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Car quit in weird way last night....

Discussion in 'Gen 2 Prius Care, Maintenance and Troubleshooting' started by priusrecon, May 14, 2023.

  1. priusrecon

    priusrecon Member

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    Filled up my gas tank couple days ago.

    Yesterday, was surprised to see my gas gauge indicating only half full. Hadn't driven the car much, and my gauge has always been flakey, so didn't think much of it.

    Last night, started driving with gauge showing just under half full. By time got to store was at one third. Got out of store, and driving away from store went from 1/3 to 1/4.

    I hadn't driven the car more than 80 miles total since the last fill up 2 days ago, and only 17 miles this whole day last night, and under 5 miles this trip.

    A mile down the road, I watched the gas gauge go from 2 pips down to 1 flashing pip. The Red Triangle popped up and the entire dashboard lit up - every single warning light. I then watched my SOC meter start to drain and the gas engine had stopped.

    I turned around and got it to a supermarket parking lot. Tried for a restart, the ICE ran real sluggish for about 60 seconds, then quit again. It wouldn't rev when flooring the gas, just idled the whole time. The HV batt began getting weaker and the car could barely move anymore. Further restarts only lasted about 30 seconds before the ICE would quit, and my SOC meter was now showing just 1 magenta bar.

    I went thru half a tank in about 17 miles, and a quarter tank in maybe two. There are no leaks under the car, and no smell of fuel.

    Wth happened?

    Dumped the following DTC codes;

    Engine ETC
    P0171 - syst too lean
    P3193 - fuel run out

    Hybrid Control
    P0A0F - engine failed to start

    HV batt
    none

    ABS/VSC/TRAC
    C1259 - HV syst regen malfunc
    C1310 - HV sys malfunc
    U0123 - lost comm w yaw sensor
    U0124 - lost comm w lat acc sensor
    U0126 - lost comm w steering angle sensor

    Gateway
    B1271 - combo meter ECU comm stop

    Other ECUs are empty.

    There is some freeze frame data from some of the codes above. I could post pics of them if needed. Too much to type in here.

    Thanks in advance,
     
  2. ColoradoCrow

    ColoradoCrow Active Member

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    Where did you park it? There are "environmental jerks" that are letting air out of tires and drill holes in gas tanks to drain/steal fuel. However you stated that you don't see or smell fuel..... With those codes your fuel pump in the tank may have died or you have indeed run out of gas. If you need a new fuel pump...it is inside the gas tank and that will require a trip to a junkyard to buy an entire new tank....or buy a new one. Someone could have siphoned the gas out of the gas tank and it was just showing you the electronic reading from before. 18 miles sounds like the reserve fuel was there and you ran through it. very strange.

    https://parts.olathetoyota.com/oem-parts/toyota-fuel-tank-7700147090?c=bD0yJm49U2VhcmNoIFJlc3VsdHMmYT10b3lvdGEmbz1wcml1cyZ5PTIwMDYmdD1iYXNlJmU9MS01bC1sNC1lbGVjdHJpYy1nYXM%3D Not cheap at $1290.00 and you will have to buy local...new.
     
  3. Leadfoot J. McCoalroller

    Leadfoot J. McCoalroller Senior Member

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    Adds up like a simple out-of-fuel.

    I couldn't tell you where it went though.

    Try adding at least 3 gallons of fuel before doing anything else.
     
  4. ChapmanF

    ChapmanF Senior Member

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    All of the codes and behavior descriptions are consistent with the fuel leaking out pretty fast, followed by depletion of the battery. The "no leaks under the car, and no smell of fuel" part is the only part that doesn't fit. I don't know what to say about that—a leak seems like it'd be pretty easy to spot, and fuel does have a strong smell—but it's seeming to me as if you might have missed something somehow.
     
  5. SFO

    SFO Senior Member

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    How many gallons did you fill up with? Do you already have access to, or need the step by step workups for the above obd2 codes?
     
  6. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

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    could someone have syphoned it out?
     
  7. priusrecon

    priusrecon Member

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    I remember it being less than I expected, 4-5 gallons or so??
    Guage was showing about half when I pulled into the pump. Filled till it clicked off, then topped off and gauge showed full.
     
  8. priusrecon

    priusrecon Member

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    OK, so I added gas and topped off the 12 volt.
    Now the car won't go into Ready mode.

    Thinking of clearing the codes and charging the traction batt with the Prolong (was last at 1 magenta bar)....

    How bad are those ideas?....
     
  9. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

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    good ideas
     
  10. SFO

    SFO Senior Member

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    How much did you add, and did you disconnect the 12v?

    Putting a couple few bars on the hybrid battery by using a HA "grid charger" is a good idea all things considered. After charging the HV battery, and before clearing, scan the codes again and record them, then clear, try to restart, then read the codes again before posting here.

    When did you last clean up the throttle body and butterfly valve? I've used a vodka dipped toothbrush on the valve, and the surrounding bore.

    Do you have a can of starting fluid handy?
     
  11. priusrecon

    priusrecon Member

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    So, completely topped off both batteries, cleared the codes, added 3 gallons to gas tank, and car started & ran beautifully.

    Drove it to gas station to fill up the tank the rest of the way, and couldn't stuff more than 2 1/2 gallons into it.
    Gas gauge lights up all but the last pip.

    Now I'm paranoid I can't tell how much gas is really in the tank or how far I can go....
     
  12. priusrecon

    priusrecon Member

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    Drove the car home, 1.1 miles, and lost another pip on the gas gauge. Have the car idling in the driveway and can't see any leakage or spraying.
     
  13. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

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    sounds like you need a new tank
     
  14. ChapmanF

    ChapmanF Senior Member

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    or visit whatever alternate dimension your fuel is escaping into, and tell them you want it back