I was driving yesterday (2017 toyotz prius prime) and it wouldnt accelerate on the highway so I pulled over. The electronics were way off. Finally after going and jumping it works. I went to autozone and it says p0171 and p0301. It seems like its the engine recoil or spark plugs. Issue is im working out of town amd drove 2 hours to my parents. Nowhere is open. How would I diagnose this issue and test? Any videos? My dad's pretty handy with cars. ThanksA.
check system fuel pressure first. fuel filter sock may be clogged. you should be able to borrow a gauge kit from any chain auto parts store. also check coolant levels. the exhaust gas heat exchangers are known to develop leaks in that year.
My guess is bad gas... How full is the tank? What is your MPG info telling you compared to info before this problem occurred?
But out of curiosity I asked ChatGPT 5.0 which tries to be extra thorough and supportive and got this answer: Good question — let’s break this down carefully. Your 2017 Toyota Prius Prime is showing P0171 (System Too Lean, Bank 1) and P0301 (Cylinder 1 Misfire Detected). What those codes mean: P0171 (System Too Lean, Bank 1) The engine control module (ECM) is detecting that the air-fuel mixture has too much air or not enough fuel. Common causes: vacuum leaks, intake leaks, dirty MAF sensor, weak fuel pump, clogged fuel injector(s), or exhaust leaks upstream of the O₂ sensor. P0301 (Cylinder 1 Misfire Detected) A misfire is being detected specifically on cylinder 1. Common causes: bad spark plug, failing ignition coil, fuel injector issue, compression problem (valves/rings/head gasket), or a symptom of a lean condition (ties back to P0171). How these might be related: Since both codes are showing up, the likely scenario is: Cylinder 1 is misfiring, which can cause excess oxygen in the exhaust, tricking the ECM into thinking the mixture is lean → triggers P0171. Or vice versa: a lean condition (fuel delivery/vacuum leak) is disproportionately affecting cylinder 1, causing the misfire. Step-by-step confirmation: Here’s how I’d approach diagnosing it: Check for obvious vacuum/intake leaks Listen for hissing around intake manifold, vacuum hoses, and PCV valve. Spray carb cleaner or use smoke test to check for leaks that can cause lean condition. Inspect ignition system on cylinder 1 Pull spark plug (check gap, wear, fouling, cracks). Swap ignition coil from cylinder 1 to another cylinder. If misfire code moves (e.g., becomes P0302), the coil is bad. Check the fuel injector on cylinder 1 Listen with a stethoscope for injector clicking. If possible, swap injector between cylinders to see if misfire follows. Consider professional flow testing if injectors are suspected. Airflow sensors & exhaust sensors Inspect/clean the MAF sensor (dirty MAF is a very common P0171 cause). Check O₂ sensor readings with a scan tool — is the upstream sensor showing lean consistently? Fuel system pressure test Confirm the fuel pump is supplying correct pressure (weak pumps cause lean codes and misfires). Compression test (last resort if ignition/fuel/vacuum are fine) Ensure cylinder 1 isn’t suffering from low compression due to valve, piston ring, or head gasket issues. Most common real-world fixes for this combo on a Prius: Dirty or failing MAF sensor → clean or replace. Failing ignition coil on cylinder 1. Bad/dirty fuel injector on cylinder 1. Vacuum leak at intake manifold gasket near cylinder 1.
After reading what ChatGPT said I'm reminded of a slightly older PriusV that drove me crazy for weeks with similar symptoms and it turned out to be a vacume line on the engine that failed. So wiggling hoses in the engine compartment with these symptoms is now a top priority for me.
These AI tools are super neat, but you still nearly always catch one saying stuff like that's exactly backwards from real life. (A misfiring cylinder pushes all of its still-unburned fuel charge into the exhaust, producing a too-rich reading, not too-lean.) At this stage of AI development, it's still really important to make sure whoever's reading an AI result is someone who knows basic stuff.
I think it has to do with gas because it shut down and hybrid battery died. Mpg is same tho. Next to ev symbol usually is a gas marker I believe
Yep... It's only as smart as the person using it. And I think what's most astonishing about it all is how fast its improving, like exponentially improving. Asking it to write in a certain style is has been startling me alot lately... Also I have a friend in the tech industry who has all his notes he takes for clients in an AI system that actively searches for news and information that would be supportive of his work for clients and presents it to him first thing in the morning.
Yeah, what's still amazing is the exponential leaps in its ability to match writing styles and such, along with the continued getting basic factual stuff just howlingly wrong. But let's give it some credit ... it takes each one of us more years to stop getting stuff howlingly wrong, than the years this technology has even been around.
Back in the day when you got bad grades in school - tell everyone one that your were 'street smart' - because that's what really counts.... I guess today it's; I'm AI smart - because I can ask ChatGPT "We don't need no education", Pink Floyd While they have answers, are they any good and do they come with valid citations???? AI has been caught faking both. They've learned to lie too.... Caveat Emptor.....
