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PLZ HELP: 2006 Prius won't start...goes to NEUTRAL

Discussion in 'Gen 2 Prius Main Forum' started by svldvc, Sep 23, 2010.

  1. svldvc

    svldvc Member

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    Hi guys.

    I'm new here and (yes I've searched the forum & still haven't resolved my problem).

    I bought a 2006 Prius that was lightly hit in the front (both airbags deployed *driver & pass*) My very 1st Prius. (so I'm a Prius-N00b)

    I only had to replace the radiator/condensor.
    Engine & batt & tranny are untouched.
    Car ignition lights come on and my HV battery has like 4 bars.
    My battery in the rear is all charged and good.

    I tried starting the car, but it wont start, and when I switch gears to D or R....it only goes to NEUTRAL. :confused: ????

    Ohh yeah...and my gas level PIP is flashing on the last bar....I filled the car up with 5.5 gals of 93 octane fuel. Ignition on...and fuel bars started going up.

    But once I disconnected my battery and reconnected it back up in 10 mins....the fuel guage does not detect the extra gas that I put in and the PIP is flashing on the LAST bar again... :confused: ???

    Can you (knowledgeable) guys help me to get my Prius started and running PLEASE!?! :(

    All suggestions and help will be appreciate it. :cheer2:
     
  2. qbee42

    qbee42 My other car is a boat

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    The fuel gauge can take time to reset after a power disconnect. It may pick up the fuel after a bit, or it may wait until you add another three gallons.

    As for shifting, are your brake lights coming on when you press the brake? The ECU needs to see a brake application before it will shift, and it uses the brake light switch for this.

    Tom
     
  3. Patrick Wong

    Patrick Wong DIY Enthusiast

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    1. If the Prius is not READY, then it can only be shifted between P and N. Don't bother trying to select another gear.

    2. If both airbags deployed then the hit was not very "light". I suggest that you carefully inspect the transaxle, engine and inverter, as well as the wiring harness. If there is any damage to any sensor or the wiring harness, it must be repaired.

    3. Each time the 12V battery is disconnected the fuel gauge will lose its memory of the existing fuel level.

    4. 87 octane is the correct fuel to be used, there is no benefit from using a premium grade and it may hurt, in terms of provoking no-start situations.

    5. Press hard on the brake pedal when trying to start the Prius by depressing the POWER button. Good luck.
     
  4. svldvc

    svldvc Member

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    what do you mean by "NOT READY"?
    What do I have to do to make it READY.??

    What else do I have to replace to make it "READY" besides the both airbags?? Where is the MAIN airbag ECU located?

    I've fixed everything besides airbags.
     
  5. Patrick Wong

    Patrick Wong DIY Enthusiast

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    There is a status light named "READY" within the combination meter (where the speedometer, odometer, fuel gauge and misc warning lights are located.) If you don't see that light appear, then the car cannot be driven or shifted into gears other than P and N.

    Yes, the big question is why the car will not become READY. Assuming that you are fully depressing the brake pedal as you press the POWER button (did you check to see if the brake lights light up as the pedal is pressed?) then the car still has a serious problem. I don't know what you have to replace to make the car READY. It is likely there remains some accident damage that has not yet become apparent to you.

    The SRS ECU is hiding behind the lower center finish panel (under the instrument panel) and an air duct. I suggest that you subscribe to techinfo.toyota.com so that you can obtain repair manual info. I doubt that the unrepaired SRS system is preventing the car from becoming READY - unless the passenger airbag deployment damaged the nearby wiring harness. The engine ECU and hybrid vehicle ECU are installed to the right of the lower glove box opening.

    Have you checked all fuses (in the main relay/fuse box near the inverter and in the fuse box under the instrument panel) to ensure they are good? I suggest that you remove one at a time and use an ohmmeter to verify continuity, do not rely upon a visual inspection.

    While you are in the relay/fuse boxes, I suggest that you look around to see if any relays are missing. Also check the relay box mounted to the cowl over the engine. What if someone needed a replacement relay and a salvage yard person had the bright idea to pull the relay from the car that you eventually bought.

    How about the orange interlock switch located to the left of the traction battery case? Was that disturbed? When you install that interlock, you need to first pivot the lever 90 degrees. Then the lever must be slid to lock it in place.
     
  6. brownsnoutuk

    brownsnoutuk Active Member

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    Like Patrick said, If both front airbags were deployed it wasnt a light hit.
     
  7. David Beale

    David Beale Senior Member

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    Patrick, doesn't the car turn "engine off" somewhere in the electronics when the airbags are deployed? I thought I read that somewhere. As I recall, that needs to be reset, and I don't remember seeing how to reset it.
     
  8. Patrick Wong

    Patrick Wong DIY Enthusiast

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    Hi David,

    Good point. The driver's side of the inverter has "circuit breaker sensor #1" attached to the outside of the inverter case. That is connected to the hybrid vehicle ECU.

    It's not clear whether that sensor needs to be replaced after an accident. I suppose the OP could measure resistance across the sensor terminals. If it is open (i.e., infinite resistance), then replace it.
     
