2021 Prime and already a CEL - P0010

It’s the latter. Diagnostic Trouble Code (DTC) P0010 has the SAE-standardized meaning “‘A’ Camshaft Position Actuator ‘A’ Control Circuit/Open Bank 1,” and that’s also what this code (or its Toyota equivalent, P001013) means on Prius Prime cars. Ignore “A” and “Bank 1”; these cars only have one such actuator.

The Repair Manual (more info) explains that the code is stored when an “Open or short in camshaft timing oil control valve assembly circuit” is detected. This circuit is two wires that connect the engine control module (ECM) (connector C31) to the solenoid that adjusts the engine’s intake valve timing (connector C25). The solenoid, on the top left side of the engine, is shown in catalog Figure 11-04, Cylinder Head, part name code 11101J.

If the car is under warranty, it’s reasonable to let a dealer diagnose and fix the problem. A failure of the ECM or solenoid is possible, but I think the trouble is more likely to be a loose connector or damaged wire.

 

Wouldn't hurt to open the hood and look for evidence of varmints.

 

george did a youtube showing the code on a corolla. The sensor location for the Prime is on the other side of the engine as can be seen in the diagram linked above by Elektroingenie and there can also be other reasons for the code besides the broken wire, even though george mentions it's a common issue in his video. This is the first I've heard of it for a prime at priuschat, which doesn't a whole lot considering the company in this thread so far.
P0010 Corolla

 

Sorry to hear about the trouble. Would you be able to share a photo of what the damaged wire looks like? The evidence of rodents entering the engine bay is a strong indication that it was damaged by them. I suggest taking photos for your own sake as well, especially if this turns out to be an insurance claim case. A comprehensive part of the policy should cover damage like this.

Now, I am starting to worry about our own cars as well. It is getting cold, I know there are a lot of mice around, and they want to find a cozy place to hide and build a nest. I have never experienced rodent problems on our cars, but now our cars are sitting not driven longer than before... I also spotted some mouse poops on a storage box in our garage too.

 

I use Tomcat rodent repellent for my tractor and vehicle engine bays... so far so good.

 

I recently had a similar camshaft solenoid failure on our 2014 Pathfinder Hybrid. It was not caused by rodents but was really a faulty solenoid actuator that needed to be replaced. Most people whom I talked to said, it can be driven. But the engine was running so rough and almost come to stalling at every stop, I decided not to take a chance and did not drive the car. Ended up using my insurance roadside service to tow it to the nearest dealer which is ~50 miles. Is the car really acting up when the engine comes on? I suppose, with PP, if you can drive it without the engine firing, then it should not pose a problem.

Is it really working... or is it just that you don't have a rodent problem, to begin with? I thought about something similar, but I found out almost all of those rodent repellents are some concoction of soap and natural odorants of sorts. The one you linked is made of 1.5% Sodium Lauryl Sulfate, 0.5% Peppermint Oil, 0.25% Cinnamon Oil, 0.002% Garlic Oil. I can mix up those ingredients myself and make my own repellent solution for a fraction of the cost of $30/gal. For that price, I should be able to make 100 gallons of this stuff. But the ultimate question is... does it really work? I really should experiment with them to find out my own conclusion... but having read 11 reviews out of a total of 98 says it did not work. I get suspicious.

 

Yeah. We're surrounded by forest and have all sorts of critters from tiny to large roaming about and anything not fenced in or otherwise protected gets damaged. We've tried soap etc for the shrubs and something even started to gnaw on that!

As far as the Tomcat repellent, so far (knock on wood?) it has worked well at keeping the rodents out of our vehicles (prior to using it I had found nesting material in air intakes).

Critter central:

 

Thanks for sharing the photo.

Conector C25 is part of the Engine Wire (harness), which goes to dozens of other connectors in the engine compartment. You could replace the complete wire harness (part number 82121-47340, list price $991; see catalog Figure 82-02, Wiring & Clamp), and while this is always Toyota’s recommendation, unless there’s much more damage that hasn’t yet been discovered, it’s probably not the most cost-effective option.

Instead, as described in the Electrical Wiring Diagram (more info), you could buy a repair wire (a short length of wire with the correct terminal already crimped on one end), splice it to the end of the broken wire, and replace the terminal in the connector housing. The EWD gives several part numbers for suitable repair wires: 82998-12440 has a tin-plated terminal, and 82998-12460 has a gold-plated terminal; check the original terminal to determine which one to use. These both have 160 mm pigtails; there are also 500 mm versions.

To follow Toyota’s repair methods to the letter, you’d also need a splice sleeve (82999-52020), a heat shrink sleeve (82999-30010), a dryer or heat gun (190 °C or higher), and a crimping tool (either 09042-2C100 or 09929-00020). Toyota sells the latter as special service tools, but as previously noted, they appear to be the Lobtex AK15A and Lobtex AK2MA, respectively, available on the open market at more reasonable prices. Toyota doesn’t mention it, but you might consider wrapping the completed splice with rodent-deterrent tape.

(Careful readers might ask about the insulated parallel splices that Toyota specified for many years. These could be crimped with widely-available tools and weatherproofed, when needed, using self-sealing silicone tape. In the latest revisions of the EWD, these are no longer mentioned; uninsulated splices and heat-shrinkable tubing, originally used only for aluminum wires, are now specified for all splices. No reason was given for the change, but with the new tools and materials, the results depend less on the skill of the technician.)

If you don’t want to make the repair yourself, a dealer could do it, of course, but it might be better to use an independent shop, to avoid having a record of the damaged wiring entered in Toyota’s service database or appear on a CarFax or similar report in the future, which might affect the car’s future resale or trade-in value.