VSC warning light

Lisa - Small World. I have a 2007 Prius with EXACTLY THE SAME PROBLEM. I have already replaced the 12V axillary battery and it did not fix my problem.

My VSC warning lamp comes on when the DOME fuse blows (fuse number 39, a 15A fuse under the hood). The radio, dome lights, Navigation system, keyless entry system ALL stop working since they are fed through the same 15A DOME (fuse #39). This problem is driving me nuts. Please let me know know what your dealer finds.

At first the DOME fuse would hold for a while just like yours is doing. Now to blow as soon as I put a new one in. Can't wait to hear what your solution turns out to be.

 

Is the blueconnect some sort of add-on device?

Tom

 

FWIW, my 06 (owned since January 06) has never blown any fuses except when I used an apparently faulty cigarette lighter Y-adapter. I think it was after 2 blown fuses w/that crappy adapter is when I decided to not use it again. I've got other Y adapters that work right.

I have package NL which has everything available at the time except for leather (VSC, nav, side air bags, backup camera, HID lights, fog lights, JBL "premium" stereo, etc.).

 

Lisa - Thanks for the update. I've been driving mine for about a month now with the fuse out. I question whether your dealer knows what they're doing... but they could be correct. The radio speakers are probably somehow wired through the bluetooth. I know my system is interconnected because when I get a phone call the radio speakers automatically switch from music to my phone. The strange thing is that my bluetooth still works even with the fuse out?

Please update us once the problem is resolved. I am guessing I might have a shorted wire in the "pillar" where the wiring runs up to the roof of the car. I just haven't bothered yet to pull it apart. I'm not under warranty but I might take it to the dealer anyway. I suspect it'll be a painful experience at the dealership.

 

I'm reasonably close to you but none of us has come up with anything to come help you check out. Your warrantee marries you to one particular dealer? This may need to be escalated to their zone. The warrantee document should clearly point out whether a rental car is covered and whether or not diagnosis is included. Who ever hear of a dealer that only provides parts but no diagnosis. They want YOU to diagnose it? FirstLight's wiring diagrams indicates considerably less than 25 things on that fuse. I've never known ANY automotive circuit with more than five or six devices connected. The problem is that very few mechanics are comfortable with invisible stuff like electricity. Ask them to change a water pump and they're good to go.

One thing I've done, when hunting for shorts, is to replace the fuse with a light bulb hooked to a dead fuse. Then, when ANYTHING happens that wants to blow the fuse, the light comes on instead. The devices on the circuit don't generally work very well but that isn't the point. This would give an idea, if a certain action was causing the failure. Like opening a door, for instance (that would light the dome light). If I had a thorough idea of what was connected to that fuse, and where such connections were, I would disconnect one device at a time (sometimes by cutting a wire, unfortunately), until the fuse (or light bulb) could be made to be dependable. If I were to guess, I'd suspect the radio system power amplifier. It's a big device, power-wise, and audio equipment is more prone to failure than something as low-current as an add-on blue tooth receiver/transmitter. If I were the mechanic, I'd unplug that amplifier module. I am getting this from where FirstFlight brought us, with his diagram. That's the main thing I see on the dome circuit. Why a "needs to work anytime" item like a dome light would be on a circuit with a "only works with the key on" item like the music system, slightly confuses me. It is probably the "keep alive" circuit for the preset radio stations, which disk is playing, etc. data. I have seen those ALWAYS ON circuits carrying the power amplifier load. I presume that the J19 Junction connector conducts this power circuit over to those 24 other devices?

I have my own unrelated question, guys. I have a nine-speaker JBL CD changer/cassette system and wonder where my last two darn speakers are located. I see the three above the dash board and the four in the doors. Where might the other two be? I didn't see them (or the front door ones, for that matter) on the above referenced wiring diagram. Are they part of a two-way set-up in the front or rear doors?

 

There's two in each rear door, two in each front door, and the center speaker. Each door has a tweeter/mid-range set. At least, that's how it is in my 05.

 

Well that tells me what's in the door, although doesn't the bass come out of the doors? I haven't found any subwoofer anywhere and the system definitely can make bass. If each door has coax setups, that's eight right there, if they're counting each driver, bringing the total to eleven now. I suppose I could just listen to the thing and stop analyzing.

On a related subject, the correct one for this thread actually, it sounds like Lisa's radio may be suspect. If the Bluetooth was actually working though the radio speakers (mine does) loss of the radio would mean loss of the Bluetooth Connect. I personally do not think there is a connection beyond her ceiling mounted system perhaps sending a MUTE command to the radio. She mentioned that it has speakers in the overhead whereas mine uses the left front door speaker. By the way, in just listening to it, I'd be surprised to find a tweeter in there. She (the computer) seems very muffled, as is the receive audio of my phone calls. Again, I'd disconnect that radio from the circuit and install one more new fuse if it was me. By now she has certainly had her new Bluetooth unit installed, since she mentioned it a month ago. Maybe her problems are now fixed?

 

Those are the most frustrating faults of all and a typical troubleshooter doesn't have a clue as to how to go about it. Most mechanics just don't understand that mysterious electrical stuff. It sounds like the dealership really wanted to fix your car and did all they knew to do. "Good will" is when they do something for you that they could have easily justified NOT doing. This clearly is not the drivetrain and I assume your warrantee doesn't cover everything. I'm surprised it covered the bluetooth adapter. On the other hand, if you have a bumper to bumper warrantee, then they're merely doing what they agreed to and telling you they're doing you a favor.

The body damage was unfortunate but, again, it sounds like they did all they could to make it right. Probably an inexperienced mechanic doing what was supposed to be a trivial part swap. I've heard FAR worse dealer experiences. You came out of it with a correctly diagnosed (eventually) and repaired vehicle, and not a simple vehicle at that. I'm glad for you and encourage you to not allow it to stress you, even if you see the need to follow through on a couple of probably legitimate complaints.