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Toyota Prius: Problems & Solutions
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I can't help you with the steering issue as the steering and alignment on this car are perfect.
Good luck!
Hope this clarifies what is going on in your car.
Toyota Ken
Six days ago - hot (upper 80-s), using AC, in downtown Baltimore, start and stop driving on my way to the Interstate --- the red emergency light comes on, "take to a Toyota dealership immediately" --- no power, the battery with one level available, enough power intermittently to open and close windows.
Two days later, after a tow and "a computer chip replaced", all seems well.
Ok, so now what!!?? When will it happen again? What caused it? Am I at the mercy of this lovely electronic marvel???? I want an understanding of what happened and what I can do to prevent another occurrence. Thanks for a response.
Since the incident I have found it takes LOTS of battery power to re-charge my cell phone while I'm driving AND a good bit of battery power to keep the air conditioning going. I'm wondering if the Dead On The Road incident has compromised one of the driving batteries because it seems the battery power goes down faster than it used to. (Not that I kept much focus on it most of the time.)
Ken
Could you do us a favor and post this in the "Prius Software Problems" Forum? We are tracking these kinds of problems there.
BTW, there is nothing you can do to minimize the chance of a recurrance. Either the car works or it doesen't. Hopefully you will have no further trouble. I think this may be the 2nd report on these forums of a "chip replacement".
Imagine this scenario....you are paying for your new car every month, wham, you are in a collision, you want your payments to be for a car like you picked out, not for something repaired... so you make the insurance company replace it.
The insurance company simply sells the damaged car to the highest bidder.
sometimes the damage is not very bad. If you are the kind of person who understands collision repair and can see photos of the damage, then by all means buy that repaired salvage title car! The money you save will far outweigh the ordinary repair costs ( that even new cars incur).
I have repaired two Prius Hybrids, both run and drive just fine.
This morning I took my 2002 Prius (purchased used, current mileage 81,760) to a Toyota dealership for oil change, tire rotation, blah blah. I noticed that two bulbs for the brake lights (rear driver top, rear passenger bottom) were out. The mechanic replaced the bulbs but said they still weren't working. So they think there is an open circuit in the car. They said it would cost $286 to trace and repair the open circuit and get the two bulbs working again. (The other bulbs for the brake lights are fine.)
The thing is, I had the rear passenger light shell replaced in March at the same shop. All the bulbs were working then. I also had the hybrid battery resealed in March, per factory recall, at this shop. The Toyota rep said that if the mechanic screwed up the circuit when he replaced the light shell, then it is Toyota's fault and the new repair will be on their dime.
My question: Is there possibly a connection between the hybrid battery and wire circuit? If not, then I'll have to suck it up and pay the bill.
Thanks very much.
I am confused about the chart on the main screen that shows the bars of charged battery. There are 3 colors pink, blue and green. I am sure I read somewhere that green was fully charged, blue was charging and pink is discharged. (I can't find this in the manual now) Anyway the only time I every saw green bars was when I returned from a 100 mile trip (got 54 mph). It is usually blue and the gas engine always seems to be charging the battery. I very rarely only use the electric motor it is almost always gas and charging. Two mornings when I started it the battery bars we low and pink. I am only getting 32 mph in the city. Took it to the dealer and they had it for 2 days and said everything was working perfectly. The service manager told me to drive it in B all the time to charge the battery. The book clearly says do not drive in B all the time.
Any ideas? Am I over reading the guage or do I have a problem?
I was leaving a store parking lot and attempting to start the car-it wouldn't start. All of my warning lights came on (exclamation point/yellow triangle, car battery, check engine lights, brakes, etc...) After four tries, it finally started. I proceeded out of the parking lot down a small grade hill and it seemed as if I was "coasting" into traffic...I managed to coast into a gas station and it stalled. It was driving very differently. I sat for sometime and tried again. The car started after a few more tries but then I stalled at a red light. Finally, I managed to get to my destination but upon leaving (to take it to the dealership) I had an accident...in the driveway. I was doing a 3 point turn...hit the acceleration pedal to move forward (no more than 5 mph) and when I hit the brakes (to back up) it didn't stop. (The car seemed to have continued acceleration and then and didn't stop/stalled until I hit into the garage wall- as if the brakes weren't working.) Thankfully, no one was injured and the car is now at the dealership for repairs. My insurance estimates approx $3100 damage to my vehicle and more for repairs to the house/garage/lost items.
However, the dealership is saying that my vehicle was "low on fuel" and shows no signs of any other problems. I know that couldn't be the problem as I had two bars of gas left when the accident happened. I've read other posts with similar problems but I haven't read a solution to it yet. I plan to get a second opinion at another dealership/different tech but does anyone have any other suggestions? This is not the first time this has happened (all the warning lights coming on for no apparent reason) but this is the first time it's caused me to have an accident. Any insight as to what is happening?
