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My Prius is not well :( Check Hybrid System Msg

Discussion in 'Gen 3 Prius Care, Maintenance & Troubleshooting' started by GrumpyCabbie, Apr 16, 2011.

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  1. Flaninacupboard

    Flaninacupboard Senior Member

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    Maybe get yourself a Leaf-style solar panel for the rear spoiler to keep the 12V system topped off?
     
    #61 Flaninacupboard, Apr 21, 2011
  2. GrumpyCabbie

    GrumpyCabbie Senior Member

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    Now if there was a cheap aftermarket option of this I'd buy it.

    Hint hint to anyone out there who does such things - emphasis on the word cheap though ;)
     
    #62 GrumpyCabbie, Apr 21, 2011
  3. Flaninacupboard

    Flaninacupboard Senior Member

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    Cheap enough for you?? :D

    [ame=http://www.amazon.co.uk/Solar-Battery-Charger-ideal-Caravans/dp/B000R0UBT8]Solar Battery Charger - 12v ideal for Cars, Caravans, Tents and Boats: Amazon.co.uk: Sports & Leisure[/ame]
     
    #63 Flaninacupboard, Apr 21, 2011
  4. cit1991

    cit1991 New Member

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    Actually it doesn't. You need a big power resistor and a DVM.
     
    #64 cit1991, Apr 21, 2011
  5. kbeck

    kbeck Active Member

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    I have more digital multimeters coming out of my ears at work than I know what to do with: The cart wasn't one of them. And it wasn't a VOM (or, if I want to get funny, a VTVM) either. If memory holds, they were sometimes advertised as electrical system testers: Dummy loads for the discharge amps, methods to test the generator/alternator, methods to test the regulator, and so on. Some of the leads hanging off these things were quite heavy with monster gator clips on the ends. For all I know a typical one of these things may have had a charger in there, but the main point was to be able to test and diagnose the battery, generator, and charging system so the fella in the garage wouldn't have to waste time guessing what electrical system part was bad. (And, yeah, with this thing they could diagnose a discharged, but otherwise good battery - you can get them if the alternator or regulator fails.)

    KBeck
     
    #65 kbeck, Apr 21, 2011
  6. kbeck

    kbeck Active Member

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    And, if I got this right, a lot of different power resistors. There's a difference between the battery that starts a dump truck and the one that starts a Geo Metro.

    KBeck
     
    #66 kbeck, Apr 21, 2011
  7. donee

    donee New Member

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    We have seen this happen over and over. Trained technicians, who do not have an intuition for electronics.

    Low voltage causes a computer to miscompute. It was a common problem back in the days of the S100 computers. Bump the computer, and it crashes. Because the interconnects had problems. In modern times, the interconnects are good, but the value engineered battery, that sits on a lot for 6 months before the car is sold is going to ware out and make the car throw codes. The regulators need some head room to keep the output stable at the design value. And a momentary load spike (you know Cmos does this), can mometarily drop the voltage. And then an adder circuit just does not add right (due a the digital circuit going into a linear mode inducing a race condition) , or a myriad of other things. Its much simpler to swap in a good battery, and see if the problem goes away.

    The first step in any electronic system repair, is to confirm the power source. Whether its a $25K car, or a $50K Vector Network Analyzer....
     
    #67 donee, Apr 21, 2011
  8. tpfun

    tpfun New Member

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    :thumb:
    Welcome to PC2
    where the true believers
    refuse to believe anything serious
    is wrong with their Priuses.
     
    #68 tpfun, Apr 22, 2011
  9. 2k1Toaster

    2k1Toaster Brand New Prius Batteries

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    Welcome to the real world where a minimum of 4 years of strenuous university study makes you more qualified to work on a computer than a guy with a wrench...
     
    #69 2k1Toaster, Apr 22, 2011
  10. Flaninacupboard

    Flaninacupboard Senior Member

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    Welcome to Tpfun, a moron that can't read. Taxis kill 12V batteries. The OP is a taxi driver. Prii have small, weak 12V batteries. The OP's 12V battery is low (slow windows) and when the car enters Ready (DC converter is on) the 12V system is fine (windows are fast).

