Need help? P0015(93)+P0123+P0301+P1693

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Do you have any OBD2 codes worth posting in this thread?

FYI : you're moderated until you've posted 5 times.

 

Where did you look up the codes? If it wasn't the Toyota repair manual for the 2007 Prius, that could be why they don't make sense. A small proportion of DTCs are universal across all cars and brands, but there is a larger subset that is manufacturer specific and a subset of those that are model specific so it will pay for you to make sure you get information about specific codes from the correct source and that they relate specifically to the Gen 2 Prius 2006-2009.

Of the codes you listed in the title, P0015 and P1693 appear to be invalid codes for the Gen 2 Prius. P0123 seems to indicate a fuel delivery issue which could have something to do with the P0301 which indicates misfires in cylinder 1.

Attached is the inspection procedure for diagnosing problems with the throttle position sensor circuit issues of which P0123 is but one.

 

What OBD2 device - app are you using to scan the car?
Most scantools can connect to the engine computer (ECM). Some might connect to a few other computers (ecu's) such as ABS or airbag (SRS).

These tools typically won't tell you what they can't do. Maybe it can only talk to the ECM, and if that's ok it reports "no codes found", even though 5 other ecu's do have codes.

Few are capable enough to scan the 15-16 ecu's on a Gen2 Prius. I only trust a scantool that reports whether each individual ecu does or does not have codes.

 

If the car has multiple warning lights and won't start the engine or go ready, then there should be codes in the hybrid control ecu.

Here's a thread that reviews several scantool apps and OBD devices.
https://priuschat.com/index.php?posts/3290690

Posted via the PriusChat mobile app.

 

So did you enter 2008 Prius specifically into your code reader or did you just select Toyota? I'm very interested to know how your scan tool reported P0015 and P1693 when these are not valid codes for a Gen 2 Prius.

P0012 seems to be the correct code for Gen 2 Prius. Notably, it refers to Camshaft Position "A" - Timing Over- Retarded (Bank 1), not "B" like the P0015 does.

I can't find P1693 that relates to Gen 2 Prius, although I can find it for other Toyota models.

While you can put 2008 Gen 2 Prius in the search box, it does not mean that what turns up will be bona fide Gen 2 info. You need to cross-check what you get to see if it is relevant otherwise you will end up chasing your tail.

The best source of info is the repair manual. Search Prius Chat for "Prius Repair Manual or "PRIUS Electrical Wiring Diagram" that might turn up something.

OBD-II is not magic, you will still need your old-school skills to fix modern cars. OBD-II just gives you additional help and info to get there quicker - as long as you understand how the system hangs together.

This is a bit of a mish-mash of a post, I hope it helps.

 

When dolj described the code as 'invalid', that was specifically for a Prius. Sometimes you can find a description of the same code for some other car, even some other Toyota. Because P1693 is a P1 code, and all of those are "manufacturer defined", two manufacturers can use the same code to mean completely different things, and even one manufacturer can use it to mean different things in different models.



So, when you are searching online, gathering information from more sources, sometimes you just need to gather information from a few more sources as a check on whether what you have gathered applies to the car.

As an example, you can see in the P1693 description you found, the part I colored red, about there being an oil pressure switch for the VVTL control. You might then look around for whether a Prius has VVTL (it has VVT—variable valve timing—but VVTL, which also controls valve lift, is a fancy feature in some other cars), or look in either the parts listings (non-paywalled at parts.toyota.com) or the wiring diagram to find out if there is any oil pressure switch having to do with the valve timing stuff. That then quickly clears up whether this code description can apply to this car.

Here's an easier call ... I've only recently started seeing folks here post videos they have found from this "nonda" channel. I haven't watched this one just now (because I'll never get the time back I spent watching some earlier ones), and they seem to be getting widely shared because of their video/production quality, which is very slick and nice looking. But as for what usable information they give you to help understand a problem, it seems to be all about the appearance of being informative; the channel seems to be some kind of internet content mill, cranking out slick-looking videos that will snag clicks from people who are hoping to find real info about their car problem (and could probably find it, someplace else). At least, that's the warning I would give about that particular channel, based on what other videos I've watched there.

It's kind of a shame, that somehow between their slick video production and their SEO, they keep getting found by people who would probably be finding more useful sources otherwise.

 

Never heard of, and can't find DTCs P0015(93)+P1693. Curious what the (93) part means, as all subcodes (if present) are 3 digits.

Here is the workup for DTC P0123 : https://share.qclt.com/%E4%B8%B0%E7%94%B0%E6%99%AE%E7%91%9E%E6%96%AF%E5%8E%9F%E5%8E%82%E8%8B%B1%E6%96%87%E6%89%8B%E5%86%8Cpdf%E6%A0%BC%E5%BC%8F/Repair%20Manual/04pruisr/05/2054m/cip0120.pdf

Here is the workup for DTC P0301 : https://share.qclt.com/%E4%B8%B0%E7%94%B0%E6%99%AE%E7%91%9E%E6%96%AF%E5%8E%9F%E5%8E%82%E8%8B%B1%E6%96%87%E6%89%8B%E5%86%8Cpdf%E6%A0%BC%E5%BC%8F/Repair%20Manual/04pruisr/05/2054m/cip0300.pdf

Please double check for typos, or rerun the test with a different app or scanner, then post the results in this thread.

 

A couple of things I was going to comment on in my earlier post but missed are:

You are mistaken, the ECM is the Engine Control Module and is responsible for managing and controlling the gasoline engine. The ECU (electronic control unit) that does the same for the battery is simply called the battery ECU (seeing as the 12 V battery does not have an ECU so, no need to differentiate). The HV (hybrid vehicle) Control ECU is another separate ECU that is like the orchestra conductor for all the ECUs. There are another 9 - 11 ECU in the Gen 2 Prius, so you need a scanner that will talk to all of them to pull all codes. It would seem your scanner app is deficient. (See this thread: Gen2 OBD2 app review for a rundown of some scan tools)

That is how it is done. You connect your scanner tool to the OBD-II port (called the DLC3 (data link connector ver 3) by Toyota) and the scan tool (if good enough) will talk to all the ECUs and ask them how things are (when you do a health check type of function). A capable tool can also do many other things like look at freeze frame data, live data, activate diagnostic and routines (like brake bleed), and set custom parameters.

It will clear some codes, but not all. Some codes have to be manually cleared.

You've lost some codes then.

Clearing codes is not necessarily a bad thing to do but the important thing to do BEFORE clearing any codes is to make a record of them, including any freeze frame data, and date/time of the scan then you can clear any or all codes. That way, if you have a question about the previous state, you can load up the saved data and check out whatever details you need.

 

That is for a 2004 Gen 2, I attached the same in post #3 except it is for 2006 which would be better to use given the OP's car is a 2008. I didn't bother with the P0301 as I feel like the P0123 might be a contributory factor in the P0301, so I'd fix the P0123 first then rescan for codes after the test drive.

 

Sometimes a code shows up again after having the battery disconnected because it is kept in nonvolatile storage and doesn't get cleared (though those nonvolatile current codes are rare, C1451 might be the only one I know about). Other times, the code was cleared by disconnecting the battery, but on reconnecting the power, the ECU saw the problem again, and set the code again. For some problems and codes, it can take weeks for the ECU to pick up on the problem again, but for others, it can happen so fast you think it didn't get cleared.