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Need a Pro's Opinion - '05 Prius with new HV/LV batteries - Not starting unless battery reset!??

Discussion in 'Gen 2 Prius Main Forum' started by sepulchral, Jul 5, 2016.

  1. sepulchral

    sepulchral New Member

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    My mother has an 05 prius with 127000 miles, had modules going bad one after another in her prius battery so she had the repair-person install a $1400 DORMAN remanufactured battery pack.

    It drove fine for two days, then one day it showed the red triangle on the dash and would not start even with a 12V battery jump.

    The car DID start hwoever when I disconnected battery leads and reconnected them - almost like I was resetting the computers.

    The issue persisted until we had the 12V battery replaced with a 400CCA brand new battery. That lasted for a day and the issue came back.

    So my mom can make one, one-way trip somewhere - and after shutting off car - it will not start unless you do a hard battery reset. All the while it shows the red triangle - and when tested at our local O'reillys, reveals zero codes.

    This morning, on her way to work, the car did the same thing, threw the red triangle and now is showing a red-car on her touchscreen display.

    Is it a bad inverter cooler pump, or a bad computer, HELP! 20160705_061835.jpg
     
  2. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

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    welcome! no way of knowing until she gets the codes read. could be a bad doorman, it happens often enough.
    you can check the inverter pump by making the car ready and removing the reservoir cap to see if the fluid is swirling.
     
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  3. strawbrad

    strawbrad http://minnesotahybridbatteries.com

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    A high voltage leak will cause this behavior.

    Most likely the leak is coming from the just installed battery. Other common leak sources are the AC compressor and the transmission.

    O'reillys generic code reader can not capture all the Prius codes. The high voltage leak code is P0AA6. There are sub or detail codes that go with the main code. The sub codes will help pinpoint the source of the leak.

    You need to have the codes read with a proper scanner. Most members here use a MIni VCI cable that sell on ebay or Amazon for less than $25.

    Brad
     
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  4. gmcneil05

    gmcneil05 Member

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    The normal scanners that the auto parts stores have cannot read all of the ECU's that a Prius has. If there is lights on there IS a code. Without that code there isn't much we can do. Unless you can find someone local with Techstream on a computer the only other option would be the dealer. I will say that I experienced the same issue twice with my dads 05 and with another 05. My dads was caused by a leaking module in the HV battery and the second one was caused by a voltage leak detected in the transmission. But like I said the only way to tell is if you have the codes, and if it is a HV leak code there will be a secondary code that will tell you where it is coming from.
     
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  5. sepulchral

    sepulchral New Member

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    your guys response time is awesome... I am on heavy equipment forums and have to wait weeks for responses. Can somone explain what a high voltage leak is?? Is this a parasitic drain?
     
  6. sepulchral

    sepulchral New Member

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    What did he have to do about the leak in the transmission? I called Dorman and they told me to go through this checklist to "prove" their battery is bad...

    IMG_1619.jpg
     
  7. strawbrad

    strawbrad http://minnesotahybridbatteries.com

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    The P3009 and P0AA6 codes are the same thing. The P3009 was used for the Gen I Prius and it is listed in my 2004 Gen II repair manual. After that they used the P0AA6.

    The high voltage is isolated from the rest of the car. Unlike the 12 volt system the body is NOT used for ground. A HV leak means there is a path to ground. A battery that has leaked electrolyte can provide this path. The AC compressor has a high voltage motor inside. Using the wrong conventional PAG oil can cause a HV path to ground. The correct ND11 oil is non conductive. The electric motors inside the transmission can burn off their insulation and then leak to ground. This is not common.

    Here is a you tube video showing Dorman's test. The problem is your car is taking too long to produce the code. You might have to wait until the code pops up quicker. The Sub codes will show where the leak is coming from.



    Brad
     
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  8. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

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    this is one of the problems with dorman. you have to go back to your installer. if he does not have tech stream diagnostic, the burden falls on you.
     
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  9. sepulchral

    sepulchral New Member

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    I watched the video.. without the scanner, how do i check the Gen 2 prius (which does not have a turn key to ACCESSORY/ON position) for a leaky HV battery fault?

    Do i Not hold the brake pedal when I press the ON button?
     
  10. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

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    correct.
     
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  11. sepulchral

    sepulchral New Member

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    So my mom did the test, it showed the code at the second test, with the car in Neutral and "READY MODE" .....
     
  12. strawbrad

    strawbrad http://minnesotahybridbatteries.com

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    Try the test two or three more times. Give it lots of time in ign on Ready off. You want to be able to reproduce the results consistently. The transmission has been ruled out. That is good because you have avoided the most expensive repair. With ready on in neutral power was not being sent to the transmission so the leak had to be somewhere before the transmission. That leaves the battery, inverter, wiring, and AC compressor.

    The simple test for the AC compressor is to unplug it. There is an orange (high voltage) cable from the inverter to the compressor. To access the plug remove the black plastic shroud over the radiator. Have the car off and wear gloves while unplugging the compressor. Tape up the cable ends. If the code resets with the AC compressor line disconnected then the AC is not the source of the leak.

    Get the codes read! This is like working with your eyes closed.

    Brad
     
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  13. sepulchral

    sepulchral New Member

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    Okay guys so this is weird. My mom immediately drove her car to Toyota dealership and a scan revealed no codes. The toyota service tech said he thinks it might be related to a courtesy switch on a door...... whenever the door is open when car is running the red triangle would come up..... How would that prevent the car from starting!?

    They scanned the car with handheld and a computer.

    None of this crap makes any sense
     
    #13 sepulchral, Jul 6, 2016
    Last edited: Jul 6, 2016
  14. strawbrad

    strawbrad http://minnesotahybridbatteries.com

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    My Gen I had the P3009 code. I cleared the code to start the test. That was two years ago and the code has not yet come back. Weird stuff happens.

    If you have the drivers door open with the car in drive the dash will light up with every light possible and dire warnings of impending doom. It says everything except "Shut your door dummy".

    A MIni VCI cable ($25) and an old XP laptop is a good investment. Then you can read the codes when they happen.

    Brad
     
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  15. wrprice

    wrprice Active Member

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    Nitpicky, but the picture of the MFD in the OP is not an '05. It's an '06 or newer since it has the higher resolution UI style. Sorry about your troubles, but at least the car is newer than you thought?
     
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  16. sepulchral

    sepulchral New Member

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    Thanks - its my mother's car, so I took a guess :)

    Brad and all, the issue returned, her car would not start. I ordered the mini vci cable a few days ago and am still waiting on it.
     
  17. sepulchral

    sepulchral New Member

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    Ok so it threw a code of P0AA6 with a subcode of 526

    Any thoughts
     
  18. Patrick Wong

    Patrick Wong DIY Enthusiast

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    That is a high voltage ground fault. Subside 526 does not narrow down the issue any further than the entire high voltage system.

    Toyota thinks a high voltage ground fault is a safety issue, hence the car doesn't start after the code is logged. As your title shows you have already figured out - you can drive the car by first disconnecting the 12V battery for a minute to clear the logged DTC.
     
  19. strawbrad

    strawbrad http://minnesotahybridbatteries.com

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