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2007 Prius won't start, 5 orange dash lights

Discussion in 'Gen 2 Prius Care, Maintenance and Troubleshooting' started by Richard Williams, Apr 29, 2016.

  1. Richard Williams

    Richard Williams New Member

    Joined:
    Apr 29, 2016
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    Location:
    Chicago
    Vehicle:
    2007 Prius
    Model:
    N/A
    I got in my car today, put the key in, put my foot on the break, and pressed the start button, but instead of starting up, the start button turned orange, and 5 orange dash lights came on in the lower corner. I tried persistently to start it, and eventually it did try to start the engine, which worked fine. I drove around the block and then parked to see if I was going to have the problem again. This time the problem was more persistent the car never started again.

    I'm working on get a picture added to this post, but here are the 5 orange lights that are on in the lower right corner of the display:

    From left to right: 1.) A car with swervy tracks underneath it, 2.) An exclamation mark with a circle around it, and another partial circle around that, 3.) the ABS light, 4.) the VSC light, 5.) the engine check light.

    I've looked on google for about an hour now and can't figure out what this configuration of lights might indicate. I was hoping it was just the 12v starter battery, which I've heard is prone to dying in Prii, but I'm starting to worry that's not the case.

    Can anyone give me a hint what those lights mean? I don't want to pay for a tow until I have some knowledge of what to expect, especially because I just purchased this vehicle from a dealership last Wednesday. :(

     
    #1 Richard Williams, Apr 29, 2016
  2. JC91006

    JC91006 Senior Member

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    Location:
    Los Angeles, CA
    Vehicle:
    2008 Prius
    Model:
    II
    when was the last time you changed the 12v battery?
     
    #2 JC91006, Apr 29, 2016
  3. andrewclaus

    andrewclaus Active Member

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    Location:
    Golden, CO
    Vehicle:
    2007 Prius
    Did the dealer give you a Carfax report? That'll tell you if a dealer replaced the 12V battery and when. Checking the voltage on the 12V system is an easy thing to do and should be done now. Search here for an easy way to do it using the MFD. The next diagnostic will require either getting it to the dealer or buying your own scan tool.
     
    #3 andrewclaus, Apr 29, 2016
  4. wjtracy

    wjtracy Senior Member

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    Location:
    Northern VA (NoVA)
    Vehicle:
    Other Hybrid
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    !2v might be good guess as sitting unused in lot for a while could run it down sort of common with Gen2.
    Good news so far is no Red Triangle.
    You want to read the codes with ODB reader to see if any diagnosis.
    Check for inverter coolant flow.

    The first light is the icy road thing (science here), then believe next you have Tire Pressure monitor, ABS, Vehicle Stability Control, and CEL. Unusual.

    If I thought the 12v had a chance to run down sitting in the lot, I might start there. The smart key system can be a drain after 2-3 weeks sitting. There is an ON/OFF switch to help maintain 12v on sitting.
     
    #4 wjtracy, Apr 29, 2016
    Last edited: Apr 29, 2016
  5. S Keith

    S Keith Senior Member

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    Vehicle:
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    Code reading options in my signature.
     
    #5 S Keith, Apr 29, 2016
  6. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

    Joined:
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    Location:
    boston
    Vehicle:
    2012 Prius Plug-in
    Model:
    Plug-in Base
    welcome! how many miles on her?
     
    #6 bisco, Apr 29, 2016
  7. Stevewoods

    Stevewoods Senior Member

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    Location:
    Seattle, WA
    Vehicle:
    2008 Prius
    Model:
    II
    First:

    1) Register the car at www.toyota.com/owners -- You will need to enter the VIN -- it will give you a good look at all service performed at Toyota dealers (supposedly) and possibly services performed elsewhere -- should have done it before you bought it, but...

    2) Check the 12v. With luck, that is your problem. Simple to put in a new one, but the part alone is around $200.

    If a friend has a multi-tester, easy enough to test. Not sure if you can do the MFD test if you can't start the car? Anyone? You could always pull it and take to the dealer or a parts store and have them test it.
     
    #7 Stevewoods, Apr 29, 2016
    Last edited: Apr 29, 2016
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