P3000 & C1310 codes -- troubleshoot sequence?

P3000, if I remember right, is kind of a catch-all code in the HV control ECU for a bunch of different conditions, and will have an associated 3-digit INF code that you really need in order to know what it's going on about.

Here is a thread about scan tool options that will be able to read the INF code:

Gen2 OBD2 app review | PriusChat

The C1310 you don't need to worry about. That's the brake/skid ECU saying it knows there's a code from the HV control ECU (i.e. the P3000 you already know about).

The P3000 in the HV control ECU might (or, again, might not) be set because of some other code set in the battery ECU, and sometimes people get codes using scan tools that can't communicate with all the ECUs in the car, so might be reporting the code in the HV control ECU but not reporting a code in the battery ECU even though one might be present.

A scan tool recommended in the thread linked above (for showing INF codes) should also be able to talk to all the car's ECUs and so not miss any codes.

I would not try too hard to guess at what the problem might be, before getting the rest of the information the car wants you to have about it.

 

You've taken wonderful care of your car and you deserve to keep it on the road at a reasonable price!

Your mechanic is predicting the upper end of the repair cost because they likely don't spend enough time working on hyrbid cars to know how easy the fix can sometimes be.

Best case scenario, your P3000 means corrosion from the hybrid battery terminals made its way to battery ECU and is sending bad signals because first pins in plug are starting to create micro-shorts/signal noise. I was just working on a battery pack today with this problem and it hasn't even yet thrown the error code, but it will soon had I not cleaned it out. (See pic below)

Do you have a friend or family member, or do you have basic skills working on cars? Cause all us folks at Priuschat can walk ya'll through any repair and you'll save a fortune.

And if it becomes certain problem is not as easy to fix as described above and will cost more we can walk you through the other options that could go as high as 1/2 the price the mechanic estimated.

In meantime, buy one of these for your glovebox: http://www.ebay.com/itm/265484403768 It only costs $20 and can one day be the difference between waiting for a tow truck and just clearing error codes and driving home. As in this device plugs into socket under dash near steering wheel and allows you to connect phone to car diagnostics via phone apps like Dr. Prius app.

For example, if you used this device to post a screenshot from Dr. Prius app tonight we'd have enough info to confirm that you have the least expensive hybrid battery warning light repair.

 

I don't know about that one offhand, but you might see if it's one of the ones reviewed in that thread I linked. If it's there, the review should tell you.

 

If your car has been sitting for 2 weeks then your problem is the self-discharge nature of NiMH battery chemistry... As in the cells in an OEM battery pack lose their charge when sitting for a long time and cells in older packs tend to self-discharge at different rates so your P3000 is pointing towards a pack that the 14 blocks of cells are no longer all the same voltage.

To fix it you you need to put the pack on a high voltage trickle charger to fully charge and then balance the pack and you'll be good to go. Hybrid Automotive and Maxx Volts sell an overpriced product to do that for you... Or you can build your own for $100: http://www.priuschat.com/threads/build-hybrid-battery-maintenance-gear-for-under-100.224153/ Or at the end of that thread is a link to an option on amazon that is variable power supply and you need to charge the pack at 1/3 of an amp at 250 volts.

You can also see if a shop with equipment to do the job is near you on this map: http://www.hybridautomotive.com/dealer-map/ And that website also has the best instructions for connecting the wires and charging and balancing the pack, as well as best FAQ page to help you understand everything you need to know about getting as much life out of your pack as possible.