Flashing cruise control indicator

If you retrieve trouble codes, I wonder if there will be some U codes, indicating communication loss between components.

 

how many miles on her?

have you cleaned the egr circuit?

 

BAM!!!

 

I am now eagerly awaiting that explanation of how dirty EGR is going to make the cruise indicator flash,

 

Do you have the ability to check the value "EGR FLOW INSUFFICIENCY" in this car? That is the name of the variable in TS, but many scan tools can get the value. This numeric value is written when the EGR Monitor test passes, and sets the Monitor to ready. The preferred units are kPa, but we can convert.

@ChapmanF proposed a project where we track the value of that piece of data in Gen3 engines before the Head Gasket Blows. We are trying to get "Before" data, and then once the entire EGR path cleaned (with Photos) we get "After" data. By comparing these before and after values and the photos, we can then get an idea what value of "EGR FLOW INSUFFICIENCY" indicates imminent doom for the head gasket.

Here is where to post your data:
The thread for the project is here:
Techstream EGR Valve Blockage Data

Using miles to determine when to clean the EGR path has been shown to be unreliable. Most people in this forum live for the chance to do preventive maintenance, and do the cleaning too soon (guilty as charged:
My Major Surgery saga on my 2013 Prius V ).

For this project to be successful, we need data from vehicles that are close to blowing. We hope to come up with a number for the "EGR FLOW INSUFFICIENCY", where above that number, you are OK, and below that number you need to get the EGR system cleaned ASAP. Waiting for the EGR monitor test to set the P0401 code has been shown to be too late.

Of course a "Before" data point followed shortly by a head gasket blowing would be extremely useful data, but I don't want to wish that on anyone

 

Assuming for a moment that the OP here doesn't mind having this thread, about a flashing cruise control indicator and blanking energy monitor, still further derailed by other people with nothing to say about that and just talking about other stuff:

If we're going to talk here about EGR and head gaskets (because heaven knows, we don't talk about those things enough in other threads where they might even be on topic), then yes, I pretty much agree with what gromittoo has written about the evidence-gathering value of collecting EGR monitor results. If I had written it, there would be less about "what value indicates imminent doom for the head gasket" and a bit more about "would help us to evaluate the nature and strength of the suspected connection to head gasket damage" (about which some very strong assumptions have been made by others, on the basis of really unsystematically collected evidence).

So, I probably also wouldn't have written exactly "Waiting for the EGR monitor test to set the P0401 code has been shown to be too late"; "has been shown" still seems a bit strong. If you find that your cow has been killed, and you didn't see a tiger killing it, now waiting to see a tiger has been shown to be too late for your cow?

But yes, I'm totally on board with gathering the data, because that's what should eventually help us reach more of a consensus on the matters that we're not all equally strongly convinced of yet.

But as none of that goes to why mengoni has a flashing cruise indicator and blanking energy monitor ...

@mengoni, have you had the chance to retrieve trouble codes yet? Did you find any, in particular any U codes?

 

OK I seem to have overthought this, then I ran with it. @ChapmanF is right that my post is off topic.

I saw the OP post that he has 165K with no EGR cleaning. I was excited about getting a good "before" data point compared to my 95K data point, and someone else's 61K data point. Getting the before data is not difficult, but it is a challenge to get people to look for it, and then post it.

The comment in the final paragraph about a "before" data point followed by a blown head gasket was an attempt at dark humor. It seems I failed.

 

Go straight to cleaning. More info in my signature, link "bad flywheel".

 

Cruise control light blinking | PriusChat

Try a search there may be other leads.
(Yes, code reading would be a great first step, but these searches may offer areas you can look at, such as a brake light switch).
Good luck.

 

I don't know about the energy monitor but my cruise control light did blink and turn itself off after a few minutes of being left on. I solved the problem by re-situating the brake light switch closer towards the pedal (push it into the pedal) and wiggling/tightening its electrical connector. As you can see, the switch unit has adjustable threads so you can turn it one way to free it loose from its bracket, then you can push it in deeper towards the pedal, then you turn it the other way to fix it in the new position. Something must have become slightly loose after years of driving.

The pic below is not from the prius but it's similar. Just look under the dash.

 

Is it possible the combo meter is going bad? Any other signs besides the energy meter and blinking cruise control?

 

I have not heard of Gen 3 combination meter issues being a thing the way they are in Gen 2.