2 different gen2 vehicles each having separate issues

This forum is so great and everyone is so very helpful! I have 2 different gen 2 prius's that I will refer to as (1) and (2). They're both great cars and have been wonderful!

(1) Big Batt. fairly recently replaced also little batt. All dash lights come on except the large Starting "0" indicating it is "ready to drive". That will come on only intermittently and now not at all. Occasionally if I jumped it, or "rocked the car, while in my seat" or jiggled the transmission lever into "D or R". Actually, I don't know if either of those truly helped I was just desperate and trying to get the car home. I actually ended up putting my feet on both pedals to keep the engine running at traffic lights so as not to die out after I finally got it started.
The fuses all seem to be good under the hood and inside. No triangle, no codes (small analyzer). After getting it home, it's gone into drive (big "O") a couple of times, but now all dash lights come on as it should on both 1 & 2 pushes of the power button (without depressing brake) but if brake is depressed it will not start (or the big "O" appear). 2004 about half a mill. miles

(2) I just started getting a P3014 (weak cell block 4) code. The car runs, but all on it's own it will start to honk the horn sporadically and starts rotating through defrost (rear as well as front) and then going into air conditioning modes, again, all on its own. Sometimes I can turn the climate control mode "off" by pushing the off button that is located within the climate control function. This "automatic" activation will happen at times with no red triangle (after I've cleared the code) and also with the red triangle on. What is ironic is that the horn has never worked since I bought the car a couple of years ago even though the fuse is good.
All of the fuses on this car also are good. (I fairly recently replaced the inverter fluid pump on this car).
2005 with 220K

These issues have never happened to me before and I've never seen addressed on YouTube. Again, I thank everyone on this forum (in advance)! You are all great (so very helpful and kind)!!!

 

Thank you so much for the reply!! Sorry for any confusion. The big O is just the speedometer reading, which indicates to me that the vehicle is actually operable (able to go into Drive or Reverse). Again, sorry for the confusion.

Prius (2) I've never tried the "clockspring" (thank you)!

(Prius 1) As an update as of today (6/5/23) after charging the acc. battery overnight (and disconnecting both acc batt and Orange Safety hybrid batt. to hopefully reset) & trying again this morning, the car did start up and become operable. But when I came back later in the day. The red triangle came on and it would not go into Drive or Reverse (or the gas engine start, "No big O"). However, I did get a code (P0037 Heated Oxygen Sensor Heater Control Low (Bank 1). This is an old code that I've gotten for years (which I usually just erase) and several years ago I made an inexpensive "extension adapter" that I saw on YouTube that seems to have worked. But that same code comes back from time to time and again, I've always just erased it with my little mini (cheapo) scanner. This time however, the code comes back immediately after I erase it. Unless I pull the orange safety hybrid and disconnect the Acc batt letting both sit awhile to reset. Doing that seems to now allow me "another start" meaning the car will start (and engage Drive or Reverse), but eventually it will get the same code (P0037) and I can erase it only once but, then the very next time I try to erase the code it will come back immediately after I erase it within a split second.

Also, on prius (2) the dash lights that come on don't stay on. It's like it goes into a multiple rotation mode going from rear defrost light coming on (along with the actual rear defroster coming on) but just for a few seconds then the light and mechanism go off and then the front defrost light comes on along with the mechanism and it blows heat, then that light and heat go off and it will light up the ac light on the other larger dash that coincides with the small maintenance dash light. Any light and coinciding function (on both small and large dashes) will go on and off all by themselves (but each only for a few seconds) in a cyclical rotation. This includes the "outer air intakes"/inner recycle air and the lights on the the small maintenance screen will go from foot dispensing air, to AC, to foot & face or just face only, all within just a few minutes (as well as High to low fan speed) all on it's own. While I can push the Off button (on the small "Climate screen" usually all the lights stop, but only temporarily, because eventually it all starts the rotation again in a few minutes and I don't believe in any certain order. (but I haven't been able to access if there is a set rotation order as of yet). Sometimes after I push the off button (on the climate screen) the "Auto" button light will go out but the other options like defrost front/rear, etc will still cycle through a rotation going on and off all by itself. And sometimes all those same lights and functions will eventually stop all by itself and then come on again (in a cyclical rotation as before) in a few minutes???

"Hair pulling"!?!?!? But maybe it all has to do with the Hybrid batt and the only code (P3014 Block 4 Low) which leads me to my closing question.

On prius (2) I believe that the Hybrid batt has started to run it's "dying swan course" it's been reconditioned at least a couple of times already and I've seen these real hopeful possibilities on the internet. I wanted advice from anyone knowledgeable about the 2 choices which are converting to Lithium (which carries a 48 month unlimited mileage guarantee compared to a Green plastic Hybrid batt that states that the battery is more efficient and does not get as hot due to the cells being "spaced farther apart". I don't believe the Green Battery is lithium but it is brand new. Both of these choices are considerably more expensive, but I've been getting a considerable break from a friend that reconditions the batteries charging only $500 (and guaranteeing them for 2 years, which has been great). But as you know, it's getting harder and harder to find those older cells. What do you guys think?

Again, I thank everyone so much!! Your reply's have given me a lot to digest. I drive so many miles for work and I absolutely love these old gen 2 prius's! The (2) Prius has over 600K miles on it and still kickin!

I don't want to be a pest because you all are so wonderful, and lastly again, I appreciate this whole group so very much and I believe that there is a common kinship about all Toyota vehicles in general and Prius/Hybrid type vehicles specifically. I have a lot of respect for Toyota's principles all the way to the very top. Their vehicles from their Prius to their Hydrogen vehicles. Just prove their exemplary creative ingenuity and concern to detail and to be the best (and to do what's right) are proven cutting edge leadership!