    I'd like to know what other problem this could be (really, try and tell me what the failure mode is!), because it sure as hell sounds like a bad 12V battery.
     
    #70 Flaninacupboard, Apr 23, 2011
  11. GrumpyCabbie

    GrumpyCabbie Senior Member

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    Well it goes in next week to get sorted. It's been ok since though, as is always the way! :rolleyes:

    Hmmm, is this a pita? Sure. Does it beat buying a GM product? Oh yes. You couldn't give me a brand new Vauxhall Insignia [ame=http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Opel_Insignia]Opel Insignia - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia[/ame] to use on this job as it just wouldn't be worth the down time or expense. Stylish car, but if its predecessor the Vectra was anything to go by, it will end up costing me twice the value of the car in repairs and down time. :(

    I'd have a Ford though :cool:
     
    #71 GrumpyCabbie, Apr 23, 2011
  12. billnchristy

    billnchristy Active Member

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    This is way over his head, his cars run on 7.2v battery packs:

    [​IMG]
     
    #72 billnchristy, Apr 24, 2011
  13. telmo744

    telmo744 HSD fanatic

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    Three mistakes in the same post!:eek:

    1. It's THEIR PRII. Read more about it, please.
    2. OUR PRII.You don't own one, so beat it.
    3. Morally speaking, you have a distinct nerv! Post something to make you "close" to a technician, when you are a factual/technical troll.:mad:
     
    #73 telmo744, Apr 25, 2011
  14. alfon

    alfon Senior Member

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    What is the warranty period for Toyota in England?

    Here in the State of Oregon, U.S.A. I believe the hybrid system / emissions is under warranty for 150,000 miles.

    al
     
    #74 alfon, Apr 26, 2011
  15. GrumpyCabbie

    GrumpyCabbie Senior Member

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    Originally it was 60k miles normal warranty and 100k miles hybrid

    but then for the gen3/2010 it changed to 60k miles for everything including the hybrid warranty!

    but then 6 months later there was the Toyota recall mess and to try and show confidence in their product Toyota UK increased the warranty to 100k miles for everything! But Toyota wouldn't back date this to existing gen3's/2010's such as mine.

    I'm hoping because the items were designed for US States where a 150k mile warranty is the norm that they should be OK for my car which only has a 60k warranty.

    Oh and to confuse the issue further my dealers have indicated that Toyota, whilst not extending my warranty to 100k, will look exceptionally sympathetically at any warranty claim I make over 60k miles. Will I unofficially be getting the warranty coverage without setting a precedent?

    Clear as mud!?! :eek:
     
    #75 GrumpyCabbie, Apr 26, 2011
  16. 2k1Toaster

    2k1Toaster Brand New Prius Batteries

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    60k miles, or 60k km?

    Anyways, it is only 150k miles in CARB states, and Oregon is one of them. The pollution loving redneck states have the standard 100k miles.
     
    #76 2k1Toaster, Apr 26, 2011
  17. 2maples49

    2maples49 Junior Member

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    Actually it's only 100K miles in Oregon. It's 150K in neighboring California.
     
    #77 2maples49, Apr 26, 2011
  18. 2k1Toaster

    2k1Toaster Brand New Prius Batteries

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    I thought Oregon was a CARB state... Oh well.

    But like I said before, the 150K is only in CARB states. I know California is one of them! :D
     
    #78 2k1Toaster, Apr 26, 2011
  19. sipnfuel

    sipnfuel New Member

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    I'm so glad I have a 150k mile warranty on the battery :p

    Lots of peace of mind with that.
     
    #79 sipnfuel, Apr 26, 2011
  20. GrumpyCabbie

    GrumpyCabbie Senior Member

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    Got the car back from the dealers and they'd replaced the High Voltage Control ECU on the HV battery.

    Apparantly all will now be well with my car, though they did say that one or two other gen3's/2010 Prius have suffered a similar failure in the UK. Not sure if that is relevant or not lol.
     
    #80 GrumpyCabbie, Apr 27, 2011
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