Brake Actuator & Code Reading

Sorry, but yes, here is yet another Brake Actuator thread. I have a 2005 Prius with less than 95k miles on it, still pretty much all original. I live in Florida but took the car up to the frigid Midwest two winters ago. One freezing morning during that trip the Brake, (!) ABS VSC combo lit up. Had it checked at a local parts place and no codes came up. The car was driving fine and was far from home. Ended up driving it 16 hours back home a couple days later and had no issues the whole trip. At the time, simply guessed it might've been a low voltage reading in the new Yellow Top battery. I got busy, the weather got hot and humid, and never got around to clearing the lights. Then the pandemic hit and life see-sawed even more.

A couple months ago, the car started to randomly beep for a few seconds after starting it or after turning it off. Initially, I thought that might be a low battery warning for the key remotes, but replacing the battery did not help, and the beeping has continued to occur randomly for varying intervals. I hooked up my OBD2 reader but the only code it showed was a P0607 code. This likely is related to the HV ECU as the Cruise Control does occasionally start blinking and stop working (apparently that is a memory warning indicator for the HV ECU).

So one quick question, is there an iOS scanner app that can read the brake codes on its own since I am guessing mine doesn't?

Yes, I am skeptical that the brake actuator and the HV ECU are both going bad at the same time. And unless someone knows something I don't, I doubt the HV ECU is causing the brake actuator to have pressure issues and run excessively.

I've called the local Toyota dealer several times for a quote to replace the brake actuator and gotten zero response. Even after talking to the national office of Toyota and being assured the dealer would reach out to me within 24 hours (that was 10 days ago). Several auto shops in town I was referred to flat out refused to replace the brake actuator.

After three weeks of only driving the car around the neighborhood to keep the battery charged, I'm getting quite annoyed at how difficult it is in this area to get such an otherwise dependable car worked on. This is the first repair the car has needed since buying it three years ago. Needless to say, I am frustrated right now.

And no, I don't have the skills or patience anymore to do the repair myself, nor a Windows computer and the Toyota Techstream software.

 

I think this video should sum up the answer to that question pretty well. Sounds like it is running most of the time to me, with only a few seconds break in between.

 

I did go ahead and get OBD Fusion and the Enhanced Diagnostics Pack for the 2005 Prius. I was finally able to read the diagnostics codes for the ABS system, and even reset them, although, the dash lights still remain on. Yes, I still need to disconnect the battery and check the connections, although being a less than 3-year-old Yellow Top I would think all is fine back there.

No surprise, but the code scanner came back with C1256, C1343 and C1391.

 

oops...why can't i delete this one reply? lol

 

My biggest problem is that when I call around and ask local repair shops if they'll even do this kind of work on a Prius, their response is a resounding NO. And their only recommendation for whom might is the local Toyota dealer who actually seems to hate servicing these cars based on my prior experiences.

 

UPDATE: Local Toyota dealer here in Pensacola, Fla. was nothing but a PITA and the only local shop willing to replace the brake actuator quoted me $2800. Ended up ordering the part online for $1200 from a Toyota dealer in Mobile, Ala. and had their service dept. do the replacement. Ended up having the front brakes redone, back brakes cleaned and parking brake adjusted, plus the drive belt replaced. All in was right around $2500 for everything. Lights are off. Actuator is quiet. Gas mileage has improved a few mpg too.

 

Oops, I meant the "drive belt" which I assume is what most of us call the serpentine belt.