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Check hybrid system

Discussion in 'Gen 3 Prius Care, Maintenance & Troubleshooting' started by ilovemymac, Feb 9, 2019.

  1. ericbecky

    ericbecky Hybrid Battery Hero

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    I can walk you through some basic tests but you'll need to purchase some tools.
    Likely cost you under $70.
    - Android phone/tablet that can access wifi ($30)
    - Torque Pro App ($6)
    - Elm 327 Bluetooth OBDII adaptor ($15)

    It might be worth investing in these tools for long term use during your ownership of this car.

    You may have a very easy problem to solve, but without any diagnostic tools it is hard to do remotely.

    For instance, let's say the actual problem is a pump that has stopped working. The car would provide a code for that. But the dash light doesn't give you that kind of detail. I could walk you through other things over the phone, but I might have you chase down the wrong direction for a while. Having the code can help hone in muuuccchh more quickly.
     
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  2. Mendel Leisk

    Mendel Leisk Senior Member

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    You've checked the gas?
     
  3. ilovemymac

    ilovemymac Member

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    I read that also check all the fuses is that true they can throw that errror?
     
  4. ilovemymac

    ilovemymac Member

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    I have over half a tank and I never run it below about a gallon left in the tank
     
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  5. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

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    a gallon in the tank or on the display?
     
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  6. ilovemymac

    ilovemymac Member

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    In the tank the car holds 11 gal according to the manual I never put more then 10 usually it’s about 9-9.5gal
     
  7. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

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    so you're driving beyond the low fuel warning
     
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  8. ilovemymac

    ilovemymac Member

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    You mean when it beeps and starts blinking? Sure why wouldn’t I? It is just letting you know that hey you need to get gas soon. I have never run it dry which it says not to.
     
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  9. Grit

    Grit Senior Member

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    We got a hypermiler eh? Gas there must be high as California here.
     
  10. Raytheeagle

    Raytheeagle Senior Member

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    Isn’t it winter time with a Gen2 and known bladder contraction issues:whistle:?

    There might not be as much as you think in there;).

    I’d grab a 5 gallon can and add it to you Prius before doing anything else. But the battery is probably too low to do anything else with:cool:.

    Good luck and keep us posted (y).
     
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  11. jerrymildred

    jerrymildred Senior Member

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    Seems like we're getting disorganized in the information flow. Let me ask you if this was the sequence of events, @ilovemymac. It seems like we're getting info a little at a time and not necessarily in chronological order.

    1 You installed a new 12V battery.
    2 Car ran normally for about a month.
    3 You started the car, it ran a couple minutes, and then the engine stoped and you got the check hybrid warning message.

    Now a question: What did the gas gauge show at that point? If it was down to one pip, then you may have actually run out of gas. As mentioned the gauge can be inconsistent, especially in cold weather.

    4 You made several failed attempts to start the car.
    5 The traction battery indicator dropped to one line.

    If that's the order of events, then it does sound like you simply ran out of gas and then ran down the traction battery trying to get the engine to run. Putting a few gallons in the gas tank might be all it needs, but with just one bar on the battery, it's getting risky since, if you did run out of gas, you'd have to pump the fuel line full to get gas to the throttle body.

    At any rate, you do need to read the codes to properly diagnose it. @ericbecky has some good advice for you. He's a pro, so I'd pay attention to him.
     
  12. ilovemymac

    ilovemymac Member

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    No it’s half a tank of gas it’s just over a half a tank of gas in it. I just filled it up just over 150 miles ago.
    The rest yes.
    So today I’m going to check fuses I guess and see if one is blown. I don’t know what else to do without buying all that equipment
     
  13. ilovemymac

    ilovemymac Member

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    Can you purchase this tool somewhere besides amazon?
    Is it not possible to use iPhone? I already have that and 2 iPads here
     
  14. Mendel Leisk

    Mendel Leisk Senior Member

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    Dr. Prius is iPhone compatible, but not sure what it can/can't do. You again need some sorta dongle plugged into OBD port to communicate via Bluetooth. Dr Prius website has some info on what dongles are recommended.

    I've installed the app on my iPhone, but that's as far as I got. Maybe others can comment regarding it's efficacy for your needs.
     
  15. ilovemymac

    ilovemymac Member

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    Seems that there are several recalls for the car two of which are strictly for the hybrid is it possible that that could be an issue? Because I don’t know where to get the diagnostic tool Bluetooth that you talk about other than through Amazon which would be waiting till Tuesday or Wednesday at the earliest
     
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  16. ericbecky

    ericbecky Hybrid Battery Hero

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    Get the codes read by whatever means possible.
    Dealer
    Independent mechanic

    Guessing is not really helping.

    I don't really follow the iphone apps since cheap android devices are actually under $30, heck even $10 or $15 in most cases.
    When you find a good iphone app and reader combo please post it here so others can learn.

    Diagnostic tools will cost money.
    or you have to pay someone else to use their diagnostic tools.

    Back in the day these tools cost thousands of dollars, plus the fee to access the service.
    So from my perspective spending under $70 for tools seems sooooooo cheap.
     
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  17. ilovemymac

    ilovemymac Member

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    That’s not the problem it’s that the only place I can get the dongle that plugs into the Prius that I can find of his Amazon which means depending on which one I choose it would be Tuesday or Wednesday before it gets here I can’t be without a car for days before I even know what’s wrong with it and then Tuesday or Wednesday I find out that it’s something that is not simple that I can do is do here in my garage and then I still have to have it taken somewhere and now I’ve lost 2 or 3 days waiting on a tool.
     
  18. ericbecky

    ericbecky Hybrid Battery Hero

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    Yeah. That sucks.
    I really feel like anyone that buys a prius should buy these tools the same day they get the car.
    Because something WILL go wrong at some point, and this could make their lives so much easier.

    I hope we can find out the error code and help get you in the right direction.
    It may be something as simply as a pump.

    Do you have a voltmeter?
    How about a socket wrench and a 10mm, and 12mm socket?
    I'm thinking you could do a deep dive and go check out what the voltage on the hybrid battery is.
    It's waaaay easier when you can just plug in a tools and view it on your phone, but you can do it the old fashioned (and more dangerous) way by accessing and opening up the HV battery pack.
    Would take you less than a couple hours between watching the youtube video and maybe some phone calls and doing the actual work.
    This would provide some more data about the health of the car.

    Again, feel free to call me to chat.
     
  19. jerrymildred

    jerrymildred Senior Member

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    Probably not a bad idea with any car these days.

    That is a bummer for sure. But without the diagnostic tools, there really isn't anything you can do. Since Eric is happy to invest time coaching you over the phone, that may be very helpful since you can ask and answer questions in real time and he knows his stuff. Meanwhile, if you have to have a car (and most of us do) and no one can loan you one for a few days, you might have to bite the bullet and rent one. Not a painless solution, but you'd probably breathe easier. I wish you well.
     
  20. Lightning Racer

    Lightning Racer Active Member

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    I'd get it towed to the dealer. If it were me, I would first plug in my Bluetooth OBD adapter and read codes with a phone app, but I already have that. It's not worth it to order that stuff, wait for it to arrive and figure it all out. The car is going to have to be towed anyway.

    There's a decent chance it's an inverter failure, and that would still be covered under an extended warranty (15 years, unlimited miles). That's much more likely than an HV battery pack failure at this point, unless it's really, really hot where you live.
     
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