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P0A80 code, have current voltage information.

Discussion in 'Gen 2 Prius Technical Discussion' started by Banksy, Mar 8, 2020.

  1. Banksy

    Banksy Active Member

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    This code popped on my way home from work the other night.

    Here are the current voltage levels.

    Car was off, do not know if that matters.


    Also...side note... When I had torque plugged in a alert for the transmission stating "
    There is a problem with the Transmission P Lock mechanism"

    Popped up.

    Here is the voltage information as acquired on torque pro
     

    Attached Files:

  2. davecook89t

    davecook89t Senior Member

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    A snapshot of the voltages of your blocks is not particularly useful. You will want to use Torque Pro's graphing function to track how each block performs as the battery discharges under load. P0A80 is just the catch-all code for HV battery problems. There should be other more specific codes that will tell you which of the blocks is becoming weak or which sensors are showing readings out of normal range. Are you sure your code reader can properly identify all hybrid error messages? Does it have the ELM 327 chip? If you can avail yourself of a Mini VCI cable and Techstream on a laptop, that would be the best choice.

    The message about the Transmission P Lock is unrelated and I am not familiar with it. Possibly that code is not being properly translated by the software or it may be one that is no longer current on your car. Have you ever had a problem getting the car to Ready mode or getting it out of Park?
     
  3. Banksy

    Banksy Active Member

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    I actually googled that transmission error and apparently it is common if the 12v battery is bad. I haven't tested that though.

    As for the car being in ready mode when putting it into gear I have never had an issue. Car has shifted well and that ready light was ways on.

    I don't know the cable you're talking a out or the software. However if you show me where to acquire said items I think I shouldn't have an issue with that.

    Is there a specific OS it needs to run off of? I read some posts about it and thought I saw the mention of XP on there.

    As for my code reader. I actually have two. I have a Bluetooth BAFX3127. do not know if that has the chip you're referring to and I also have a
    Autel MaxiLink ML619



     
  4. Banksy

    Banksy Active Member

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    Also not sure if this helps you too.
     

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  5. davecook89t

    davecook89t Senior Member

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    Ok, you might be right. In any event, making sure your 12V has a good charge is the starting point for any kind of diagnosis. Once it has been determined it has the proper voltage (say 12.5 or more, after resting), you can move to the next step.

    You can select from many different versions of the Mini VCI cable on Amazon, probably all of which come with at least one version of Techstream. The problem is their reliability is all over the map. Be prepared to return any that aren't working for you. I would recommend the one I have, but other people have reported problems with that particular one. Possibly what I have needed it for (so far just to read the tire pressures in the TPMS system to find out which sensor was getting flakey) is a less difficult assignment than others have given it. At least mine connects to the car every time without complaint. (If you get one that can't connect properly, return it immediately). I'm sorry I can't be more definitive about what you should get (unless you want to spend the $480 to get the official Mongoose cable, that is).

    Your BAFX code reader should be fine for working with Torque Pro or Dr. Prius or Hybrid Assistant. I'm not sure about the other one. If you are not seeing any codes other than the P0A80, perhaps your HV battery is having intermittent connection issues, probably due to corrosion on some of the pins on the battery's ECU.
     
  6. davecook89t

    davecook89t Senior Member

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    The $07EB might mean something to someone in this forum. I didn't see any reference to that in the manual.
     
  7. Banksy

    Banksy Active Member

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    I can't get Dr. Prius to connect to it
     
  8. Banksy

    Banksy Active Member

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    By testing the battery under load you mean driving it? I had it on idling and gathered this.

    As for the graphing in torque, don't sure how to do that
     
  9. Banksy

    Banksy Active Member

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    Voltage with car idling
     

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  10. fotomoto

    fotomoto Senior Member

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    Banksy, I've see your other posts. What's the goal here? Reliability or just getting the code resolved? If the former, get a new battery (all new modules), be done with the problem and have a new car in terms of EV functions. If the latter, continue with the wack-a-mole game of fixing the next module that fails, and then the next and the next.... or get a refurb battery (quality varies) and hope it's a good one (the most failures I've seen posted here is 6 Doorman failures).

    I've done two so if you care to read about those, see the link in my sig.

    GOOD LUCK!
     
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  11. Banksy

    Banksy Active Member

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    I'm just trying to figure out what cell is causing this code. Or if indeed the HV battery is the issue.

    That's pretty much it.

    What are the normal voltage rages that each block should display?

    If you can direct me to a thread that had all the information I need I'd gladly stop posting about my problems...