  9. svldvc

    svldvc Member

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    Hey Patrick.
    Where is the inverter case located? (what does it look like?)

    Also I took apart the WHOLE dash panel to replace the Pass. Side Airbag, and I found on the Driver side, just above the steering wheel, a SILVER square box. Is that the Airbag ECU??
     
  10. hybriddriveguy

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    The airbag ECU is on the floor right in front of the center console. They always need replacement when airbags deploy. Most times the seat belts need to be replaced as well. The airbag system will not normally cause a no-start condition.

    As far as the no start/ not ready, check the two resolver connectors on the front of the transaxle. We have seen quite a few get coolant into the connectors during a collision and cause this condition. Disconnect the connectors and clean them good and make sure they are dry.
    These connections are gold plated and very sensitive to anything that disrupts the signals.
    As always, it would help if we had the trouble codes.
     
  11. Patrick Wong

    Patrick Wong DIY Enthusiast

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    The inverter has a shiny aluminum cover, is squarish, and has a cast-aluminum body. It takes up much of the driver's side of the engine compartment.

    The ECU that you found near the steering wheel is likely the steering ECU.
     
  12. svldvc

    svldvc Member

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    Is that "Circuit breaker sensor" attached to the SIDE of that Silver (Square) Inverter? I saw some sensor with ORANGE sticker color connected to the Inverter...is that the "breaker sensor"??
     
  13. svldvc

    svldvc Member

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    Hi hybriddriveguy,
    I will try to get the codes read sometime this week and I'll post them up.
    And yes, yes, YES...Thank You for pointing me in the right direction about the "resolver connectors". I remember that ONE of my resolver connectors was crushed and I replaced it with a new one...hooked it all up, plugged it in, and put it back into the transaxle.

    I'll go & double check the connectors. Because I think when I pulled the damaged "connector" out of the transaxle I saw a few PINK drops of coolant inside..so I"m guessing you were right about the coolant. But does it damage the connector that stays inside the transaxle?? Do I have to replace it too?? (because to do that I'd have to take apart the whole transmission) :(

    Thanks in advance guys!!
     
  14. Patrick Wong

    Patrick Wong DIY Enthusiast

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    Yes, it is mounted on the side of the inverter closest to the driver's side fender.
     
  15. hybriddriveguy

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    The connector that is bolted to the transaxle is replaceable without taking the transaxle apart. It is connected to a harness inside the case that you can pull out through the connector hole and disconnect and plug into the new connector. Just a word of caution, have your new connector in hand when disconnecting the old unit or you may lose the harness if it falls back through the hole before being snapped to the new connector.
     
  16. svldvc

    svldvc Member

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    Thank you SOOO much for your suggestions.
    i will go ahead and give that a try and replace the whole transaxle connector inside (since I've already replaced the one on the outside). Maybe that will do the trick.. :cheer2:
     
  17. svldvc

    svldvc Member

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    Hi again guys.
    I've checked my Prius taillights and the DO work.
    Also I've borrowed my friend's scanner to scan the OBDII and I got two codes:

    7EB
    7EA


    ANyone knows what these codes mean??
    Please help!!??

    P.S. Also where is the HV Battery ECU located on the car???
     
  18. Patrick Wong

    Patrick Wong DIY Enthusiast

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    Those "codes" are meaningless. You need to use a better OBD-II code reader.

    A DTC has five characters:

    The first is a letter, most often P, C, or B (powertrain, chassis, or body)
    The last four digits are hexadecimal, from 0 - 9 and A - F.

    The traction battery ECU is located within the driver's side of the traction battery case.
     
  19. svldvc

    svldvc Member

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    Thank you guys for your help.
    I've tried "decoding" those codes and searched online, and it seems that those are CAN codes (I think). And they both had to do with the HV Battery in the front.

    So today I completely replaced my HV battery with another one that 100% works, and when I turned the car ON...the computer actually calculated everything (i could hear bunch of clicking and sounding noises throughout the car) AND it read & registered my fuel level (since i had issue with that in past). **I guess my old HV sensor or what I dont know..just didn't read the info. :confused: Even after I added fuel old sensor was still showing gas level at low and flashing last bar...

    But now...a NEW issue. :eek:
    When I went to the Car info screen...it calculated and showed ZERO bars for my Hybrid Battery. (It was COMPLETELY empty)!! :eek:

    • Does that mean I have to replace it?
    • Can you charge them??
    NOTE: Since my "old" sensor prevented the computer to re-calculate the whole car and update and show the NEW info, I guess it was still showing the "old" info. And old info was showing that my battery still had "3 bars" left...I guess that's the old info that got stored before I even got the car. Because I don't know for how long this Prius wasn't running. :confused:

    ***I'm attaching picture of the "OLD" info on my battery that the sensor was showing...***
     

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  20. 2k1Toaster

    2k1Toaster Brand New Prius Batteries

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    Sounds like you turned the car on without pressing the brake pedal. Did it go ready? The MFD should show something if in READY.