NEW (old) Prius - help me get it home!

Welcome, neighbor. Since this is a done deal I'll save the advice/lecture about the car. IMO the most harrowing part of the trip will be through NYC. Although I hate the tolls in this case I'd make an exception and take the Turnpike home. (I take US130 to US1&9 when going into NYC). Take the Car lanes and stay in the right lane. If the traction battery is shot I'm not sure how effective two 12V batteries will be. Sign up for AAA & take the plan that provides unlimited free towing.

You have embarked on a noble quest. Good luck.

 

Hi GW,

What is the greatest distance that you have driven the car so far, during your test drive?

Do you have a digital multimeter available to you? If so, measure the voltage across the installed 12V battery when the Prius is READY. The voltage should be 13.8VDC, which shows that the DC to DC converter within the inverter is doing its job maintaining correct voltage on the 12V bus. If the voltage is much lower than that, then the inverter has failed (which by itself is a 4-digit repair unless you can find and install a salvage unit). This means that 12V power is being provided by the little battery, and the car will stop running once that battery is out of power.

Carefully note the 12V battery polarity and make sure you do not reverse battery polarity when installing/reinstalling the batteries. That is an almost guaranteed way to destroy the inverter.

Since you know that the traction battery (main battery) is "dead", you may notice significant driveability problems assuming that the car will even run. It is really questionable whether you will be able to cover a distance of 100 miles without using a tow service, so have your cellphone and credit card available for that eventuality.

Good luck with your efforts to transport your car to your home.

 

it does appear that this one will need more than a little repair work. I'd begin by towing it home with a front axle dolly. I suppose that the one way rental fees will be less than you'd pay for a roadside tow. Plus, if the inverter/converter is not cooked yet, you don't want to push it closer to the edge by more time in 'limp home mode'

Let's get this phase 1 behind us quickly and then focus on saving the patient. Good luck.

 

get a AAA plus membership. free tow.

 

Although a little pricey, check "U-Haul" as they have small trucks that can tow a full-size, flat trailer, that can carry a car. It is pretty expensive but possibly cheaper than a commerical tow.

Do you have access to a vehicle that has a 2" ball? If you can keep the return drive at under 45 mph and buy a Harbor Freight tow bar:



GOOD LUCK!
Bob Wilson

 

I'm an accountant not an electrical engineer (in Cinnaminson). Take your title, receipt & checkbook to the MVS office in Mt. Holly (next to Staples) during the day as the evening hours were cut. You'll have to pay the sales tax on the purchase price. Here's their website: State of New Jersey - Motor Vehicle Commission and it might be worth calling or visiting them regarding any questions about your particular case. No DMV jokes as you'll be on the road longer than you will be IN the MVC office.

I would suggest contacting Oliver Perry, President of the local EV club. His address & phone number are listed in the 2008 newsletter available through the club's website:
Eastern Electric Vehicle Club

He's a retired HS Physics teacher and is part of the team that built the electric Escort. If you make contact you can mention that I sent you. Never hurts to ask for advice, shop time & help.

Good luck.

 

Hi GW,

What does "RESET ALL SYSTEMS | ROAD TEST OK AT THIS TIME" mean? Was it possible to drive the car?

Please measure the voltage across the 12V battery, both when the car is IG-OFF, and then when it is READY. What voltages do you read?

If the voltage when READY is 13.8V, then the inverter might be OK. Is it possible that the inverter had already been replaced in August?

If it is necessary to replace the inverter, this is not too hard to do. For salvage parts sources, try a Google search. The part number has evolved over time, so you will want a part number which is the same as your existing unit or higher.

Regarding the traction battery and inverter replacement, you really need to obtain and read the Toyota repair documentation, at techinfo.toyota.com

This will help you to correctly and safely perform those repairs. Good luck.

 

it sounds like you need an inverter.. or... a fuse is blown to the one you have? either way, your battery voltage should never drop when the car is on.. dead battery or not (mine dies if i don't drive it for a 24hour period.. the 12v is that dead.. but i still get high voltage when in ready mode from my inverter... which.. i figured i should have damaged by now...)

 

You need to check "F10 FUSABLE LINK BLOCK NO. 1" that connects the inverter/converter output pin "AMD" on pin 1 of connector "B". This should be a "white" wire. This fusable link is located in the fuse assembly on the driver side.

The connector is "I12" and the converter feeds "pin 1". I12 is described as 'gray' and has two rows of eight pins. Pin 1 is closest to the latch side and inline with the key slot that is found on the opposite side of the connector.

Replacing the inverter would be an expensive way to test the fusable link. Past reports have suggested this is not a trivial part to replace.

Let me suggest you first get access to the maintenance manuals. Then we can cite specific sections that apply.

BTW, your battery looks 'weak' but understandable. But if the 12 V converter power is not available, it won't run long.

Bob Wilson

 

The used battery price is good if the battery is functional.

techinfo.toyota.com will have the electrical wiring diagram for your vehicle. I suggest you start by downloading that; much faster and cheaper compared to buying the paper manuals.

I do not know where the fusible links are located within the Classic relay/fuse box next to the inverter. The 2G relay/fuse box contains a 5" long white and clear plastic box where the fusible links are located.

If you can locate the DC to DC converter output terminal that Bob listed (AMD) then you can measure voltage there to see if it is the same as the voltage measured at the 12V battery. You will need to refer to the repair manual to identify connector and pin designations.

If yes then you can assume the fusible link is good. Then I would say the inverter definitely needs to be replaced.

 

What I can't work out is, if the main traction battery is knackered, what is starting the ICE?

 

Regarding techinfo.toyota.com, your access is limited to whatever subscription period you choose. It is not easy to download a repair manual for a particular model year since there are indeed hundreds of .pdf files to contend with. If you pay $10 on a Friday you may have access until Monday as I think the timer is based upon business days. Or if you pay $50 then you will have access for a one-month period, which perhaps may work better for you.

I suggest you download the electrical wiring diagram and the repair manuals for your model year, plus the New Car Features Manual for 2001 plus 2002. The latter will give you theory of operations not found in the repair manuals.

DTC P3000 "Battery Control System Malfunction" - either the traction battery, or the traction battery ECU is bad. However this DTC can also be produced if you were out of fuel.

The steering wheel vibration implies a problem with the electric steering gear, which is another ~$1,000 repair or so if you buy a new part and install yourself. The problem is noisy torque sensors which provide bad signals to the steering gear ECU.

The inverter cooling system is pretty simple: coolant flows through the inverter and transaxle, and is pushed along by an electric pump. Hopefully you will be able to see where the leak is coming from. It is not easy to purge air out of the system, refer to the repair manual for details.

Perhaps you are starting to see how this car may become a very big project with respect to both time and money, hope that you have the funds and time set aside.

I suggest you continue to post your questions within this string for now. Good luck.