Am I out of gas, or is the hybrid battery dead?

Discussion in 'Gen 2 Prius Care, Maintenance and Troubleshooting' started by Roosterleft, Nov 30, 2017.

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  1. Roosterleft

    Roosterleft Junior Member

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    Agh. Backing out of my driveway this morning, every light on the dash lit up including the red ! triangle, and the screen changed to "Problem!" When I tried to shift from Reverse into Drive, nothing would happen when I pressed on the gas pedal. I restarted the car, and tried to move forward with the same result. The on-screen monitor showed the battery at 1 bar. I was able to shift into neutral and push the car into a safe place to park. I know I need gas since "Add fuel" notification happened last time I drove it, however that can be wildly inaccurate so I monitor the mpg for that fillup and how many miles I've driven - should have had about 150miles to go before empty - but who knows, maybe I was idling a lot with the engine lately.

    Does this sound like I need to add gas, or like the hybrid battery is dead? Or something else completely? My thinking was if it was a gas issue, I should've been able to drive at low speeds still.
     
    #1 Roosterleft, Nov 30, 2017
  2. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

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    sounds like the battery. but there is a small possibility that you ran out of gas and made it home on the battery, however unlikely.
    you will need to read the trouble codes to determine. might as well check the 12v first, although that doesn't seem to be the problem.
    one bar is not a good thing. how many miles on her?
     
    #2 bisco, Nov 30, 2017
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  3. Jmack111

    Jmack111 Member

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    3 gal to get it going and hope the main battery will start the car

    Posted via the PriusChat mobile app.
     
    #3 Jmack111, Nov 30, 2017
  4. Roosterleft

    Roosterleft Junior Member

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    It's a 2007 at 95,000. It happened when I started it to leave (not when I got home).
     
    #4 Roosterleft, Nov 30, 2017
  5. fotomoto

    fotomoto Senior Member

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    Getting the trouble codes read will answer your questions. My guess: HV battery has failed; the low number of miles (approx. 9500/yr) doesn't help.

    GOOD LUCK!
     
    #5 fotomoto, Nov 30, 2017
  6. Roosterleft

    Roosterleft Junior Member

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    Well shoot. Finally got 4 gallons of gas in. Still not working! Couldn’t reverse and only coasted slightly further down the hill.
     

    Attached Files:

    #6 Roosterleft, Nov 30, 2017
  7. Jmack111

    Jmack111 Member

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    #7 Jmack111, Nov 30, 2017
  8. Jmack111

    Jmack111 Member

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    #8 Jmack111, Nov 30, 2017
  9. Mendel Leisk

    Mendel Leisk Senior Member

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    Isn't that a thing with second gen: it'll happily run the battery dangerously low if it's gas starved? I believe the solution in those cases was:

    1. Try adding goodly amount of gas (done, no joy).
    2. Have it towed to dealership, they order in special charger, recharge it.

    Seems like a tow to dealership is in your future, whatever's going on. They'll likely check for codes first, figure out what to do.

    I know you don't need this, but: there's really zero upside to running the tank low.
     
    #9 Mendel Leisk, Nov 30, 2017
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  10. Roosterleft

    Roosterleft Junior Member

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    Lesson learned. Two Uber rides and $30 in gas cans later, I’m waiting for a tow truck. The gas meter would flash SO EARLY, like I could only add 4 gallons early, that I’ve gotten used to eyeing my mpg and total miles driven (I reset with each fill up).
     
    #10 Roosterleft, Nov 30, 2017
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  11. Mendel Leisk

    Mendel Leisk Senior Member

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    Bladder tank doesn't help.
     
    #11 Mendel Leisk, Nov 30, 2017
  12. fotomoto

    fotomoto Senior Member

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    deleted.
     
    #12 fotomoto, Nov 30, 2017
  13. fuzzy1

    fuzzy1 Senior Member

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    ... if it filled properly and completely. But even my non-bladder Gen3 tank sometimes shuts off the pump prematurely. Gen2s with bladders were much worse for that (BTDT on a rental), so you can be misled into thinking it has more fuel than it really does.
    Don't discount the possibility that both were essentially empty.
     
    #13 fuzzy1, Nov 30, 2017
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  14. fuzzy1

    fuzzy1 Senior Member

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    I still strongly believe in there being an upside to knowing how low the tank can really go, for emergency purposes. See past stories.

    But I do agree that there is little upside to running it low merely out of convenience or laziness or cheapness. Quite often, two or more separate problems existing at the same time have far greater consequences than the sum total cost of the exact same problems happening separately. Therefore, whenever a problem crops up, get it remedied promptly, so that it doesn't add to a cascade of compounded difficulties when (not if) the next problem arises.

    I do occasionally run my tank low, for testing or practice, but keep such instances deliberate, at times and places of my choosing. Don't practice it when failure will exacerbate already difficult situations.
     
    #14 fuzzy1, Nov 30, 2017
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  15. Roosterleft

    Roosterleft Junior Member

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    Great points. I thought I “knew” my car, and have such a short daily commute that I always wait til the weekend to fill up. Even if this isn’t today’s issue, it would’ve saved me a few hours and dollars not having to troubleshoot that possibility in the first place. I also had never considered that I could have not been getting full fills when I thought the gas meter “early.” Really good point to consider from now on.
     
    #15 Roosterleft, Nov 30, 2017
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  16. Mendel Leisk

    Mendel Leisk Senior Member

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    Hopefully it's just a consequence of low gas, and can be sorted by a charge at dealership. (y)
     
    #16 Mendel Leisk, Nov 30, 2017
  17. Roosterleft

    Roosterleft Junior Member

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    Welp. Damage is in. Need a new hybrid battery and water pump. Was quoted $3500+ tax on battery and $581 on water pump. Yikes.
     
    #17 Roosterleft, Dec 1, 2017
  18. JC91006

    JC91006 Senior Member

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    Good time to call Toyota corporate and ask for a goodwill warranty.

    You may want to just top off the coolant and hold off on the water pump repair. It's usually a very minor leak
     
    #18 JC91006, Dec 1, 2017
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  19. TMR-JWAP

    TMR-JWAP Senior Member

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    Rooster, where are you located? What trouble codes did the dealership say they found?
     
    #19 TMR-JWAP, Dec 1, 2017
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  20. Roosterleft

    Roosterleft Junior Member

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    No, I didn't ask. I'm in Hartford CT.
     
    #20 Roosterleft, Dec 1, 2017
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