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DEAD PRIUS

Discussion in 'Gen 2 Prius Care, Maintenance and Troubleshooting' started by QUEENBEE, Jun 17, 2007.

  1. QUEENBEE

    QUEENBEE New Member

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    HUBBY bought 2001 Prius. We really like it. Today went to store--came out---please note I am not very wise in what is what in this type car....any way--car wouldnt engage the gas engine--he got almost home on just the "electric" part....21 MPH. Had to park it. any one have any ideas??
     
    #1 QUEENBEE, Jun 17, 2007
  2. efusco

    efusco Moderator Emeritus
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    First, that was a very bad idea to drive it w/o the ICE...water under the bridge now.
    Next, this usually means something is wrong with the computer or it's out of gas. I'd try adding gas first, if that doesn't work or you're positive it has plenty then you just need to go to the dealer for diagnosis.

    Were there no warning lights or anything?
     
    #2 efusco, Jun 17, 2007
  3. galaxee

    galaxee mostly benevolent

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    uh oh. echo evan's statement on the bad plan to drive on electric only. the 1st gen prius is NOT protective of its battery as much as the newer ones, and without the gas engine you can run the battery down too far. that is trouble.

    have it towed to the dealer, have them check your engine ECU and the hybrid battery charge. DO NOT try to start it. do not let anyone at the dealer try to start it until someone has a scantool right there to get the diagnostic codes.
     
    #3 galaxee, Jun 18, 2007
  4. cottonseed90

    cottonseed90 New Member

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    I have owned a 2001 Prius since October 2000 and have driven it 109000 miles. Several times a week the whole screen flashes a warning that is related to the computer systems and the car loses power and sometimes dies. I have learned to correct this by turning off the engine and restarting it, usually three times. Then, everything goes to normal. None of the dealers I go to can fix this or even understand it and of course its impossible to talk to anyone at Toyota. This is the only problem I've ever had with the car. I believe its a computer flaw in the model and this may explain your problem even though it seems a little different from mine. Regards.
     
    #4 cottonseed90, Jul 15, 2007
  5. hobbit

    hobbit Senior Member

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    I would start going over everything around the engine compartment
    and dash, pulling as many connectors as you can find and reseating
    them. Maybe use a little de-ox-it in the process. Any electrical
    connectors are eventually going to start flaking out in the environment
    of wide temp variations, humidity, salt splash, etc. You wouldn't
    believe how frequent the "whack test" on automotive ECUs is a
    successful way to reproduce problems like that... either in the
    connectors themselves [easy to fix] or the ECU [harder].
    .
    Oh, and clean the throttle body, too..
    .
    _H*
     
    #5 hobbit, Jul 15, 2007
  6. Frank Hudon

    Frank Hudon Senior Member

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    start with the fuel pump relay. ICE ECU is a known problem with high mileage 2001 Prius.
     
    #6 Frank Hudon, Jul 15, 2007
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