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2010 Prius unable to start without key fob on start button

Discussion in 'Gen 3 Prius Care, Maintenance & Troubleshooting' started by JeremyD29, Apr 29, 2022.

  1. JeremyD29

    JeremyD29 New Member

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    My 2010 Prius was bought used on a salvaged title in June of last year. Ran great at first. About a month in it started having issues with the 12v battery. We had it tested and found it was no longer any good as it was several years old. Had the battery replaced and again things were fine for a few more months. But then we started having the "Check hybrid system" warning pop up. I did some research online and found other people were getting the same warning after changing the 12v so I didn't think too much about it. At the same time as the "Check hybrid system" warning came up we also got a tire pressure light warning. I checked the tire pressure and they were all within good range. So I added a small amount of air to each tire to be safe and it still showed the warning. So I tried to reset the tire pressure warning with the button under the steering column. It didn't work. I researched how to remove warning lights and found information on disconnecting the 12v battery and reconnecting. I did this and the tire pressure light and the "Check Hybrid System warning both disappeared. The car ran absolutely fine after this, the energy transfer system on the dash seemed to show normal transfer between all 3 systems. This led me to believe the car was fine.

    About 2 weeks ago the check hybrid light system warning came on again, as well as the tire pressure light, and just about every other light on the dash. I figured this was an issue with the electrical system as just about every light was on and I don't see how that could realistically happen overnight to a car that is running just fine. So I decide to disconnect the 12v battery again, and I went and checked all of the fuses under the hood and under the steering column. Every fuse was perfectly fine, so I reconnected the battery and went to start the car and then nothing happened. It just would not start. When pressing the brake the green light on the start button would not light up. In fact nothing requiring electricity would work. None of the lights would come on, the key fob did not unlock doors, pretty much everything was out. Except the hazard lights and the windows would still roll down for some reason. So I checked the manual and was able to figure out to start the car with the silver toyota logo on the key fob on the start button with the brake depressed was able to get the green light to come on and was thankfully able to start the car. However when starting the car the "Check Hybrid system" warning is still on as well as all of the other dash warning symbols/lights.

    So this is where I am currently. All warnings showing whenever the car is on, and I am only able to start the car with the key fob on the start button. I had the 12v battery checked at an autozone and it showed that it was basically brand new and in perfect condition. I even changed the battery on the key fob and that didn't change anything. I checked the fuses a second time and they are all good and installed correctly, none are loose. So it's not the key fob, not the 12v, not the fuses, I don't think its actually the hybrid system as this warning did not show until changing the 12v battery like others online have experienced as well. I will add that I drove the car earlier today around the block with all the warning lights on and again the car ran absolutely fine. I am at my wits end here. I have read through the manual so many times and nothing seems to help.

    Any help that any of you can provide is greatly appreciated. I have been reading things on this forum nonstop the last 2 weeks trying to fix this so I am so grateful for all of your help up to this point and anything after. Thanks.
     
  2. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

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    unfortunately, it may have been a shoddy repair and some wiring is leaking or corroded.

    start by checking the voltage at the jump point under the hood. if it is close to 13 volts, that's good.

    then check the air and cabin filters for signs of rodents.

    after that, you'll have to have it scanned for trouble codes.
     
  3. ChapmanF

    ChapmanF Senior Member

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    When those warning lights come on, the computers in the car have trouble codes that can be read with a scan tool, and will indicate why the lights have come on.

    Checking fuses repeatedly, changing batteries, speculating about whether the light combinations are 'realistic' or not, two weeks of forum reading, and so on, all take time, and sometimes will yield useful information and sometimes not.

    Reading the trouble codes also will take a bit of time (a couple of minutes, with the proper scan tool), but gives you the information you can then use to focus on fuses, batteries, or whatever other areas are indicated.
     
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  4. Georgina Rudkus

    Georgina Rudkus Senior Member

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    Could have been a car that has been in a flood. Age and corrosion takes it toll. It might have not been evident when the car was first dried out. Steadily degrading electrics are the result of water and electrolyte in the connectors with connections degrading with time.
     
  5. PriusCamper

    PriusCamper Senior Member

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    Easiest way to read some of the most prominent error codes is installing Dr. Prius app on your phone and plugging one of these devices into your car: Hybrid battery diagnostic and repair tool for Toyota and Lexus

    Soon as you can let us know error codes we can offer lots of help... Also I'm relatively near by if you need help in person. As in 3 hours north of you, but I need to buy some stuff in your city in coming weeks so this could be mutually beneficial. Let us know?
     
  6. ChapmanF

    ChapmanF Senior Member

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    As apps on phones go, some are more general-purpose and some are more niche. Dr. Prius is a niche-focused product that will give you a bunch of information about the car's battery, but will not even bother to display trouble codes from most of the car's dozen ECUs (it only shows those from the engine and HV/battery ECUs).

    In a case like this one, where many dash lights are present, it will probably be more valuable to scan with a more general-purpose app that will query the car for all trouble codes present, even if it doesn't have the same specialized focus as Dr. Prius.

    Here is a very thorough recent thread that compares several phone apps for that purpose.

    Of course there is no rule against having more than one app on a phone. A person could have a general-purpose one to be sure of getting trouble code information when the dash lights up, and also a special-purpose one like Dr. Prius for preening of the battery and so on. Chances are that one hardware dongle paired to the phone will work with both apps.
     
  7. Mendel Leisk

    Mendel Leisk Senior Member

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    Have a dealership read the codes?
     
  8. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

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    reply to the responses?
     
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  9. PriusCamper

    PriusCamper Senior Member

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    You mean I can have more than one app on my phone? :(
     
  10. ChapmanF

    ChapmanF Senior Member

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    You can, but you don't have to if it would be traumatic.
     
  11. JeremyD29

    JeremyD29 New Member

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    So I ordered a reader to check the codes and what I'm getting is "the vehicle has no fault codes" although all the warning lights are all still on.
     
  12. JeremyD29

    JeremyD29 New Member

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    Sorry. I was waiting for a scanner to get shipped before replying so I could have a more thorough response. Unfortunately the scanner shows no fault codes.
     
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  13. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

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    what reader? prius is finicky
     
  14. ChapmanF

    ChapmanF Senior Member

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    What reader did you get? People posting that they have warning lights and no trouble codes, because they used a reader that didn't show them their trouble codes, is a regular pastime on PriusChat.

    The fact that you still have those lights is the giveaway.

    If any of the lights are the ABS, VSC, ((!)), tire, or steering lights, you can get those codes by using a simple jumper wire between the Tc and CG terminals of the car's diagnostic connector and counting light blinks; no reader needed. A search on those terms will find many threads with the details.