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New issue just happened on my 2014 prius

Discussion in 'Gen 3 Prius Technical Discussion' started by Caowens, Aug 20, 2022.

  1. Caowens

    Caowens New Member

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    Basically i was driving home jn traffic and i felt this really weird shake/vibration. Almost like i was stalling out a manual transmission car at a stop sign. Thought it was strange, kept driving and just paid attention to what was happening. Long story short, im able to recreate the results if the battery is low, 2 or 3 bars, and i accelerate from 5mph or less at a very slow speed. It goes away if i hit the gas. A different thread i saw said it might be the battery, i have noticed that it depletes quickly in traffic or at stop signs. Any ideas? 2014 Prius with 120k. I get a general inspection from a trustworthy shop every time they change my oil and have said previously that everything looks great with it. They havent tested the battery though.
     
  2. JC91006

    JC91006 Senior Member

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    Just drive it and hope the battery dies on you. You’re covered under warranty under 150k miles or 10 years
     
    15persona likes this.
  3. ForestBeekeeper

    ForestBeekeeper Active Member

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    I generally trust the service department at my local Toyota dealership. But, ...

    They will do a safety inspection, change the oil and filters, rotate tires and check codes.

    If there are no codes, that is the limit to what they can do.

    On the other hand, I have a local mechanic that I trust a lot more. He can do all of that stuff, and so long as there are no codes, he is done.

    Until there is a problem that I can demonstrate to a mechanic, or a code, there is nothing any of them can do.
     
  4. rjparker

    rjparker Tu Humilde Sirviente

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    Possible head gasket. Any cold start rattles?
     
  5. Tombukt2

    Tombukt2 Senior Member

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    You need to rule out the head gasket pronto because right after that comes a hole in your block mid block whatever. So you want to get that ruled out ASAP if you're just at home and diddling around pull out the plugs and pay attention to number two especially we're looking for the smell of antifreeze it is very distinct well to mechanics it is anyway. You want to get this diagnosis ruled in or out ASAP because that will determine what all this is going to cost you early if you mess around and deck the head and grind the valve get a bunch of machine work done get all that back together and then your number two rod snaps you've just spent $3,000 for a boat anchor. Open deck engines are not to be played with if you're going to mess with one of these you're going to break it all down deck everything the center girdle and all of it and I mean it all of it we're going to have five grand in the mess or it's going to be sitting out in your yard with a hole in it or something similar so you want to handle that quick so you can keep spending to a minimum.
     
  6. rjparker

    rjparker Tu Humilde Sirviente

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    Edited version of above:

    "You want to get this diagnosis ruled in or out ASAP because that will determine what all this is going to cost you early.... if you mess around and deck the head and grind the valves [and] get a bunch of machine work done ... and then your number two rod snaps you've just spent $3,000 for a boat anchor."

    "Open deck engines are not to be played with .... you're going to break it all down ... all of it and I mean it all of it .... going to have five grand
    in the mess or it's going to be sitting out in your yard with a hole in it .... so you want to handle that quick so you can keep [the] spend to a minimum"


    You scared me!
     
    #6 rjparker, Aug 20, 2022
    Last edited: Aug 20, 2022
  7. Tombukt2

    Tombukt2 Senior Member

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    From what I see there've been a couple exactly like that here it seems like the z open deck is prone to this I don't know I would like to think not but it happened to me happened to another guy that just posted here the other day and a few others so it seems to be not so rare I realized it us three on this list out of a million of these cars doesn't really equal squat but I do see a lot of these cars in the junkyards and engines seem to be somewhat of an issue as well as wrecks.
     
  8. nicoj36

    nicoj36 Active Member

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    A clogged engine air filter can cause that vibration/hesitation you're experiencing
     
  9. Caowens

    Caowens New Member

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    no, nothing, this is the first day ive ever had any issues with it. Starts fine, no rattles no noise.
     
  10. Caowens

    Caowens New Member

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    Ill check it out in the morning, but i did replace it 800 miles ago


    After i bought it my mechanic friend who owns the shop i go to told me that the gen 3 can have a head gasket issue. He said its not with every car, but it does happen. Could be im just one of the unlucky bunch.

    Ill take it to my mechanic friend who owns the shop and ask him to check, for now at least, ill check my fluids and make sure nothing looks like a milkshake. Thank you!
     
    #10 Caowens, Aug 21, 2022
    Last edited by a moderator: Aug 22, 2022
  11. Tombukt2

    Tombukt2 Senior Member

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    It's highly likely it's very common in this engine and then people go to try and fixing it and then find out it's way more to fix after they've spent three grand getting started then a rod breaks and demolishes that whole project with a new engine needed and you can save yourself that trouble if you have a head gasket and you've got $190,000 plus miles for me it would be over 130 I would just replace the open deck assembly there are too many out there around with low mileage to get where you get them from and how you acquire them maybe an issue but it's not an engine that you want to spend time with rebuilding unless you want to spend $5,000 a plus dollars I think the Camry A motor is very similar you see nice Camrys all over the country needing complete engines they're everywhere two models ago I think it was
     
  12. Caowens

    Caowens New Member

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    Luckily the cars still under an extended warrantee i had to get to purchase the vehicle. Turns out it is definetely the head gasket
     
  13. Eddie25

    Eddie25 Active Member

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    When you are hitting the gas at a very slow speed from 5mph are you staying in EV mode? If so, then to me it seems unlikely to be a head gasket which I assume only shows symptoms when the engine is running. Just a thought.