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TSB EG011-03 I think?

Discussion in 'Gen 2 Prius Care, Maintenance and Troubleshooting' started by dphillips, Feb 6, 2008.

  1. dphillips

    dphillips New Member

    Joined:
    Feb 6, 2008
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    Location:
    Columbus, Ohio, USA.
    Vehicle:
    2002 Prius
    I think I have been suffering this for about 30K miles now.

    MY ECU was replaced once due to failure at about 26-28K miles. My gas tank was replaced once at something above 40K (not covered).

    When starting the Prius (the problem never happens when it is driving) either cold or hot (some short time after it had been previously driven) it will give me all the fun lights, I think some call it the "Christmas tree".

    4 restarts will reset everything, except occasionally the Check Engine light.

    This behavior started at around 90K miles so I am boned if it is (was never even offered an extended warranty). Dealer says I gotta pay $1.5K for new computer. Frankly it's Toyota shoddy hardware that has not broken due to wear but was designed wrong. Looks like a bad BIOS in a computer (bad computer analogy) to me.

    The first two times it happened was within 24 hours of a dealership oil change. The 4th or 5th time was in front of a tech who reset the codes and said it was the magic 3 fuel system repair that they can not say will fix it.

    Since 90K miles it always happens after an oil change. I watch them and all they do is put it on a lift, and do an oil change/ rotate tires and basic fluid checks. I don't understand why it triggers after this event every time.

    I notice that just before it lights everything up the engine runs rough for just a moment (feels like missing or just a different idle speed). When the problem happens the engine does not fail to start or cut off when the lights come on.

    After the second time (the first by the time they got it the lights were reset and they said there were no codes stored) I replaced the relay since it was the cheapest of the three and they said the replacement gas tank I got was one that is in the range of the repair for this so I should not need to replace it again (at the time that's what they said).

    Tech now says the diag codes say the fuel system is bad but that I should replace all 3 (for $2.4K) items, but that they do not assure me the issue will be fixed.

    Am I doomed to have this happen until I ditch the Prius or will replacing the ECU really fix it? I don't feel like spending several thousand dollars in repairs if they cant say yes this will fix the problem.

    From reading tech info I could have a bad sensor in the gas tank (less likely I think) but there are at least half a dozen of them involved in monitoring fuel and integrity. It could also be that the engine for whatever reason is idling outside the insanely narrow range the computer likes, I am told this will generate the error as well.
     
  2. tochatihu

    tochatihu Senior Member

    Joined:
    Apr 10, 2004
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    Location:
    Kunming Yunnan China
    Vehicle:
    2001 Prius
    Sounds like you have been around the block on this one! If your ECM is already a 89661–47054, then there is no newer version, AFAIK. Yours might be faulty of course, but this is not something I've heard of.

    If the ECM is implicated, then they are available for less from salvage vehicle dismantlers. Just don't accept a lower part # in the last 2 digits. A pretty easy DIY part to swap.

    Make sure the engine oil is not overfilled (or incorrect too-high viscosity). Clean oil from the intake manifold. Make sure the throttle butterfly is not stuck due to soot accumulation. The throttle actuators (or their position sensors) have been known to fail, but rarely.

    Toyota shops will do a fuel system cleaning if asked, or you could DIY. The BG chemicals are pretty harsh, but I think that's what I'd try. The ones where they warn you to fill up the gas tank immedialtey after cleaning, because the chemicals are so harsh :)

    Maybe have the PCV valve replaced. If the old one does not 'rattle' like new, then it may have contributed to the problem. New mass-flow air sensor? Last resort might be new injectors.

    Most of my thoughts relate to the idea that the TSB EG011-03 parts you have already replaced, are not at fault. Basically a long laundry list. Please keep us posted, and good luck!