A few years ago there was a whole investigation on a few models of vehicles which had this "problem". One of them were Jeep grand cherokees. They had a fairly large number of complaints of vehicles accelerating rather than slowing down when the owners tried to use the brake.
What they found was that the owners had inadvertantly been putting their foot either on the gas pedal when they thought they had put it on the brake, or they had hit both with most of the pressure going on the gas pedal.
Just a suggestion, but might be a posibility.
Ken
However, I have observed that when I stopped the car, an indicator is always flushing. Is this normal? Is there a way to stop it?
In addition, I understand that I have to charge the battery (by driving the car) at lease once every two weeks. How to avoid the battery from discharging if I have to be out of town for a long period of time, say one or two months?
I will be really appreciated if some one can give me an answer or comments.
S. Sheng
Thanks for responding. I posted this in the "software problems" section as well, and had two other people respond with the same answer.
I am sure that I hit the brake pedal-as hard as I could. Had I hit the accelerator, I believe a lot more damage would have occurred and subsequently hit my daughter and my ex who were in direct path (in the garage.) So no, I don't believe it was an operator error. Not that it makes much of a difference, but I've maintained a clean driving record (not even a speeding/parking ticket.)
I spoke to the service tech just a minute ago, and he's stumped at the data/codes that came up. There were two engine computer codes (p3191 and p3101) and two hybrid computer codes (204 with information code 1 and 205 with information code 0.) All though he did his best to explain what that means, I don't think he knew any more than I did. He said the last two hybrid codes contradicted themselves. He also said there was an ABS brake code but didn't have that info handy. (He had turned the paperwork in to mgt and was telling me off the top of his head.) He thinks it was ABS C1259. I'm going to pick up a copy of that paper work this afternoon and have a tech at Atlanta Toyota to look at it. Thankfully, he didn't reset anything yet. Does this make sense to you? Have you seen this before?
As for the codes you're mentioning, I honestly don't work in the service department, so they're as much greek to me as they are to you. However, bringing it to another dealer to diagnose is probably a good idea.
Ken
As for the flashing indicator, can you describe it? Could it be the seatbelt indicator? More help describing what the light is would help.
Ken
You know, he did mention something else about a throttle (body) valve...and a fuel pump relay something or another. Sorry, but I don't know the terms...I'm such a girl! But I'm definitely going to get that second opinion, and the (current) service tech is polite enough and willing to help me by sending a copy of the records to another Toyota Dealer/tech.
It's never a good experience when something like this happens, but it sure makes it easier when you have good service...and a great place (like this site) to get advice/help! I'm new here and I'll keep reading...so informativel! Thanks again!
I'll inform ya'll of the outcome (in case this happens to someone else...Lord forbid!)
~Laura~
I am sure you thought you were pressing on the brake- or why would you have pressed so hard? But as troubling as it may be to hear this again- chances are you were pressing on the gas. The brake system (of every car) can provide more power to stop than the engine is capable of overcoming.
Shift into neutral. Thanks to the government :mad: for making it impossibly dangerous to turn off the ignition key.
Thank you very much for your prompt reply.
I double checked the manual. It is a "hybrid vehicle immobillizer / Theft deterrent system" indicator light (manual pages 7, 21, and 46.) The manual says "The system is automatically set when the hybrid system is off and driver's door is opened. The indicator light will start flashing to show the system is set." However, for my Prius, the indicator starts flashing as soon as I stop the car without opening the door. This is no big deal. However, I still wnat to get rid of this flashing indicator. Is anything I can do about it?
S. Sheng
Ken
I am about to buy Prius.
Do you think it is a good idea?
I am looking on all problems people mentioned and still the car rated 9,4.
Please advise.
Thanks.
Ken
As noted before, if you can wait until Jan 1, 2006, you can get a large tax credit (estimated at $1600 - $2400 off off your Federal Taxes). If you buy now, negotiate below MSRP using the threat of walking out until January.
I am working with my dealer now to have a factory rep come out, for the good that will do, but I am willing to work with them and assume the best of intentions on their part, for now. However, I will not accept a car that pulls me into other lanes at high speeds and requires constant vigilence and correction above and beyond that which any normal car would require. I have 5,000 miles on my car and drove it once up the eastern coast of the US. It was not fun to have the car swaying into other lanes for hours on end.
I think all of us who are experincing this problem could come together and insist on a resolution. If Toyota does not make me and my family whole on this issue, they have lost a customer for life, and for generations to come. As well as bad publicity amongst my peers and internet associates. I hope they decide to do the right thing.
Please let me know how you are making out in your situation. Hopefully, we can all help one another.
