Every warning indicator is ON--2006 Prius

I'm hopeful it isn't as bad as it looks. In addition to "Red Triangle Of Death" (RTOD), we have anti-skid, brake, ABS, VSC, and check engine warning indicators shining.

My wife learned about RTOD long ago and pulled over immediately(damn it!!) and called me. I asked her how she noticed RTOD. Because the car started slowing down, she says.

Deja vu all over again from a few years back. Same symptoms. I hoped I would fire it up and see no RTOD or any more than check engine light. [Since that episode, I had Toyota replace injector coils, which is what a later spate of check-engine-light on-and-off cycles finally (supposedly) showed in the codes.]

No such luck. RTOD still on, as was brake, ABS, and check engine. I powered down. I called Toyota for advice. Bring it in if you think it's okay to drive, was counter guy's advice, since you're only a few miles away.

I told the guy I thought I could drive it. Then I powered up and noticed whichever indicator(s) hadn't been on were now, since they were now equally-spaced. And I'd never seen VSC and one other (brake, the manual says). So I said I don't think I'll be driving it there.

I tried to lock it: key fob wouldn't work. I had noticed fuel gauge was on one bubble, flashing furiously. Wife said it's been doing that a few days. She's sure there's plenty of gas in the tank because the bubble began flashing the day after she filled up.

Came here after Googling "2006 Prius all warning lights lit" turned up several hits. Each one except the first I looked at made it sound 12V-battery-related. That would be reasonable. And acceptable. It's been below 0° F the past few nights and highs in the teens. And at least 4 years since it was replaced.

The other one, though, suggested hybrid battery. I'll take the "consensus", please.

Most said they were still driving, but with no warning lights on except sporadically. No one seemed particularly concerned.

A couple said key fob wouldn't work.

I looked under the hood and saw nothing calamitous-looking. Oil level fine. Coolant, too.

If it will start and doesn't sound out of the ordinary, how's about driving 3.5 miles to Toyota? I know, ya pays yer money and ya takes yer chances.

Any other advice is welcome, too.

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It has about 170k on it. Replaced battery at least 5 years ago. Well maintained. It's been towed to dealer.

I'd hoped the lights would be dimmer. They're not exactly bright, but I'd hoped for really, really dim to encourage me to believe it's the 12V battery. I didn't replace the battery until the day after it was totally dead to my total surprise at midnight, 35 miles from home, and no wife or daughter answering their phones.

Ran fine until I got where I was going, leaving no reason to suspect doom awaited me.

Tonight was pretty different. Absolutely nothing would come on that other night. Had lots of light tonight: whole dashboard, dim but useable headlights.

Whatever. I almost hate to get the call tomorrow about what's wrong.

 

Bisco, thanks for the hope. She did not run out of gas, 100% sure, short of having gaping hole in tank, which I think is safe to assume is not the case.

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Well, I'm at Toyota. They said it's out of gas. Codes for that, battery, starting, etc. They've gone to get gas to make it start.

Wife bought on two separate occasions 12/28 and 1/2 a total of $10 worth of gas and said once it spewed out. She did this because maybe as far back as 12/28 the single last fuel bubble was blinking. Of course I only found this out couple days ago when I asked if MAINT REQD light was on.

Toyota insists no gas in car but only because of codes and symptoms.

The mechanic said not to worry.

Right.

I'll keep us posted.

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Well, this is unbelievable. Despite what my wife said, she ran out of gas.... And needs new battery, as some suggested. I'm waiting while they install it. I replaced one once and knew it would be unusual, but i'd've paid them the $100 I saved in a minute had I known how hard if would be.

I hope this ends the weird saga. Not 100% confident it will.

If anything changes, I'll be back.

Thanks for the advice and encouragement.

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Sorry I took so long to reply, bisco. I'm not familiar with problems with fuel bladder, but whatever, there have been no problems since. Almost a year.

She ran out of gas. Unthinkable. But I did once. At 2am.

I assume a somehow-blocked fuel bladder inlet would make gas spew out, but have no clue about why it might only happen once nor how to fix it.

But we'll be selling the old beast in 2019. No doubt CHECK ENGINE light will be on. I surrendered well over $1000 but well under $2000 in two separate CHECK ENGINE events to no avail. It just keeps running. For another 3 to 6 months, please!



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