    I know nothing about hybrid systems and that's why forums like this are a thing. So you can learn and fix your issues.

    I spent not a lot of money but a lot of time in this project and want to avoid spending nearly a grand the fix this problem if possible. Whilst learning something in the process.

    Also I didn't mean to lost that to this thread rather than to another posting I made.
     
    #11 Banksy, Mar 9, 2020
    Last edited: Mar 9, 2020
  12. davecook89t

    davecook89t Senior Member

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    Yes, as you are driving it, the battery will cycle continuously from a relatively high state of charge to a lower state of charge and then back again. A weak module will lose its charge more rapidly than the good modules as the battery discharges (as measured by its voltage) and will likely charge more quickly to a higher voltage than the others when it is in the charging part of the cycle. It is important to watch how the module's voltages are moving as the battery cycles, rather than just their values at a given point of time.

    There is a Graphing option at the bottom of the main menu in Torque Pro, but come to think of it, I actually use the Logging function under Realtime Information to develop graphs of my blocks' voltages over time. When you select Realtime Information, as you have done to produce your snapshots, you will see a Gear icon on the bottom left of your screen. Selecting that brings up a menu that includes "Start Logging". Once you've started logging, the app will save a complete set of the data points of the parameters you have chosen to display in Realtime Information (i.e your Block Voltages) every second of elapsed time. I would suggest letting the app log your data points as you are driving down the road for 5 minutes or so. After that, you can select the "Stop Logging" option under the Gear icon. Selecting "Email Logs" under the Gear icon will send a CSV file to an Email address. That file can opened in Excel, and you can use Excel's graphing function, if you like. I usually just eyeball the values in each column and look for abnormal behavior in my blocks' voltages. You can add filters and formulas isolating minimum and maximum voltage values to help you zero in on the blocks that are the most problematic.

    I am attaching a file I got from Torque Pro when I was analyzing our Gen 2's HV battery a few years ago.

    P.S. Note that each block is a pair of modules, only one of which may be failing, but that block will behave abnormally, even if the other module is good.
     

    Attached Files:

  13. Banksy

    Banksy Active Member

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    I think the problem was my 12v battery

    It was under 11volts at the time of these original readings.

    I pulled the battery, charged it and now it's about 13.3 volts.

    Under load I noticed that all these Blocks were Close to each other voltage wise. In the area on average during a five mile drive of 16.8 to 17.1 volts.

    do not know if that's high or not but that's what I noticed.

    I am going to test the alternator tomorrow because this battery is only about four months old.

    Says manufacturer date is 12/19 and I have drove this car about 200 miles since I've owned it. Maybe it's on its way out.
     
  14. jerrymildred

    jerrymildred Senior Member

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    You don't have an alternator. Just put a volt meter on the 12V battery when the car is in ready mode. Doesn't matter if the engine is running or not, just so it's READY. The 12V battery should read roughly 14V give or take a couple tenths of a volt. That'll tell you if the DC/DC converter is working. Failures are extremely rare.

    Are you driving all short trips? With any car, you have to drive it more than a couple miles per drive to keep the 12V charged up.
     
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  15. Banksy

    Banksy Active Member

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    Well that's interesting.

    Generally I drive it to work. Probably about 19 miles. Outside of that probably like less than 10 Mike's per trip.

    I'll be sure to keep an eye on that. I have a voltage read out for the 12v battery on my Bluetooth adapter I use.

    So should I get a new 12v battery just to be safe?
     
  16. jerrymildred

    jerrymildred Senior Member

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    A new 12V won't help unless the present one is bad. If the present one isn't bad, it won't help. There are way cheaper ways to find out if a battery is bad than replacing it. First find out what's wrong, then deal with that. It sounds like you are driving far enough to keep it charged.

    This sure sounds like a possible a low 12V battery to me, so that will take a little research. Then again, there really could be a problem with the P Lock mechanism.

    The P0A80 code sounds like a bad traction battery, but it should have a sub code telling you which module is getting weak. But a low 12V has the potential to cause several codes due to insufficient power for the computers and sensors. One would be the P Lock.

    What I would do is put the 12V on a charger overnight. Take off the charger in the morning and leave the hood open so you don't activate the brake pump opening the driver's door to release the hood latch. Wait about an hour and then make sure the voltage is over about 12.4. I'm not a stickler for having it at 100% all the time. If it's 12.4 volts, everything should work OK. Then see what codes you get. Hopefully, you won't get any codes.

    Others who study up on this stuff more than I do can probably give more details about what might happen at various charge levels on the 12V battery, but this is a good place to start.
     
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