battery (as well as brakes and perhaps more), I was offered $1,000 for it. I took it and ran.

    I spent today test driving Prii and am ready to purchase a 2011 Prius III with 96k miles for $9500.
     
    #13 journey4ce, Jun 20, 2018
  14. Brandi Harvey

    Brandi Harvey New Member

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    Oh, I really hope this isn't my car's issue. My SO just replaced the inverter coolant pump on my '07. Now, the dash lights up with the triangle of death and an exclamation mark in the top left of the screen. She'll go into neutral, and she still makes that eerie clicking that she's always made, but she won't actually CRANK.

    Please tell me I don't have to spend two grand on a hybrid battery.
     
    #14 Brandi Harvey, Jul 9, 2018
  15. JC91006

    JC91006 Senior Member

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    Why did you replace the inverter pump? Did you get a failure code for that?

    There will be many lights on your dash for a battery failure. An inverter pump failure sometimes just has the triangle. But you should read codes so you don't start replacing unnecessary items.
     
    #15 JC91006, Jul 9, 2018
  16. Brandi Harvey

    Brandi Harvey New Member

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    We ran the diagnostic, and that was the code that came up. Now, it's several lights.
     
    #16 Brandi Harvey, Jul 9, 2018
  17. JC91006

    JC91006 Senior Member

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    The inverter pump and hv battery seems to be the most commons failures coming up here. Since you have a 2007, chances are pretty high that it's the battery. But you should still check for codes
     
    #17 JC91006, Jul 9, 2018
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  18. dolj

    dolj Senior Member

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    +1 on checking codes, especially if there are dash lights or symbols/messages on the MFD.

    After replacing the Inverter Coolant Pump, did your SO check (with car in IG-ON mode (preferably) or READY mode) that there was again turbulence in the Inverter Coolant Reservoir? If there is no turbulence, check the AM2 fuse (left side – engine bay) for continuity. If that is ok, check for voltage at the pump’s connector.
     
    #18 dolj, Jul 9, 2018
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