Dreaded P0A80 Code - Car Running / Charging Good.

On the car currently? or when I did what you quoted?

 

Here is the info that specifically says enter INSPECTION mode for the Universal Trip.

P0A80 Confirmation Drive Steps for 2015 Prius
To clear the P0A80 diagnostic trouble code (DTC) in a 2015 Toyota Prius, follow these universal trip steps carefully:

Preparation

• Connect Techstream: Attach the Techstream diagnostic tool to the vehicle's DLC3 port.
• Power On: Turn the power switch to the "IG" position and turn on the Techstream.

Clearing DTCs

1. Clear DTCs: Use the Techstream to clear any stored DTCs, even if none are present.
2. Power Off: Turn the power switch off.
3. Power On (READY): Turn the power switch back on to the "READY" position and turn on the Techstream again.

Universal Trip Procedure

1. Enter Inspection Mode: Start the engine with the power switch in the "IG" position to enable inspection mode.
2. Idle the Engine: Let the engine idle for at least 30 seconds.
3. Drive the Vehicle:
   • Drive at a speed of 25 mph or more for a total of at least 5 minutes.
4. Wait: After driving, allow 10 minutes to pass before turning off the engine.

Final Check

• Check DTCs Again: After completing the universal trip, use the Techstream to check if the permanent DTCs, including P0A80, have been cleared.

Following these steps should help in successfully clearing the P0A80 code. If the code persists, further diagnosis may be needed to address underlying issues with the hybrid battery system.


So, am I missing something and can this be once and for all accurately confirm which it is? I read DO NOT DRIVE vehicle in inspection mode as it can cause damage to the transaxle and above it clearly says to enter Inspection mode and DRIVE the car…..? I read Maintenance and Inspection mode are the same thing and in order to put vehicle in such mode the dance has to be performed so it is very confusing.

If anyone has ACTUALLY DONE this and can by experience chime in rather than providing links or written instructions it would be much appreciated because the written instructions arent very clear and contradicting.

 

I appreciate the info above but I feel its redundant to whats been said in the last 6 pages of this thread and we are dancing around an actual clear answer. By all means I appreciate the chime but what im looking for at this point isnt explanations of what does what but what to actually do for this universal trip. I am getting from @ChapmanF that it would be ok to drive the vehicle in inspection mode like its saying has to be done and instructions against it are for theoretical legal reasons and toyota to save their arse.

Also, the last procedure doesnt mention the park put in neutral and wait for HV SOC to drop to 30%.

This is what I am ready to do… Please chime in if any part of this is NOT correct, as after all the inconsistencies is what I understand:

1. Connect my scanner to the vehicle
2. Power On: Turn the power switch to the "IG” position
3. Perform a force clear on the scanner even though NO current codes exist nor is CEL on.
4. Power Off: Turn the power switch off.
5. Power On (READY): Turn the power switch back on to the "READY” position
6. Put vehicle into inspection mode by performing dance procedure (brake twice, neutral, brake twice yadda yadda)
7. Let vehicle idle for at least 30 secs
8. Drive at a speed of 25 mph or more for a total of at least 5 minutes.
9. Stop and with the select lever in N, leave the vehicle until SOC drops to 30%.
10 Once it hits that number, check for codes and see if the permanent code is gone.

(Universal trip consists of steps 6-8)

 

Understood….so drivre in inspection mode or no???? LMAO

The part where right before the universal trip requires the car to be on but next step staing perform an universal trip requires the car to be off to put into inspection mode THIS IS BEYOND FRUSTRATING that no CLEAR CONCISE answers are available.

 

EXACTLY LOL.

Anyhow, I did the steps and did NOT put the car in inspection mode due to that specific contradiction IMO. It did NOT remove the permanent code. I did 25mph for 7 mins and stopped the car til SOC got to 30 and checked codes and permanent was still there. BTW, bluedriver did give me the option to clear codes even of there was no active ones. I may try this again but this time driving the 5 min at 25 mph under inspection/maintenance mode and see if thats the way.

I also checked all 14 modules and all were reading near identical values while car was on at 16.47 +/- .20 and I really do not know what else to look at as the battery appears to be working correctly and none of my scanners (autel ap200, blue driver, icon t10) give me a sub code. If the second try under inspection mode doesnt remove the code, the next thing is going into the battery and checking the HV battery ECU connectors for corrosion and the bus bars for same. Pretty stressed about this as I cannot get my tags since it will not pass smog with the permanent code. And, now the count is back down to 2 warm up cycles and 24 miles :/

BTW, I had contacted Hybrid Pit as someone here suggested for help and they didnt even know that a confirmation drive / universal trip was. So i left it at that lol.

