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Prius won't start...ready sign never turns on

Discussion in 'Gen 3 Prius Care, Maintenance & Troubleshooting' started by larryt1026, Jul 31, 2013.

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  1. larryt1026

    larryt1026 Junior Member

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    Hello,

    So I have posted this before I believe in my first thread about how I purchased my first Prius. But my Prius is having the same issues again so I figured I would post it here.

    This is probably the 4th time this has happened, but when I first get into the car this morning, and try to start it (firmly pressed brakes down, waited a second, and pressed the start button), all of the Prius electronics would fire up but the Ready sign would not turn on. Also, with the foot still on the brake, the LED light on the power button is green. When I take the foot off of the brake it's red/orange. With my foot on the brake, I tried to press the start button again but nothing. So I took foot off the brake, hit the start button to turn off the vehicle. Went through this about 2 more times before the car finally started with the Ready sign lit up. Wth? Thanks!
     
    #1 larryt1026, Jul 31, 2013
  2. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

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    when you step on the brake, do your brake lights come on?
     
    #2 bisco, Jul 31, 2013
  3. larryt1026

    larryt1026 Junior Member

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    I believe so. I do not physically see the light turning on..but I am assuming it does because the LED light on the START button changes colors from red/amber to green when I hit the brakes. So it should be registering. I am thinking battery. This is a 2011 with 5k miles and was previously owned by an elderly lady. I gut tells me this car might have sat a lot. Am I still under battery warranty? I jsut hate going to the dealers...they can never "duplicate" the problem and when they can't they won't fix under warranty.
     
    #3 larryt1026, Jul 31, 2013
  4. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

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    i don't know what the 12v warranty is. hopefully prorated five years or something.
     
    #4 bisco, Jul 31, 2013
  5. vincent1449p

    vincent1449p Active Member

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    Hi larryt1026,

    Your symptom seems to indicate a malfunction in the stop light switch or a weak 12V. If it happened again and you are unable to get into READY after many tries, you can try the emergency hybrid control system start procedure:
    Code:
    (1) Push the P position switch.
(2) Parking brake pedal is depressed.
(3) Turn the power switch from off to on (ACC).
(4) Brake pedal is depressed.
(5) Press and hold the power switch for 15 seconds or more.
    If this works, the stop light switch need to be checked. Otherwise, you can try to jump start it to see if it is the Aux. battery.

    Vincent
     
    #5 vincent1449p, Jul 31, 2013
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  6. larryt1026

    larryt1026 Junior Member

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    thanks Vincent! But whats a stop light switch?
     
    #6 larryt1026, Jul 31, 2013
  7. vincent1449p

    vincent1449p Active Member

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    It is an On/Off switch to let the power management control ECU know that the driver has depressed the brake pedal. It also turns on the rear brake light and signal to the power management control ECU to disengage cruise control if it is on.

    If the power management control ECU did not receive this signal, system will not go into READY even if the power switch is pressed while the brake pedal is depressed and park (P) is selected.

    Vincent
     
    #7 vincent1449p, Jul 31, 2013
  8. larryt1026

    larryt1026 Junior Member

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    hi Vincent I thought about what you said but never had a chance to test it however if the power button led light is changing colors when I depress the brakes wont that mean the stop light switch is working? when it is stuck in the mode where everything is turned on..the led color changes from green to red when I let go of the brakes.

    so it happened again and I was stuck at a bonos parking lot for 10 minutes lol. one thing I would like to point out is that in this state when I depress the brakes...my nav/radio seems to restart and go back to the toyota splash screen..if that is any indication of what the issue is. I also called and ask dealer...they said it.may be key fob battery dying...but that doesn't make sense lol
     
    #8 larryt1026, Aug 1, 2013
  9. Former Member 68813

    Former Member 68813 Senior Member

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    Why don't you check the 12V battery?

    Probably the battery went flat on the previous owner a few times and she sold the car.
     
