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Triangle of death after bad bump!

Discussion in 'Gen 2 Prius Technical Discussion' started by Stoniestclover2, May 27, 2020.

  1. Stoniestclover2

    Stoniestclover2 New Member

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    Going down the high way and hit a bad bump. Pop comes the scary triangle! Stopped at gas station checked oil. Put more in. Then go to start it and only electrics came on! No engine... got it towed home. Where I hear it might have to much oil in it causing it not to start. Drained plenty of oil and still nothing. soon I'll rent a scanner n see what's up. But until then
    I NEED IDEAS! Lmao!
     
  2. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

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    welcome!
    you'll probably need tech stream to read the codes, but i suspect a corroded or loose wire, or bad hybrid battery.

    how many miles on her?
     
  3. SFO

    SFO Senior Member

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    Make sure to 'rent' a toyota hybrid compatible OBD2 scanner, once you have the codes (DTCs) post them here for additional advice.

    If you're in the market, find a higher quality adapter by reading this page : Hybrid battery diagnostic and repair tool for Toyota and Lexus

    Many here prefer to use a 'mini-vci cable' and techstream (dealer tech level diagnostics), which will require a windows device with a USB port, though you could also emulate via Oracle VM VirtualBox
     
  4. TMR-JWAP

    TMR-JWAP Senior Member

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    If the car continued to drive normally on the way to the gas station, but refused to start after you had shut it off, you probably had a P0AA6 code. It could have just been due to the sudden mechanical transient. I've seen it happen a couple times for BIG bumps. You can reset it by disconnecting the 12v battery for a few moments. That will cause all the car ecus to reset to default and all codes will clear. After reconnecting the battery, the first time you put your foot on the brake and press the power button, a bunch of lights will turn on, on the dash. Press the power button one more time and they should clear and the car should go ready. This is normal for any time 12v is disconnected. Your fuel gauge will also flash only one dot until it re-calibrates itself. may take 3 minutes or 3 hours. You'll also lose any radio presets and the driver window auto-up / down function will stop working. Restore it by holding the button in the up position for about 5 seconds after the window is fully raised.

    just be aware, since this will reset the ecus, you won't be able to get any code information. If it was just a transient, then it won't matter. If you truly have a problem, the car will just code out again.
     
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  5. Mendel Leisk

    Mendel Leisk Senior Member

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    Have you checked the engine oil level, with the dipstick? Have it on level ground if possible.
     
  6. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

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    what for, don't you always drain the oil after hitting a pothole?
     
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  7. davecook89t

    davecook89t Senior Member

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    If they put some in and then drained some out, it sounds like they are not really sure how much is in there and how much should be in there. Although it seems pretty basic, I guess you can't take anything for granted. Check the dipstick.
     
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  8. TMR-JWAP

    TMR-JWAP Senior Member

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    After re-reading this, I want to start over, lol.

    Going down the high way and hit a bad bump.
    Can you explain a bit about this? Was it a huge pothole? A brick in the road? A log? Anything that may have kicked up and damaged something on the bottom of the car?

    Pop comes the scary triangle!
    And this was immediately after hitting the bump?

    Stopped at gas station checked oil.
    You went from highway to an exit to a gas station. How far was this from the point of the bump? Was the car acting normally while you drove it? Do you remember if the car engine was running or was the car working only on battery? When you checked the dipstick, did it have oil on it? Do you remember what the level was on the dipstick?

    Put more in.
    How much did you add, and what was the level on the dipstick when you were done adding?

    Then go to start it and only electrics came on! No engine... got it towed home.
    See my previous post about a P0AA6 HV Isolation Fault. It's the ONLY RTOD code that will prevent the car from going ready again, once the car has been turned off. But it can be circumvented by disconnecting the 12v battery for a minute to reset the ecus.

    Where I hear it might have to much oil in it causing it not to start.
    This is not true. The car doesn't care if there's too much oil when it initially spins the engine for ignition. Once the engine is running, too much oil may lead to issues like oil in the throttle body, MAF sensor, etc. It will never prevent the actual 'spin cycle' used to start the engine. But a P0AA6 will.

    Drained plenty of oil and still nothing.
    Hopefully, using the dipstick as a guide for proper level.

    I NEED IDEAS!
    We're here to help. Answer the above questions the best you can. We'll get it figured out.​
     
  9. TMR-JWAP

    TMR-JWAP Senior Member

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    Anyone else have a feeling that this thread is going to be an OP one and done post? Never to be heard from again?
     
  10. davecook89t

    davecook89t Senior Member

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    I guess it's disappointing when you put time and effort into giving them a complete and accurate analysis based on the limited information you were given, and the person who asked for help never expresses any gratitude or even acknowledges that they've read what you have written, but the rest of us on here are grateful to you for sharing your knowledge. When the OP ends his first post with "Lmao!", we shouldn't expect too much.
     
  11. RachelCS

    RachelCS New Member

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    I can't tell you how many times I've come across the exact answer to a vehicular issue in one of these type of forums that was puzzling every mechanic I know, so please don't ever believe the time and thought put into those long informative profferings goes unappreciated, because somewhere out there is a person like me who you've just saved hundreds of dollars in dealership diagnostic/labor/part costs.