I F'ed up

You basically did the equivalent of towing the Prius with all its wheels on the ground. That's not good at all.

Just take it to the dealer (straight to the service department) and drop it off. I'd bet they're going to have it for several days, so I'd ask for a loaner car while they have it. If they won't do that, they'll probably have a rental department. If they charge too much, ask them to drive you to a car rental agency. Most dealers have courtesy shuttles. Worst case, call Enterprise Car Rentals, they'll pick you up from anywhere.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Alexstarfire @ Jul 5 2007, 07:42 AM) [snapback]473442[/snapback]</div>

If you had the ScanGageII or similar tool, you would be able to look and see what the code was, find the meaning on the internet, and shut if off if you liked. If you are really sure that there is nothing actually wrong, the code should shut itself off within about three days. If it doesn't, then something probably is wrong.

At a dealership, they normally have a bay door labeled service where you drive up, and then there are one or more people called service advisors at desk or window ready to discuss your situation and take your keys. In your case, they are most likely to keep you car for a day and then tell you that they couldn't find anything wrong and reset the light.

The ScanGageII at $149 from PriusChat is a handy tool that you can leave hooked up all the time for additional guages like Coolant Temperature, RPM, Voltage, and additional trip computers (MPG for the trip, day, tank). It is about the size of a medium sized Snickers candy bar.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Marlin @ Jul 5 2007, 08:08 AM) [snapback]473455[/snapback]</div>

Marlin could have a good point, if you really want to be on the safe side (like on Nemo's first day of school) it wouldn't hurt to have the professionals take a look. But if you want any potential problems fixed under warrantee, you might not mention what you did.

Here is a picture of my ScanGageII mounted under my rear view mirror. I ran the cable behind the headliner, side pillar and dash.

 

Next time, do not shut the car off.. <sigh> we all learn from our mistakes..

 

ooooohhhhh. not good. could be a lot of things... get the codes read and evaluate from there. chances are this isn't just a clear-it-and-it's-over situation.

if you really wanna know, disconnect the negative terminal from the 12v, wait 2 minutes, and reconnect. if that light comes back, bad news.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(TonyPSchaefer @ Jul 5 2007, 09:30 AM) [snapback]473498[/snapback]</div>

On the other hand, maybe his Prius is using the "Idiot Light" as a defensive mechanism. Maybe the car is ridiculing him by saying, "I have an idiot for a driver."

In the military, Alexstarfire would be labeled as someone suffering with BUTTONITIS. They don't know what the button or knob will do, but they just can't help themselves, and they push it or turn it anyways.

I actually watched one sailor jettison aircraft canopies (causing over $200,000 worth of damage) because he wanted to show his buddy the cockpit and back seats of an EA-6B . . . even though he didn't work on aircraft and had absolutely no idea of what he was doing or what "Warning" and "Jettison" meant.

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Alexstarfire @ Jul 5 2007, 10:06 AM) [snapback]473526[/snapback]</div>

Sounds to me like a case where mother knows best! :lol:

SORRY, no compassion here for someone with buttonitis. :mellow:

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Alexstarfire @ Jul 6 2007, 09:05 AM) [snapback]473952[/snapback]</div>

Leave the neutral alone. Leave it in drive. I don't know if the gen 1 will do pulse and glide with a soft touch on the accelerator but do a search and read up on that.

If it won't, just coast.

You got off light this time. Don't repeat the mistake.

Don't put the car in neutral while you're driving. And don't turn the car off while you're driving it.

 

My observation; I sometimes use nuetral before the car is warmed up, or when the battery is green because I can't get it to glide (it will just try to use the extra battery power). With nuetral it doesn't use the saved up juice, and can use it later. Also, gliding has a certain amount of real-time power back wheels, to maintain momentum to an extent. I think use nuetral all day if you want but get your battery green first.

Good Day!

 

Neutral on a Prius is far, far different in meaning than every conventional car out there.....and the possibilities for damage great. Understand the following:

THERE IS NO CLUTCH. So when in neutral the Prius is ACTIVELY neutralizing the torque on the MGs to allow the car to roll or be rolled. It is not in a "disconnected" state. Additionally, the HV battery is not being charged, but is allowed to discharge. Spend a really long time in neutral, you will find out the pain of overdischarging the HV battery.

Bottom line is the Prius is engineered to immitate a neutral state, but not designed to spend it in neutral for long periods of times. Most definitely not at high speeds for long because this generates tremendous heat with nowhere to go. If you have to coast, do it in D or B, but definitely not N.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Alexstarfire @ Jul 10 2007, 09:30 PM) [snapback]476553[/snapback]</div>

If you learn how to glide in drive, that's the equivalent of neutral on a regular car and you'll increase your mileage.

If you put it in N for too long, you risk draining your batteries beyond redemption and thus trashing your car.

Leave N alone. Stick to D and learn how to lightly touch the gas pedal to glide.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Alexstarfire @ Jul 10 2007, 10:30 PM) [snapback]476553[/snapback]</div>

Gliding has the Motor/Generators transfering power to the battery and/or the engine transfering power to the wheels. Most important, it is capturing the rolling energy for use in the next startup or acceleration. Extending the MPG using hypermileing techniques is done, specifically, gliding with the engine transfering power to the wheels with max efficiency with a calibrated push of the gas pedal. Can't do this in neutral.

Neutral basically isolates the Motor/Generators from the battery. This leaves the battery as the only source of power for the computers, air conditioner, and other loads like lights. The car is not designed to do this for extended periods of time. (The same is also true for reverse.) Since I have not performed this experiment of seeing what gives first in this situation, I will let others tell us what happens and how long it takes to happen. I do not expect stories of happiness. Also with the Motor/Generators isolated in neutral, when you brake, the hydraulics must do all the work. More brake wear than normal.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Alexstarfire @ Jul 11 2007, 11:36 AM) [snapback]476876[/snapback]</div>

You take your foot off of the gas pedal, then you lightly touch it again and hold.

Leave the N alone.