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Inverter is bad...Now my car wont start

Discussion in 'Generation 1 Prius Discussion' started by Toyotafreeman, Feb 1, 2010.

  1. Toyotafreeman

    Toyotafreeman New Member

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    My 2003 Toyota prius has a bad inverter and when i go to start it to let it run it wont even come on its like the battery is dead....So I charged the car battery...not the big one....and it still wont start....wont even crank. Any suggestions? How do i clear the codes on the prius without a scanner? Help me please
     
    #1 Toyotafreeman, Feb 1, 2010
  2. adric22

    adric22 Ev and Hybrid Enthusiast

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    How did you come to the conclusion that the inverter is bad?
     
    #2 adric22, Feb 1, 2010
  3. Toyotafreeman

    Toyotafreeman New Member

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    I had took it to the toyota dealership and paid them 40 bucks to diagnose the problem. The code that pops up is p3125
     
    #3 Toyotafreeman, Feb 1, 2010
  4. adric22

    adric22 Ev and Hybrid Enthusiast

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    I'm not sure that code alone is enough to justify an inverter. Of course, if it is an inverter, they can be purchased salvage on ebay for around $600 to $700. So that is cheaper than a traction battery. But I'll wait for some other experts on here to chime in. I don't think inverter failures are all that common unless the coolant system fails on it first.
     
    #4 adric22, Feb 1, 2010
  5. Toyotafreeman

    Toyotafreeman New Member

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    The Inverter pump is working when you flip the switch to start it the fluid looks like it going through the pump. Toyota had this car twice lookin at it and told me for sure it was the inverter but i need it to actually start so i can drive it to a place to get it fixed because i dont want to tow it
     
    #5 Toyotafreeman, Feb 1, 2010
  6. Patrick Wong

    Patrick Wong DIY Enthusiast

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    If you disconnect the 12V battery for several minutes, that should clear most DTC. However if your inverter is bad, then the car may not start anyway.
     
    #6 Patrick Wong, Feb 1, 2010
  7. Toyotafreeman

    Toyotafreeman New Member

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    If my 12v battery is dead how long does it normally take for them to charge? Should i charge it overnight?
     
    #7 Toyotafreeman, Feb 1, 2010
  8. adric22

    adric22 Ev and Hybrid Enthusiast

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    The greatly depends on the charger and how many amps it supplies. I would imagine if the battery were dead the "average" charger would probably need several hours. Some chargers might take all night.
     
    #8 adric22, Feb 1, 2010
  9. Patrick Wong

    Patrick Wong DIY Enthusiast

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    The charging time also depends upon the battery's capacity. If the battery has little remaining capacity, then it won't take much time to charge - but of course it won't perform either.

    If you have the original equipment battery, you'll see a warning label on top of the battery case, to the effect that the charging current should be no more than ~4A. Hence I suggest that owners should use the 2A setting on the charger, and that will usually take all night.
     
    #9 Patrick Wong, Feb 1, 2010
  10. bwilson4web

    bwilson4web BMW i3 and Model 3

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    If the 12 VDC, lead-acid battery has a shorted cell, no amount of charging will make it work. This is why it is important to:

    1) measure the 12 VDC battery voltage
    2) make sure the ground cable and positive terminals are free from corrosion.

    Bob Wilson
     
    #10 bwilson4web, Feb 1, 2010
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