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2008 Prius Transmission Failure?

Discussion in 'Gen 2 Prius Main Forum' started by kenneth winter, Dec 17, 2023.

  1. kenneth winter

    kenneth winter Junior Member

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    2008 Prius
    Model:
    III
    2008 with 230k.
    I was using the Dr Prius app to check the Hybrid battery.
    In the charge test, you are instructed to put the car in drive, hold the brake, and rev engine to charge Hybrid battery..

    1. I was doing that for a few minutes.
    2. POP.GRIND.GRIND.GRIND.
    3. Turn it off. Restarted. Now NO movement in F or R. BOTH gears make a horrible grinding noise. It refuses to go into park unless I turn it off.. It will go in N while running.

    Solutions tried.
    1. Replace trans fluid. No metal shaving or parts found. I expected to find gear parts.
    2. Removed passenger axle shaft hoping to find a blown CV Joint.
    3. I have it on jack stands. It shifts in to R or D. but makes grinding sound,
    It does not like to go into park.

    NOW What to test?
    Thanks for the input...
     
    #1 kenneth winter, Dec 17, 2023
  2. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

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    it could be the sprague clutch between the engine and tranny, idk
     
    #2 bisco, Dec 17, 2023
  3. Tombukt2

    Tombukt2 Senior Member

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    If it was my car and I was messing with it I would just change the transmission It's the easiest thing to do take out the orange safety plug unbolt the orange business from tranny undo the drive axles undo the six or seven bolts around the transmission take that sucker right out of there put in a known decent transmission this is extremely rare I can't imagine what happened running the test with the in drive and the brake applied but I don't do much of that so I've just drive the car and make it charged by driving it well.
     
    #3 Tombukt2, Dec 17, 2023
  4. fuzzy1

    fuzzy1 Senior Member

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    Sprag clutch in a Gen2? I thought that didn't appear until the Gen4 Prime.

    Might you mean a torque-damper clutch?
     
    #4 fuzzy1, Dec 17, 2023
  5. Tombukt2

    Tombukt2 Senior Member

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    You basically know it's not at your drive axles so it's internal get it out of there that would be my goal at this point once I get it out and bust it open I'll see what's destroyed but in the meantime I would need my Prius back on the road I think in these cars it is just a torque plate with damper springs I wouldn't think that would go to grinding that will go to clunking pretty bad.
     
    #5 Tombukt2, Dec 17, 2023
  6. PriusCamper

    PriusCamper Senior Member

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    If it won't shift then you got dash lights, which means error codes have been stored. Let us know what those codes are...

    I'm willing to bet your problem is elsewhere in the hybrid system, not the actual tranny. But then again I can't hear the noises and if I did maybe I'd agree with you. But in general Gen2 Prius transmissions very rarely have issues because its such an elegant and simple design.
     
    #6 PriusCamper, Dec 17, 2023
  7. kenneth winter

    kenneth winter Junior Member

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    OK update.. I was told the put the axle back in, wheels on, on the ground, test again and pull codes..
    NOW IT WORKS? BUT I DONT trust it..

    Let me add details.. When it broke I was replacing the O2 sensor. so car was jacked up. one or two wheels in the air.. I replaced the O2 sensor, then started the car with the wheels in the air to see if it fixed the o2 sensor/dtc code. that was when the issue started.. DID i cause the problem? I am pretty sure I also shifted the gears in the air. AND put it in Drive with the brake on to charge the Hybrid battery. Did I freak out the trans computer??
     
    #7 kenneth winter, Dec 18, 2023
  8. ChapmanF

    ChapmanF Senior Member

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    My guess will be the skid control just saw the wheels turning different speeds and did what it's programmed to do, applied some brakes. Brake drag noises.
     
    #8 ChapmanF, Dec 18, 2023
    PriusCamper likes this.
  9. PriusCamper

    PriusCamper Senior Member

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    This is yet again a good example of how hard it is to diagnose a car problem based on noises. Seems like you could share the same noise with hundreds of people and they'll all describe that noise differently.

    Beyond that, why would anyone want to spin their wheels with their car up in the air? Cars aren't designed to operate like that and the safety risks in doing so are significant.
     
    #9 PriusCamper, Dec 18, 2023
  10. Tombukt2

    Tombukt2 Senior Member

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    Like trying to listen for a noise while things are in rotation I do it all the time not at any kind of speed just take your foot off the brake with it and drive on jack stands more on a table lift or whatever you're doing The wheels will spin but not into oblivion until you start touching the gas which is not the idea here and just remember to apply the brakes before you slam it in the park
     
    #10 Tombukt2, Dec 18, 2023
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