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ABS malfunction + shaking

Discussion in 'Gen 2 Prius Care, Maintenance and Troubleshooting' started by Mozart Drives A Prius, Aug 9, 2023.

  1. Mozart Drives A Prius

    Mozart Drives A Prius Junior Member

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    Dear community,

    8 months ago my ABS actuator went bad on my 2005 Prius with 185k miles. I replaced it myself and bled the brakes without TechStream. Now the ABS lights have suddenly reappeared but the car's symptoms are a little different.

    The blinking light codes are many:
    (!) 53 54 57 61 46
    ABS 42

    8 months ago, the ABS pump would consistently make sounds. It no longer does that. But the brakes have been acting strangely, including having little effect and then a sudden strong effect. And now all the warning lights have come on and the car is shaking a bit. Not the steering wheel from a warped rotor, but the car itself, like the shaking and sounds are coming from underneath the middle of the Prius.

    The brake fluid container is full and I don't see any leaks. I can't figure it out. Do you think it's just the ABS actuator again or is there something else going on?

    Your insights would be appreciated!
    Best,
    Mozart
     
  2. dolj

    dolj Senior Member

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    Yes, it looks like there are problems in that area. Have you looked up the codes?

    53 = C1253/53 | Hydro Booster Pump Motor Relay Malfunction
    54 = C1365/54 | Accumulator Pressure Sensor Malfunction
    57 = C1256/57 | Accumulator Low Pressure
    61 = C1364/61 | Wheel Cylinder Pressure Sensor Malfunction
    46 = C1246/46 | Master Cylinder Pressure Sensor Malfunction

    It may just need the ABS bled completely, which can only be done by using a capable bidirectional scan tool to command on the bleeding procedure.
     
    #2 dolj, Aug 9, 2023
    Last edited: Aug 9, 2023
  3. Tombukt2

    Tombukt2 Senior Member

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    I was waiting to see if this might happen to somebody I bled my brakes the same way because I couldn't get TIS to work just recently I had a car here in the shop needed to bleed the brakes and was able to get the TIS menu up and working. My old car sitting here that I drive daily is the one that I did not use TIS to bleed the brakes act just like they're supposed to it's a used brake actuator or pump assembly right out of another car here on this lot and bled without TIS but yet nothing has happened so far the cars used daily at least a hundred miles That's quite strange but very interesting.
     
  4. Mozart Drives A Prius

    Mozart Drives A Prius Junior Member

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    Thank you, dolj. That's very helpful.

    I precisely followed these instructions when I bled the brakes: Replacing brake fluid and bleeding brakes on a GEN II Prius without Techstream | PriusChat

    Do you think that following this procedure could still lead to improper bleeding that be causing the issue? I don't have a fancy bidirectional scan tool that will assist with the bleeding. However, I did just go ahead and buy for $25 a version of Techstream on ebay, which I believe can do this function.
     
  5. Tombukt2

    Tombukt2 Senior Member

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    Then you need a dongle or a VCI cable that will work with tech to do the bleeding process One of the guys has a list here of all the dongles and things that will work Good luck.
     
  6. dolj

    dolj Senior Member

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    Yes. That procedure might be ok if all you wanted to do was flush brake fluid from the reservoir through to each corner but it will not get air out and fluid through every chamber or pathway through the ABS pump/actuator/accumulator unit that you install.

    If you installed a used unit you might get away with it, but you will not get fresh fluid through the internals and depending on the quality of that existing fluid and provided no air got into the internals, that might be good enough.
     
  7. Tombukt2

    Tombukt2 Senior Member

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    When I remove a used ABS pump accumulator from a generation 2 from a salvage vehicle one usually the vehicle's reservoir is still full of fluid because I've been called to the car as it's just come in that's generally how this works I use my Lisle clamp pliers 5 sets to block off the brake fluid going from the reservoir to the ABS pump and accumulator then because usually nobody needs any of this I just cut the metal brake lines from the accumulator and bend them up to the sky so no fluid is running out of the accumulator pump assembly and the ends of those metal lines are now swagged kind of closed and they're aimed up to the sky I'm not going to turn the accumulator upside down now I remove the accumulator on its bracket complete out of the car and keep it flat just like it's situated in the vehicle set it in my trunk now I take it home I undo the top line on the accumulator and put one of the plastic shipping caps that comes on a new accumulator there are six of them I think and then I take the lines off the side of the accumulator or the front I aim that to the sky and take each one of those lines out one at a time screw the plastic cap in then I stand it back up and it's correct orientation now I'm holding the whole assembly with the fluid that was in it still in it and all those lines are plugged including the feed line which is right in between all the metal lines on the front side aiming towards the grill that came from the reservoir I have that plugged a piece of hose still sticking off of it and a rubber cork stuck in that hose so all the fluid that's in the accumulator is staying there. Then on reinstallation I clamp off in my car the lines from the reservoir to the accumulator feed and over to the stroke thingy the part that's connected to your pedal so that does not bleed out it stays full then when I reinstall the accumulator the used one into my vehicle I put the feed line from the reservoir onto the accumulator first and then I very quickly add my metal lines to the top first and then down the side of the accumulator I've gotten very good where I can put those metal lines back on that accumulator in 40 seconds something like that very quickly and I tighten them down just by hand put my hand is enough to make them not drip then I unclamp the feed going from the reservoir to the actuator and then I start cracking the line at the very bottom of the front of the actuator and seeing fluid drip drip drip drip out of that then tighten it go up to the next one do the same thing The next one do the same thing all the way up until I arrive at the very top of the accumulator and that one's running fluid onto the top of the accumulator I see no air bubbles no funny business and then I lock the last top fitting down. Now the stroke simulator thingy the actuator and the reservoir are pretty much full of fluid and nowhere even internally pretty much now I take the relays out. Pump and bleed the front farthest away left to right make sure they're clear and are not doing any squirting no air coming nothing but the relays back in and go do the back and they will start squirting fluid because an electric motor accumulator whatever pump is pumping out the rear so you have to be careful it'll come squirting right on you. And then usually that yields a pretty well bled generation 2 system so far here at this place where I'm at.