RTOD, no codes, can drive

Hello! After reading many of your posts for the gen 2 prius 06, I was able to diagnose the RTOD and replace the inverter pump, bled the coolant, and got the car to finally turn over. It would turn over but wouldn’t allow me to put the car into drive. The “red problem” on the MFD would be there plus when putting into drive, the MFD would display a message to put the car into park as the transaxle could not charge. Ok put it into park and nothing would happen. After bleeding the coolant and for air bubbles, the car started on its own! But would still not drive without the message on the MFD about not charging the transaxle.

After further research, I found water pooling in the trunk on both sides behind the rear lights. Sealed allll of the possible areas. There’s one area on the left side when the panel is pulled off, there’s a wet spot. My theory after finding videos on YouTube, was the hairline cracks on the outer side of the trunk and the weather strips that meet the hatch area at the top. Standing on a ladder, I’m short, was able to see many hairline cracks that were long. Sealed them with a windshield type of glue used in a YouTube video. Allowed it to dry for 2 hours and pressed the weather strips back down. Be sure to thoroughly clean these areas as well. Additionally, looking down the trunk/hatch/outside areas under the grommets holding the hatch open, spray the hell out of it with fix a seal and the same windshield glass for additional protection. Fixed the problem! Tested in FL rainy season!

Additional research shows the HV fan on the right panel side may be exceptionally dirty or the connector may be corroded. My fan was ehh dirty by my standards but not exceptionally to block the flow to the HV battery. The connectors not corroded. From what I can tell, the relay is not bad either.

As of now, the car starts and drives! Yoda runs like normal, aside from brakes and rotors rubbing against each other now. However, sometimes when starting the car the RTOD is still there but if I put the car into drive and then reverse a little, it goes away and everything is all good. I would love to think there’s nothing else wrong but I’m sure it’s something small that could be big. So it’s like 90% fixed but somethings just not adding up for the RTOD to still show.

I have the Dr prius app and the veepeek obd2. It doesn’t show any battery or engine codes. It passed the full battery test. I did notice the blue ohms at the bottom do not match up all the time. Sometimes they are simply not there, other times some are and some aren’t, or they are all there at 20-25 ohms. The app is not very descriptive but I’m also not a mechanic.

The problem began one day after WFH for a few months and not driving as much as usual and then a week prior being used a lot. The a/c doesn’t really blow as cold as it should. So maybe I can replace the HV fan and the a/c blower motor or use the R1430 (not sure the exact numbers) refrigerant. I can’t hear much from the HV fan when the car is on and working as normal. I know it should be a whisper, but shouldn’t there also be an ability to feel some movement to know it’s working? We can feel air coming from the black duct vents but maybe it’s not enough. It was tested by hooking it up to the 12v battery and it came on blowing HARD.

sorry for the long post but this is as descriptive as possible. I’m going to clean the MAF and TB but outside of that, not sure of the issue. I have video and screenshots of the Prius app if that could help, I’ll post.


Thanks for any response and help!!

 

Also, gas levels tend to fluctuate on the dash but I get the same 300 miles per fill up when I watch the miles, so I was thinking about changing the upstream air fuel ratio. Maybe it’s the fuel pump? How would I know?

 

I had the 12v tested and the battery is fine. What’s a good reader? I’ve bought a few and they aren’t compatible.

 

I will take a picture when the message comes up again

 

I get regular oil changes but when it first happened, I was due for another. I have checked the levels and they were ok but I’ll check it again.

Hello Jerry,

please see the picture. I started the car and put it into drive. The RTOD came on along with the message on the MFD but I went forward and it went away. Everything else is as normal.

 

Ok since I was able to still drive the car and it stayed running when I put it in park. I checked the HV fan and it’s not blowing at all. Could it just be the fan or something electrical? When I hooked the fan up to the 12v battery it worked, so is it really dead or something else?

 

I was about to go to an autozone and see if they could pull the codes just now. As I was sitting at the light to turn, the RTOD and circled ! Came on the dash. I came back home immediately as I knew the car wouldn’t start again to allow me to leave autozone. I was right.
Came back home, turned car off. Turn car back on and it won’t let me drive. There’s no gas when I mash down the gas pedal.
All of the lights are on dash: RTOD, check engine, the circled !, and the BRAKE sign but the emergency brake isn’t on. I’m going to disconnect the 12v eventually and most of those should go away except rtod.

Dr Prius app gave me the code P0AA6. Which is devastating to say the least upon a Google search.

I dont want to go to the dealership and when I called Thomas at Tampa Hybrid he wasn’t very helpful or offering to help either just citing how he doesn’t have a team and won’t make house calls. The car now won’t drive.

 

Yes I found that information while looking at the HometownHybrid video.

I will see if I can get the HV battery assessed. Do you know how much Toyota would charge? Would Toyota cover it under the $120 diagnosis fee, anybody know? Otherwise I’ll just call them probably before this post gets approved. For a car that’s 16 years old and 187k miles and 90+ degree weather majority of the year, the battery more than likely needs to be replaced.

Additionally, the HV fan is not blowing. It was tested hooking up alligator clips red/blk, to the 12v battery terminals and it worked but it’s not blowing while reassembled in the vehicle. Any experience with that? I want to replace the fan anyways due to again age but not if I don’t have to right away.

Does anybody have experience with any of the electrical wires needing replacing overtime?

 

Thanks for your help so far. I’ll come back and update!

 

I’ve called Tampa Hybrid and the owner kept repeating that he didn’t have a team, doesn’t make house-calls, etc. It seemed he really didn’t want the work!