My Prius dead again, with techstream this time.

So analogous to a GFCI outlet for your wall outlet. Explains the HV battery indicator indicating zero, if the HV Battery was disconnected when the error was detected.

In my case, the loud bang I heard on October 7th was likely a High Voltage Short (a theory that makes more sense to me than the dealer's explanation of a blown off PCV hose). That time on October 7th I got two errors that I read with the Torque App on my phone:

1) B1000
2) Some error that has to do with the Downstream O2 Sensor signal being low.
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My guess is that the big badass High Voltage cable running from the battery shorted out against the O2 sensor. That location would be consistent with the sound I heard. I could imagine that smell I smelled could have been mistaken for gunpowder. I also was working in that area 3 months ago when I drained the coolant from the heat recovery radiator. Perhaps the clamp on the hose started rubbing against the Orange cable (I hope not)?

 

Looking at the P0101 error, that is probably is old, and not important to this HV issue. The snapshot shows that I was going 39MPH, and the Air Temperature was 91 degrees F. That probably happened about 100 miles prior to the car going "not ready".

 

I didn't realize that "bang" had a color.

 

OK, I am now at a decision point of what to do next. It is 3 o'clock on Sunday Afternoon, and the dealer opens early in tomorrow morning.

1) I have collected a bunch of screen shots, not sure if that is enough.
2) Right now, My Hybrid battery is showing two bars, but no "ready" light.
3) My 2013 Prius is blocking my now working Minivan on a driveway with uphill slope (meaning a lot of pushing to free the minivan)
4) I haven't yet reset any codes, but I could.
5) I could Call Toyota Customer experience Toll Free number to see if the dealer should tow the car for free, since they obviously missed a diagnosis.
6) If I reset the codes, there is a chance that I could drive the car to the dealer 15 miles away. I could provide them with the screenshots.
7) Should I wait until someone decodes the P3190 "Poor Engine Performance" data?
8) Temporarily Block off the EGR, just in case it is the problem?
9) Order a MAF sensor or MAP Sensor?

 

My wife has the 2017 today, and our third vehicle is blocked in by the 2013. I suppose I could pay for the tow, but they should not charge me the $280 for the Hybrid Diagnosis again, they clearly missed something.

I did come up with the theory about the "whirring" noise. It was near the ICE water pump might have been the Throttle body opening and closing rapidly to compensate for something else, and it is in that area.

 

Nasty!

 

Look at post #40. Screenshots of P3190

 

The whirring sound that I was hearing while the ICE is running for only 15 seconds is not normal. It is loud enough to hear distinctly from inside the car if the windows are open. My first thought was that it was the water pump or AC compressor. It sounds like a water pump that is spinning at a really fast speed.

I tried to isolate it yesterday. 15 seconds is not long enough to jump out of the car, and find it. I tried to isolate the noise by removing the air intake snorkel, and then having my neighbor turn the car on for me. The car chose that moment to stop going into ready mode.

I debated clearing the codes, and trying again to see if the ICE would start. I have gathered the snapshot data, then it started raining. Now it is dark outside.

My current plan is to call the dealer at 7:30AM to let them know that the work they did last Monday and Tuesday did not fix the problem. I will send them the Screenshot data. I will ask them if I should clear the codes, to see if I can limp the car the 11 miles to their dealership, or would they be willing to tow it for free (they have their own towing service).

@Georgina Rudkus posted a "Care Care Nut" video that describes a simple EGR test. If the problem is the EGR sticking open, then temporarily putting a metal plate in between the EGR and the EGR tube, would prevent any EGR gas from getting into the Intake Manifold. There should be no EGR gas at idle. It is a simple test that can eliminate the EGR as the source of the problem. However, I would have to get Ready mode back. I don't think a simple clear the codes will work, since one of the codes is marked "permanent".

 

Agreed that would be helpful. When the problem is intermittent, the clues tend to be less obvious. I did as much as I could without jacking up the car, to reveal the underbelly where a short is most likely to have occurred. I also had to finish getting the Van running today, so my wife has a way to get to work while I Uber with the 2017. The van is done, but is blocked by the 2013.

 

There was. I noticed that after posting. the Horizontal scrolling and double column format threw me. I went out and got complete data.

Note that the P0101 was a historic fault that happened earlier when I was going 39 MPH and the Intake air was 91 degrees. That would probably place it on the Friday afternoon, when I was driving on the PA Turnpike to Allentown, or shortly thereafter. That stretch of turnpike is mostly uphill, and I was mostly going 75MPH

Here is the complete version

Page 1:


Page 2:


Page 2.5:

 

A stuck EGR might do that.

I don't know the difference between P3190 and P3191

I have a 2017 that is working correctly, My wife is off tomorrow. If I knew how to force a capture of that engine starting..

This explains why the Tech (through the Service manager as unnecessary translator) was so focused on where I bought my last tank of gas, and why the tech wanted to do a "Fuel bypass".

As it turns out, the Gas from the most recent fill was from a reputable station, but the tankful before that was from a less reputable station on Essington Avenue called "Gas n Go", and I put 10.6 gallons into what I believe is an 11.2 gallon tank. The "range" had gone to zero at at least 15 miles before that fill with the possibly suspect gas. It was cheaper than average, and might have been E-85. My average MPG on the day before the bang with the suspect gas was pretty low (~33mpg consistent with E85). Toward the end of that night, I put 8+ gallons of reputable gas in. The "Bang" followed by the loss of power steering, and the 15 second start attempts was after the 8+ gallon fill.

The bad gas theory does not explain the repeat this past Saturday morning, which is the results I have captured.

I also don't know if the fuel system bypass ultimately solved the problem, or if the Tech did something else to solve the problem.