 

Hey guys, after a long vacation I am back and at it with the prius. After a long troubleshoot I decided to finally pull the battery cover and inspect the connectors and all were in good condition with no damage or corrosion BUT when I removed the top plate, I found all the bus bars were badly corroded, the ones in the rear were a little better but about half of them were corroded. See photos below:



I am highly hopeful that this is the cause for the Permanent P0A80 since the car is at about 1k miles and no CEL or current codes as well as charging properly and all modules / cells measuring similar readings as well as running great.

Now, I am wondering if you all recommend NEW bus bars ($15 on amazon for nickel plated type) and nuts or should I clean these up well and go with these again? Of course, replacing would be easier but im just concerned of the actual material of the replacement bus bars as some reviews say they look like stainless steel rather than nickel plated. Any actual bars you all have gone with and recommend? I am considering doing the replacement with the battery in car rather than removal and while there, measure individual cells for voltage and hopefully find good readings. Anything else I should look for?

 

Well, upon further research, the following states otherwise to corroded bus bars not having “anything” to do with the p0A80 code.

According to my findings after multiple searches since last night, corrosion at the studs/bars increases contact resistance and cause drop/false low-voltage faults that the inverter senses as “system voltage low”even if static block voltages look reasonable on a scanner. Also, corrosion can be intermittent (worse when hot or under current), explaining a permanent P0A80 code with otherwise normal operation. Also, when you say the car “previously had a current p0a80 code”, you mean before I did the maintenance repairs or before I got it myself? If so, I ran a scan before I bought the car and it did NOT have a P0A80. This came up after my maintenance repairs and I tried to start the car while the service plug was not inserted correctly. After properly inserting the plug, erasing the codes and driving it, i got the RTOD and upon checking had a PENDING and PERMANENT P0A80 code and here we are now with this pesky permanent code.

I am with you on the latter part of your response though that perhaps it will still need a confirmation drive pattern after bus bar replacement. I have also read that some have had the code disappear on its own after 300,400 and 600 miles. I have had issues with the confirmation cycle as mentioned above as some if the info is not “clear” and contradicts itself while mentioning the vehicle need to be in “READY”, then NOT READY in post #108 and #109 so I gave up on it for the time being and decided to check the battery itself which is when I came across this corrosion.

I just ordered a set of busbars and nuts from ACENBAY so replacing them either way and will see where I am at at that point as it needs to be done either way.

P.S… Also, the freeeze frame data right after the code came on showed inconsistency with the readings and a difference of about 1v in 2 modules, later live data readings showed all the cells within normal readings and very similar to each other which equates to the permanent code still there, no new codes after 800 miles, car running and charging fine etc.

 

I went ahead and removed the bus bars today and they along with the nuts were caked with corrosion, white, green and some blue. Especially the front, the rear busbars and nuts were not as bad. I also took voltage readings for each individual cell while the car has been off for 5 days and the readings are as follows from left (driver side) to right:

28. 7.83v
27. 7.81v
26. 7.81v
25. 7.80v
24. 7.80v
23. 7.80v
22. 7.79v
21. 7.79v
20. 7.79v
19. 7.76v
18. 7.77v
17. 7.76v
16. 7.71v
15. 7.83v
14. 7.83v
13. 7.82v
12. 7.71v
11. 7.76v
10. 7.73v
9. 7.76v
8. 7.78v
7. 7.78v
6. 7.80v
5. 7.80v
4. 7.80v
3. 7.81v
2. 7.82v
1. 7.84

Average Cell Voltage: 7.79v
Total voltage (28 cells) sum: 218.1v
Lowest voltage reading: 7.71v
Highest voltage reading: 7.85v
Voltage Variation = 7.85V−7.71V = 0.14V

Based on the above numbers, the cells are in acceptable operating condition, the voltage variation is less than the minimum of
0.2v-0.3v, I am confident based of this information that my battery is not failing entirely and the “balance” factor is fairly close to optimal as I read 0.1v is a perfectly balanced battery. So we will see after the bus bar/nut replacement how it goes.

 

the freeze frame was from when the car threw the p0a80 initially after the service plug issue showed block 1-14 readings from 12.71v-14.47v and voltage variation of 1.76v which was all over the place with average voltage being 13.87v.

The live data I provided afterwards shows blocks 1-14 and reading average of 16.07v and that initial discrepancy/high variation of voltage between blocks is no longer there. Ill have to look back at the post I mentioned that in. But, yeah post #115 is where we are now and thats 700+ miles after the freeze frame/live data info. I will try and do a load test on them as is and after once I figure out how to do it since I am aware that you can only signal a good battery after such step is made. Then ill install new busbars/nuts and clean it all up and report back with what happens, i will also take new readings of the blocks and report.