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Engine malfunction-'23 Prius LE - 3700 miles

Discussion in 'Gen 5 Prius Main Forum' started by Argyros, Sep 19, 2024.

  1. Argyros

    Argyros Active Member

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    I was driving to a client today, and at a stop sign suddenly, BING BING...Engine malfunction, limp mode, visit dealer immediately. Non prime here.

    Just had the doors recall last Saturday and had no issues over the last year.

    No idea what could've caused this, but it's at the dealer now, towed, and probably there for a while...at least my dealer had a loaner car free while it's in the shop.

    Any ideas of what could be happening? Could it be related to the recall?
     
  2. Hammersmith

    Hammersmith Senior Member

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    Related to the recall? No. I don't think it could be related even if the tech managed to damage some random wire while doing the work. There's just nothing going to the rear doors that could cause an engine malfunction. I guess I'd be more willing to believe a screw up while doing the regular service versus anything to do with the recall.

    I wish you would've had a code scanner to see what codes were thrown before the shop took over. Without that info, there's no way to know if this is a mechanical problem, an electrical problem, or something else altogether.
     
  3. Gokhan

    Gokhan Senior Member

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    There have been instances of such malfunctions reported here, which are common in new redesigns. Check the several threads on such instances here. Hopefully by the 2026 model year, these bugs will have been fixed. And report here what the dealer finds.
     
  4. Argyros

    Argyros Active Member

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    Ok. Bad news- turns out there were rodents eating the electric cables, and caused almost $ 600 worth of damage; has anyone had that happen to them? I spoke to the dealer service rep, who told me I need to put 'MOTH BALLS' in strategic places in the engine bay, which will repel the rodents from doing that again. I can confirm where I live, due to the 100+ degree heat, there have been alot of rodents, yet my car was just at the dealer service last Saturday and they said it would have happened between then and today. Dammit!
     
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  5. CooCooCaChoo

    CooCooCaChoo Senior Member

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    Yeah because the wiring harness uses soy-based plastic, which rodents like to eat. Best option is to make friends with neighborhood/stray cats. They'll keep rodents, squirrels and anything else that likes to eat the wiring harnesses away.
     
  6. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

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    been happening to prius forever, and other cars. consider yourself lucky, some cars have been totaled by rodents
     
  7. Hammersmith

    Hammersmith Senior Member

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    Or you could own a Mercedes from the late-90s/early-00s(I think that was the timeframe) where the wiring harnesses were not only tasty to rodents but also biodegradable. And they misjudged the rate of degradation. It's fantastic to have the harness completely fall apart in just under 20 years. /s
     
  8. Argyros

    Argyros Active Member

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    So what are the options to keep the rodents out of the engine bay?
     
  9. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

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    cats, traps, peppermint, screening off entry points
     
  10. Blackat

    Blackat Member

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    Glad I live at 8800'. Not too many rodents and winter is coming...
    Maybe wrap wiring with something that isn't attractive to rodents?