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2010 Prius Brake, ABS, Traction Control Lights On and Off

Discussion in 'Gen 3 Prius Care, Maintenance & Troubleshooting' started by Olscratch, Jan 10, 2020.

  1. Olscratch

    Olscratch Junior Member

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    So the three lights have been coming on and off over the past couple weeks. Drives fine just when the lights are on the regenerative breaking doesn't work. I took it to the Toyota dealership service team for a scan and tell me which wheel bearing was going out.

    They get back to me that its actually the $1800.00 ABS actuator (+800 labor) and it's completely dead and my front struts need to be replaced at an additional $800.00. I really feel like they're trying to sell me a new car and might have ginned up the problems here.

    Are those 3 lights typically indicative of an ABS actuator dying?
     
  2. dig4dirt

    dig4dirt MoonGlow

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    Do you have the paperwork from the dealership showing the codes they got from the scan?

    Did you pay for this scan?
     
  3. ChapmanF

    ChapmanF Senior Member

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    They are typically indicative of just about any of the hundred or so types of trouble that can be detected by the brake system computer. It sets trouble codes that can be read to find out what it's going on about.
     
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  4. Olscratch

    Olscratch Junior Member

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    I am paying for the scan but left the car with them and will be picking it up Tuesday with the scan information.
     
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  5. Eddie25

    Eddie25 Active Member

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    For that kinda money you might as well buy another 2010 and then you can have a parts car.

    While it certainly could be the actuator, I would be skeptical.

    Any work been done around the wheels lately? I had the exact symptoms from just a loose connection to a wheel speed sensor. Seems like that'd be more likely something that would come an go as opposed to a "totally dead" actuator.
     
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  6. JC91006

    JC91006 Senior Member

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    I would hold off on the struts until you figure out what the major problem is. I believe there's a brake warranty for the 2010. I can't remember what it covered but my 2010 had the work done for free. Maybe you can ask them the brake related TSBs and extended warranties for the brake system, maybe it'll cover your issue (or the symptoms)
     
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  7. borgestes

    borgestes Member

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    its an easy diy that's posted around here somewhere. I thought there was some warranty extension offered. I just got one off ebay for 100 bucks and stuck it on. Been driving it error free since.

    Brake Accumulator failure C1391 | PriusChat

    Here is the link I mentioned

    Oh yea, the dealer is trying to clean your clock. They tend to do that when you go there.
     
    #7 borgestes, Jan 10, 2020
    Last edited: Jan 10, 2020
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  8. ChapmanF

    ChapmanF Senior Member

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    Great solution, if that's the problem you're having.
     
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  9. Olscratch

    Olscratch Junior Member

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    They did not show me the codes and charged me 115 bucks.

    They gave me this :

    [​IMG]

    And again these 3 lights have been coming on and off at random for weeks.When they are off everything works fine.
     
  10. Mendel Leisk

    Mendel Leisk Senior Member

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    How many miles are on the car?
     
  11. Olscratch

    Olscratch Junior Member

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    Bout 218,000
     
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  12. dig4dirt

    dig4dirt MoonGlow

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    In the grand scheme of things, all those separate repairs are not terrible in cost,
    aside from the fuel system cleaning (scam) but a bit on the hefty side.

    But the underlining issue is still not supported without codes.

    They cannot guarantee the problem will be fixed, so then what happens?
    Move to the next costly repair? and then repeat?

    It would be really helpful to know the codes.
     
  13. Olscratch

    Olscratch Junior Member

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    Ok I got the codes

    Chassis: C1391
    Electrical: B1273, B278C
    Network Systems: U0100, U0155, U0293
     
  14. Mendel Leisk

    Mendel Leisk Senior Member

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    ^ Yeah.

    All of the extras too, seem priced to the max: $70 for the plugs, plus $230 labour, to install them? I know the wipers and cowl have to come off, but pros that do this all the time do it in 20 minutes tops.
     
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  15. dig4dirt

    dig4dirt MoonGlow

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    @ChapmanF has posted in this thread here
    2010 Prius ABS C1391 code | PriusChat

    He notes that the level in the reservoir could give a clue.

    Many other threads including that one, owners are saying that adding a bit more fluid actually removes the lights from the dash,
    might be something to look deeper into?
     
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  16. Olscratch

    Olscratch Junior Member

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    Will definitely look into that here in a bit thank you. After driving it briefly for lunch I took a look at the level and it was slightly above max in the brake reservoir. Then there was the pumping sound a few times and the level would go down slightly with each pump and it seemed to settle slightly above halfway between min mark and max. I haven't added any fluid to it.
     
  17. Olscratch

    Olscratch Junior Member

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    So after seeing that someone remedied the problem by adding some brake fluid I did. The results have been that the abs/traction/brake lights are coming on much less frequently now. In fact they went from more on time than off time to being off most of the time now. Currently the brake fluid is slightly above the max line on the reservoir. I'm thinking about topping off the reservoir. Will this cause me any problems?
     
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  18. borgestes

    borgestes Member

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    your not going to get through this issue by adding brake fluid. They mailed out a recall for brake actuators for the 2010. just read it and if you had the problem before nov 30 2019 you would have been covered. Now your 50k miles over the limit. That has to just bite. Time to dump it, get used parts and have someone fix it if you cant but you better stay away from the dealer, he will try to take all your money as you have already seen Best of luck with it.
     
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  19. Olscratch

    Olscratch Junior Member

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    So I bought an actuator off ebay and replaced the old one. I bought a mini-vci xhorse and techstream as well. When I turn on techstream it is showing a c1256 low pressure accumulator. While trying to bleed the "stroke simulator", which as best I can tell is the nipple on the new actuator, nothing is coming out. With the car 'on' but not 'ready' its making constant beeps. It almost seems as if the new actuator isnt feeding fluid to the accumilator. Im not sure if thats how things even work, but nothing comes out of the nipple on the actuator/and or I don't know how to bleed the "stroke simulator" as is called for on techstream.

    To top that off techstream is losing connection to the vehicle frequently while doing the bleeding. Any help please?
     
  20. borgestes

    borgestes Member

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    How about posting a picture of what you changed. Not messing with you just want to make sure we are on the same page. The actuator is not the accumulator on the 2010. its near but not there. easy to find with the actuator removed. as far as the tech stream crapping out, yep that's what it does. Manual bleed the front like any car. tech stream the back, very easy. Don't let the reservoir run low or you get to start over. Where in Texas are you?
     
    #20 borgestes, Feb 4, 2020
    Last edited: Feb 4, 2020