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2004 Prius random C1247 sub 179

Discussion in 'Gen 2 Prius Care, Maintenance and Troubleshooting' started by BigBadSubaru, Jan 10, 2020.

  1. BigBadSubaru

    BigBadSubaru Junior Member

    Joined:
    Dec 4, 2018
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    Location:
    Longview, WA
    Vehicle:
    2004 Prius
    Model:
    V
    My 2004 Prius randomly throws this code and the brakes go into a failsafe mode. If I clear the code, it goes away for anywhere from a few days to a few weeks (Lately it's been a day or two) Here's the weird part, on my way home there's a stop sign where I turn right and then go over some train tracks, and about 3/4 of the time it sets this code after I've done a "Rolling stop" and then go over the train tracks. Any ideas? I've also had it trip the code if I go over a bump after making a low speed right hand turn.

    Search digging says there was an issue with the skid control ECU and I should find the updated part on eBay (New one is $1800 from Toyota), I'd think if the problem was actually the stroke sensor that the code would come back pretty much immediately, which it does not. (Although it's gotten progressively worse, it first happened after several months of having the car, and lately I can't even make it the 55 miles to work before it comes back. I've attached logs from Techstream, a couple of them are just the freeze frame but there's two that have data recorder logs as well as the freeze frame. I'm kind of thinking that the problem is the stroke sensor, but I want to confirm before I drop the $ on it...)

    When I bought the car, whenever the hydraulic brakes activated it would make this "thump thump thump" from the right rear brake, pulled the drum and it was worn in one spot but shiny in another, like it had been machined wrong or warped, so I replaced both rear drums and THAT problem went away. But I noticed that the rear brakes (which appeared new) will go out of adjustment (Parking brake quits working) on the right side. I did notice though, that if I adjust the rear brakes properly, that the code doesn't happen anymore, until the brakes get out of adjustment again, and I've also noticed that if I brake somewhat hard, that the pedal will drop farther than it does if I brake lightly, so I'm thinking that the misadjusted brakes are confusing the ECU and throwing the stroke sensor code... But despite being a certified Toyota tech (haven't worked for Toyota since 2011 though) I didn't do a lot of the hybrid training so I'm not super familiar with the Prius's braking system. (Also for some reason, even though I have replaced the shoes, hardware, drums, and self-adjusters, the passenger side rear brake manages to adjust itself all the way in over time and then the parking brake no longer works)
     

    Attached Files:

  2. BigBadSubaru

    BigBadSubaru Junior Member

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    Location:
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    Vehicle:
    2004 Prius
    Model:
    V
    Bump.... Am I just asking in the wrong forum or something???
     
  3. valde3

    valde3 Senior Member

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    Vehicle:
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    You're asking this in the rich place. But this just is a very uncommon problem. Unfortunate I don't have Techstream on my home computer so I can't open the log files. I've only work on European model Gen 2 Prius and they have rear disc brakes.

    When you talk about rear drum brakes going out of adjustment you mean that they loosen the adjustment by them self or just don't adjust? If they can loosen the adjustment by them self that would mean that there has to be something wrong in the brake itself. You have adjusted first the brake shoes and then checked the cables? Parking brake works now?

    Problem happening when driving over train tracks might tell that it could be just a bad contact. Or if the bad contact would be inside the brake stroke sensor that could also cause the problem only happening under braking and vibration. Does the problem only happen under braking and vibration?

    You could check the signal voltages from brake stroke sensor (and their sum) in different positions of brake pedal. If voltages don't seem to move smoothly or the sum is off almost to a threshold that would basically tell that problem is very likely in the brake stroke sensor.

    Here's the diagnostic info in case you didn't have it: https://share.qclt.com/%E4%B8%B0%E7%94%B0%E6%99%AE%E7%91%9E%E6%96%AF%E5%8E%9F%E5%8E%82%E8%8B%B1%E6%96%87%E6%89%8B%E5%86%8Cpdf%E6%A0%BC%E5%BC%8F/repair%20manual/04pruisr/05/21avn/cic12474.pdf
     
    #3 valde3, Feb 5, 2020
    Last edited: Feb 5, 2020
    Raytheeagle likes this.
  4. BigBadSubaru

    BigBadSubaru Junior Member

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    Location:
    Longview, WA
    Vehicle:
    2004 Prius
    Model:
    V
    I ended up biting the bullet and replaced the sensor, and all is well now. Still have the issue with the drum brakes going out of adjustment... The thing that throws me with them is I've replaced EVERYTHING.. The shoes were worn so I replaced them, along with the drums and all the springs and adjusters and associated hardware and it still does it...
     
  5. ChapmanF

    ChapmanF Senior Member

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    Vehicle:
    2010 Prius
    Model:
    IV
    I was about to say something more common and mundane about how the adjuster requires regular use of both the parking brake and the regular brakes, but then I read this again, and I'm going to take this shot in the dark:

    What are the chances the passenger side got reassembled with a driver-side adjuster? They should be mirror images of each other, so one would be a left-hand thread. An adjuster installed on the wrong side of the car would end up adjusting itself in rather than out.
     
  6. valde3

    valde3 Senior Member

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    Myself and others might be able to give you some answer some questions I had in my earlier post:
    That's one reason for my questions earlier.