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I did something stupid... EPS warning light then all lights

Discussion in 'Gen 1 Prius Plug-in 2012-2015' started by ThatOddMan, Apr 5, 2021.

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  1. ThatOddMan

    ThatOddMan Junior Member

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    EPS warning light lit up after I set the car in reverse.

    Engine shut off with dash lights on.

    The car moved forward after I set it to drive mode.

    So I set it in neutral to push it back out from the parking.

    After that I set to drive, all lights on the dash lit up.

    Left my car in at my work's parking lot.

    I think it is still using the original 12v battery... the one at the trunk, right side pocket.

    Earlier, the charge on the hybrid battery indicator on the dash seemed to be too low, like 3 bars then it went into a single bar tonight, when it is usually half full and even at full at times.

    What is the possibility that only the 12v battery needs replacement?

    I am hoping it is not a the HV battery. Otherwise, my PiP will end up as a big paper weight. Toyota dealer previously advised that Toyota Japan halted all new orders for HV battery on Gen1 Plugins.

    EDIT: My PiP just came out from its regular maintenance last week. On the receipt, it states Toyota Multipoint Inspection. But it is either the dealer did not really do the multipoint inspection (it includes testing the battery), just a coincidence that the 12v battery got drained tonight, or the problem is not the 12v battery.
     
    #1 ThatOddMan, Apr 5, 2021
    Last edited: Apr 5, 2021
  2. jerrymildred

    jerrymildred Senior Member

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    Impossible to tell. My test leads aren't that long. LOL!

    Seriously, that does sound pretty alarming but it's pretty easy to just put a multimeter on your 12V battery and read the voltage. That would be the first step in figuring it out. If it's low, charge it up. If it's not low or if you still have problems even with a full charge on the 12V, then you read the codes and the car will pretty much tell you what's wrong. Hopefully, NOT the traction battery. There are plenty of other possibilities, which is why you read the codes so you know where to start looking.
     
    #2 jerrymildred, Apr 5, 2021
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  3. sam spade 2

    sam spade 2 Senior Member

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    IF.....it is near to 8 years old, then the odds that it is going bad are great.
    That should be the first place that you start testing.

    Edit: I see nothing in your description that really qualifies as "stupid".
     
    #3 sam spade 2, Apr 5, 2021
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  4. Mendel Leisk

    Mendel Leisk Senior Member

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    What’s “EPS”?
     
    #4 Mendel Leisk, Apr 5, 2021
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  5. jerrymildred

    jerrymildred Senior Member

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    I wondered, too, but forgot to ask.

    Perhaps the stuff that goes in the EPS conduits on the starship Enterprise?
     
    #5 jerrymildred, Apr 5, 2021
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  6. JohnPrius3005

    JohnPrius3005 Active Member

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    Hi Odd Guy ;-)

    Paperweight? Nah! I'll buy it.

    You'll fix it easy. Who needs Toyota's batteries? Seriously, if it gets to that, you have a lot of DIY, or helpful, reasonable mechanic options.
     
    #6 JohnPrius3005, Apr 5, 2021
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  7. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

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    expanded poly styrene
     
    #7 bisco, Apr 5, 2021
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  8. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

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    the hybrid battery is under a 10/150 warranty, how many miles on her?

    not sure how the 12v would allow you to make ready, but be the problem. stranger things have happened with prius though
     
    #8 bisco, Apr 5, 2021
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  9. ThatOddMan

    ThatOddMan Junior Member

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    Mine is one of the prototypes starships with experimental propulsion system-the helicon double layer thrusters. The HDLT have malfunctioned on the routine startup. ;)

    [​IMG]


    It's the electronic power steering warning light. The steering wheel icon with exclamation mark on its side.

    EDIT: That is a real car decal that I slapped on the rear of my PiP. Other drivers kept on trolling and tail gating me so I might as well troll them first.

    EDIT2: I will be back to work later. I will check it again.
     
    #9 ThatOddMan, Apr 5, 2021
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  10. ThatOddMan

    ThatOddMan Junior Member

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    Can fuel starvation cause the dash warning lights to light up?

    I just realized the fuel is already showing a single blinking bar.
     
    #10 ThatOddMan, Apr 5, 2021
  11. PaulDM

    PaulDM Active Member

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    Yes
     
    #11 PaulDM, Apr 5, 2021
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  12. jerrymildred

    jerrymildred Senior Member

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    Like @bisco said, if it's under 150,000 miles, it's under warranty in California.
     
    #12 jerrymildred, Apr 5, 2021
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  13. sam spade 2

    sam spade 2 Senior Member

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    NO. Not unless and until it makes the engine stumble or die.
     
    #13 sam spade 2, Apr 5, 2021
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  14. PaulDM

    PaulDM Active Member

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    Incorrect. Both the prime and hybrids do not work on single fuel. If you run out of gas (fuel starvation) game over. it’s in the manual.
     
    #14 PaulDM, Apr 5, 2021
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  15. sam spade 2

    sam spade 2 Senior Member

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    What exactly is that supposed to mean ?
    Single fuel ??

    Except for the gas gauge itself, simply getting low on fuel will NOT cause other warning lights to come on as long as the engine is running good.
     
    #15 sam spade 2, Apr 5, 2021
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  16. PaulDM

    PaulDM Active Member

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    What that means is both vehicles need gas and battery . If you run out of gas you cannot use electric to get you to a gas station. The manual specifically says this. The OP asked would fuel starvation lead to a warning light and in that case it would.
     
    #16 PaulDM, Apr 5, 2021
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  17. sam spade 2

    sam spade 2 Senior Member

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    Which is exactly what I said.
    As long as the engine is running good, there IS NO fuel starvation.
    Of course warning lights will come on when the engine starts missing or dies.
    BEFORE that, there will be none.
     
    #17 sam spade 2, Apr 5, 2021
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  18. PaulDM

    PaulDM Active Member

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    Me too
     
    #18 PaulDM, Apr 5, 2021
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  19. ThatOddMan

    ThatOddMan Junior Member

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    I added fuel of around 1 gallon. Did not work. Engine is dead. Dash lights are lit up.

    Unfortunately, it has 159k miles.
     
    #19 ThatOddMan, Apr 6, 2021
  20. jerrymildred

    jerrymildred Senior Member

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    If you had Toyota doing the serving, they might just give you a break on the mileage given that the car is relatively new.

    But that's assuming it is actually in the hybrid system. I didn't see any mention of results from reading trouble codes, so it's total guesswork.
     
    #20 jerrymildred, Apr 6, 2021
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