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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. edthefox5

    edthefox5 Senior Member

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    Yes its a long thread but Suzie is very nice and appreciates everyone's help and its interesting.
    Alot of posters on this site never even say thanks.
     
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  2. strawbrad

    strawbrad http://minnesotahybridbatteries.com

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    I just checked my 2008 with 144K miles. Highest temps I saw was MG1 at 129 while MG2 was at 151.
     
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  3. strawbrad

    strawbrad http://minnesotahybridbatteries.com

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    I rebuild Prius batteries. My website, email, and company phone number are at the bottom of all my posts including this one.:LOL:
     
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  4. Dxta

    Dxta Senior Member

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    Yeah, Avi, realised that almost towards the end of the comments though.
     
  5. Avi's Advanced Automotive

    Avi's Advanced Automotive Independent hybrid repair shop

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    Someone who already saw this movie told me the transmission gets replaced around comment number 650.

    Posted via the PriusChat mobile app.
     
  6. JC91006

    JC91006 Senior Member

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    Here's another post, just to get to 650 a little faster
     
  7. Avi's Advanced Automotive

    Avi's Advanced Automotive Independent hybrid repair shop

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  8. SuzyGS

    SuzyGS Member

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    Ha ha! My computer is a tablet and I never noticed the small print!
     
  9. bwilson4web

    bwilson4web BMW i3 and Model 3

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    You might contact @TampaPrius.com who recently did a clever Gen-4 to Gen-2 battery module update. Google Map shows Tampa is about 600 miles from Huntsville by avoiding the Interstates.

    Bob Wilson
     
  10. SuzyGS

    SuzyGS Member

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    I never saw this post, Bob! Was on the site today with a different issue and found this. Tampa is pretty far but thank you for finding it.

    Not that I would expect anyone to be interested almost a year later, but my daughter's car has never been "repaired." It has failed to start three or four times since this thread began 11 months ago (never when garaged, just when she's in an uncovered parking situation). She has had to unplug the battery once each time and then reattach the two plugs, and then it starts. Still seems to be running fine, so far. She drives it every day. I thought I'd add this update for anyone who might someday read this.
     
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  11. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

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    you're resetting the computer, it starts, and throws the code. kind of a pain, but definitely economical.:p
    now i have to go back and read 289 posts.:cool:
     
    #291 bisco, Sep 6, 2018
    Last edited: Sep 6, 2018
  12. Suman

    Suman New Member

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    Hello Suzy, I am having the same problem with my Prius 2007. I changed my 12 V battery. How did you exactly solved the problem? Moreover, what part exactly making the problem? Is it the hybrid battery?
     
  13. SuzyGS

    SuzyGS Member

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    I haven't been on this website in quite a while and didn't realize I had a post; I probably wasn't checking emails during Christmas vacation and it got lost in the shuffle.

    In a nutshell, we were getting an intermittent problem with the car's warning lights, and refusing to start. Very hard to diagnose since it was so intermittent. Toyota thought we should change the 12V battery (which we did), even though it was only 13 months old, unbeknownst to us (we'd just bought the car and didn't get access to its records until later). When that didn't work, they said to replace the transmission for about $5K, which we didn't do. There were no transmission symptoms - the car always drives very smoothly.

    We learned that the main battery had already been replaced, thanks to this forum. I assume this was another wrong diagnosis from Toyota, and when the problem still occurred, I imagine the previous owner must have thrown up his hands and traded in the car for something else. After everything we did (all described on this thread), we decided we would wait for the car to start seeing the problem more frequently, so it would be easier to diagnose. This has finally happened and we have found two mechanics willing to look at this; we're seeing Bowen Automotive tomorrow. I will report what happens, and if it's finally fixed, I expect this thread may help a lot of people.
     
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  14. TMR-JWAP

    TMR-JWAP Senior Member

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    Avi has mentioned this a few times in the thread. I would venture his advice its worth his weight in gold.

    I started reading this thread again and it made me remember why I didn't get involved. Too many cooks and not enough of them actually have hands on experience. Too much input causing havoc and confusion for the OP (Suzy). All Suzy needs is a good troubleshooter who owns a megger, not a parts replacer. I wish you were in Columbia...........

    There seemed to be a serious misunderstanding that the problem existed previously and a NEW HV battery was installed, therefore pretty much eliminating the need to continue talking about the HV battery being the cause. So lets not talk about HV batteries anymore.

    If the dealers advice of a bad transaxle is in question, which I can understand someone feeling that way, it becomes basic electrical troubleshooting.

    Doesn't techstream "shortwave" show the HV system isolation? 5V is perfect and 0V is a direct short to ground (car chassis)?
    Maybe I'm just misunderstanding that shortwave thing, but I'm pretty sure we've used it previously and found water in an AC connector/case. I think the newer versions/options of TS actually break it down to a shortwave value after each step of putting the car to ready and in gear. Even turning on the AC, iirc. Can it make it any easier?

    Can't a tech/mech just pop the cable off between the inverter and trans?
    Can't a tech/mech just pop the connector for the AC compressor?
    What about just visually inspecting for liquids or condensation in the connectors or cable lug areas?
    What about just splitting the system into individual parts at the lugs/connectors and use a megger to find out where the problem lies?

    I suppose the problem is that "troubleshooting" this requires more than just being able to swing a hammer. But in the big scheme of things, it's still basic troubleshooting to get it down to the faulty component.
     
    #294 TMR-JWAP, Apr 16, 2019
    Last edited: Apr 16, 2019
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  15. Avi's Advanced Automotive

    Avi's Advanced Automotive Independent hybrid repair shop

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    If I had a dollar for every Toyota dealership technician who doesn't know what a Megaohm is, I'd be fixing these things as a hobby right now.

    Posted via the PriusChat mobile app.
     
  16. Dxta

    Dxta Senior Member

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    I think its just that folks are just replacers. When it comes to the nitty gritty, that's where you see surprises.
    Weveygot a lot of such people over here in Lagos, Nigeria, too.
    They just don't want to prop further into y certain faults occur, and all that.
    They'd prefer a kind of remove and replace scenario, and off they are done.
     
  17. SuzyGS

    SuzyGS Member

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    I'm the OP here. I hope this is a final post because we FOUND THE SOLUTION! My daughter's car would go without incident for weeks at a time, but every so often, the warning lights would recur, and we'd have to disconnect and reconnect the battery to get the car started. We think we finally found the culprit earlier this year, and it's hard to believe what it was - the air filter! She had a dirty air filter that wasn't allowing enough air to pass through and I think the engine would sense it was getting too hot. We changed the air filter and the problem never happened again. I don't remember how long ago that was, but it's been months and months, so we feel like this was the final solution. And no, we didn't buy a new battery and/or $5,000 transmission like Toyota recommended. I hope this helps someone in the future. It would be worth checking the air filter if you are having this problem. Many, many thanks to everyone who participated in trying to solve this mystery.

    - Suzy
     
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  18. TMR-JWAP

    TMR-JWAP Senior Member

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    Suzy,
    That's great to hear. I hope the problem stays away forever!!
    It was the engine air filter you replaced or something in the battery air flow path?
     
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  19. fotomoto

    fotomoto Senior Member

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    A dirty air filter will cause poor running/low power/lower fuel economy but it won't raise engine temperature; at least not enough to cause trouble lights. No, something else happened.

    Did the car have an air filter for the HV battery? The gen 2 Prius doesn't come that way from the factory.
     
  20. lunacyworks

    lunacyworks Member

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    Know of a place to get a cheap but good tranaxel?