On your first issue, (rapid rate of swtching b/t electric and gas power), I do not have that issue, nor have I ever. I would not buy the notion that that is a "normal" characteristic of the car. Something is wrong.
Best of luck my friend.">link title
Thanks for your help!
Ken
The car energy computer's mpg read out in my Prius is always low compared to actual, as much as 10% low. Have you checked actual mpg?. Example, yesterday I filled the tank - really topped it off. The car computer said 46.1 mpg. Actual, based on fuel added and miles driven was 49.7 (not bad for mostly 75 mph and more at times, with A/C on all the way).
I find it hard to fill the tank, so you should check actual mpg over several tanks.
My Prius goes in every direction except straight. Passing vehicles blow it off course as well do gusty cross winds and road irregularities. Sometimes the rain groves on the freeway make the car feel as if I am driving on ice. I noticed this on my test drive (a different Prius than the one I bought). This condition may be due to the tires or the low rolling resistance wheel alignment. Compared to my other cars I find the Prius takes a lot more attention to maintain direction. The car does not dart much from side to side, but my passengers and I feel the side to side movement anyway. Today I drove one of my other cars on the same 170 mile daily round trip I have been using the Prius on for the last week. The other car drove as if it was on rails, tracking straight no matter what the road surface. Until my OE tires wear out and they are replaced by tires that track better I doubt I will use the Prius for long trips.
Ken
I'm a Prius newbie, having only put about 1000 miles on our 2005 Prius (package 6).
The first couple weeks, we never got above 45 mpg or so. The last two weeks, we've been getting 48-52 mpg regularly. Just got back from a trip from Bloomington, Indiana to Chicago (200 miles one way). mpg average was around 50-52 both going and coming, but with considerable variation. At one point we were under 40 mpg; for a short while, maybe 15 miles or so, we were over 60. As they say, "your mileage may vary"....
It seemed clear to me that we lost 5 mpg or more by cranking the speed up to 65-70 from 55 mph. The highway between Bloomington and Indianapolis mostly has a 55 mph speed limit; both going and coming back, we did 55 mpg or better on this stretch. Between Indy and Chicago the limit is 70 mph, and when we accelerated to stay in pace with traffic, we never did better than 48 or 50 mpg. Wind seemed to be a factor too; and the roads in the northern Indiana/NE Illinois area are pretty awful in places--I'm sure that had an impact too.
Might I suggest that by way of experiment, you find a 20 mile or longer stretch of freshly paved road with a speed limit of not above 50 or 55 mph (so as not to irritate other drivers), and with as few stoplights as possible, and try driving it at 55 mph or lower on a day with little or no wind? If your reading is under 50 mpg, there may be some mechanical issue.
BTW we didn't notice any problems at all with the steering. So far, my wife and I agree that this is one great piece of machinery. I only wish it were AWD....
Also I see a lot of complaints in this forum. I randomly ask people I do not know, who I see driving Priuses, "How do you like your Prius?" So far every one has said , "Great! No problems." Any testimonies like that in here?
Good luck in your search.
Ken
Government Investigation Letter to Toyota on Prius Stalling Problem
"Check out and diagnose circuit for PO3190 and P)3101 codes in memory. Installed fuel tank and circuit opening relay. There were 2 other codes stored in memory that pertains to power steering motor malfunctioning..*may need these parts too* but after I put on the fuel tank and computer, these codes for that are no longer in memory." Parts installed were: 77001-47071 Tank sub-assy,fuel; 90987-02027 relay; 89661-47054 computer, engine Con. Total cost to us $2356.46.
Solve our problem? Only from 2/18/05 to 8/4/05 when problem started again. The dealer wants to charge us fees for checking out this problem. Since the computer has a 1 yr. warranty I'm wondering why we should have to pay. What could be our problem??
I took a long trip and after 300+ miles on it I started to hear a very high-pitched sound that is very soft when I step on the brake. I think it also happens
when I accelerate from stop. Has anyone notice this? Note: I did hit the
brakes pretty hard once to avoid hitting another car. I've read that on the
Highlander hybrid and Lexus hybrid that a high pitch noise exists but I've not
come across anybody on a prius with this issue.
The tire pressures and difference in tire pressures is determined by testing with design loads by the manufacturer. Higher pressures in the rear tires tend to make cars with certain front to rear weight bias drive more stability. So, check the tire pressures after rotation and at least once a month. If one or more tires is losing more that 2 or 3 pounds per square inch (psi) between your checks, have them checked for slow leaks. A partially inflated tire can explode like on the SUVs or they might just be difficult to safely control.
Remember: Edmunds estimates that gas only costs 600 dollars to 650 dollar a year for this car and the wear, taxes, insurance, maintenance and finance charges are another $5000 in years 2 through 5. So, if you used no gas, you would still pay over $5,000 a year to own a Prius.
Thanks very much.
Don