    #9 Former Member 68813, Aug 1, 2013
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  10. larryt1026

    larryt1026 Junior Member

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    you're right I probably need to. I'll bring it to the dealership tomorrow
     
    #10 larryt1026, Aug 1, 2013
  11. KyleT

    KyleT Junior Member

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    I experienced the same thing a few days ago and my Prius is only 4 month old! Mine happened a little different than yours. I moved my car from my garage to the street and turned it off. I got out of the car and about a few minutes later I got in and tried to start the car but the red triangle light with the exclaimation point on the dashboard flashed... I thought I forgot and did something wrong. I turned the car off and reapplied the brake firmly and pushed the start button again. The car did not start the second time and triangle light on the dashboard flashed again. I redid it the third time and the car start normally. What's going on with Prius, anyone knows?
     
    #11 KyleT, Aug 2, 2013
  12. larryt1026

    larryt1026 Junior Member

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    so more of an update of the same issue...I still have not had a chance to bring it to dealership. But my 12V battery died while I was getting my tint installed. Had to jump it, and the car started great for a week+. The issue started again last night. This time the monitor (the mpg monitor and such) turned on really dim and the navigation didn't even turn on until after a bit. It is looking more and more like I need to replace battery? Hopefully that is it and no other issue...

    KyleT, I believe the triangle is supposed to flash when starting up the car. If it goes away, you should be fine!
     
    #12 larryt1026, Aug 11, 2013
  13. JMD

    JMD 2012 Prius 4 Solar Roof

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    A 2011 Prius with 5 thousand miles is still under the Toyota Bumper to Bumper warranty. You even get free towing to the dealer. Do yourself a favor and let the Dealer solve this issue and put the burden on them and away from yourself
     
    #13 JMD, Aug 11, 2013
  14. larryt1026

    larryt1026 Junior Member

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    thanks! probably what I will try doing. but given my luck dealer will not be able to replicate issue and therefore they won't fix it. always happens to me lol
     
    #14 larryt1026, Aug 11, 2013
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  15. JMD

    JMD 2012 Prius 4 Solar Roof

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    Once the car is running take it for a Long drive over an hour on the highway and let this baby charge itself up
     
    #15 JMD, Aug 11, 2013
  16. ursle

    ursle Gas miser

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    nice person` grass or gas, it ain't free, you need a 12v, get an optima.... or go to the dealer and get an oem, but stop trying to freeload, the battery is ded, the dealer isn't at fault, the dealer is no fool, so move on
     
    #16 ursle, Aug 11, 2013
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  17. JMD

    JMD 2012 Prius 4 Solar Roof

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    The battery replacement is covered under warranty.
     
    #17 JMD, Aug 11, 2013
  18. cwerdna

    cwerdna Senior Member

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    Why did it die while getting the tint installed? Did they leave the car in ACC or ON mode (not READY)? Or, did it just die from sitting?

    Once it's been killed, the 12 volt may never been the same. As for jumping it, well, that only helps you enough to get started. If your drives aren't long enough (or rather, the car isn't left in READY long enough) or you haven't done anything else to charge it, it won't have a very high SoC and will be marginal.

    On Gen 2 Prius, Patrick Wong (aka a repair expert) has suggested leaving the car in READY mode for 8 hours to charge it at 2005 Prius beeps when door is open, then won't start | PriusChat. I recall his later tests w/a lab power supply basically confirmed this, as the Prius (at least on Gen 2) charges the 12 volt VERY slowly via its DC to DC converter.

    How many minutes/day is the car being driven and/or left in READY mode? Are you sitting around in ACC or IG-ON mode for extended periods of time?

    FWIW, I bought TecMate TM-141DUAL OptiMate 4DUAL 0.8Amp Weatherproof Desulfating Charger/Maintainer : Amazon.com : Automotive to keep my 12 volt topped off as I wasn't driving it very far/long each day when I wasn't working. Now I have a Leaf so the Prius sits turned off for many days at a time...
     
    #18 cwerdna, Aug 11, 2013
  19. larryt1026

    larryt1026 Junior Member

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    Thanks for all the great info! I don't drive very far...I live less than a mile away from work. So my car is left on ready mode for about to 5 minutes at a time...that probably also doesn't help. I purchased this car used so I have no clue how this Prius was driven before. But even if I am driving short distances at a time..shouldn't a car be able to handle this? I wonder if the Optima battery will be better equipped for short distance drives. I have read some disturbing things about Optima batteries though.
     
    #19 larryt1026, Aug 13, 2013
  20. 32kcolors

    32kcolors Senior Member

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    That's most likely your problem. I've had to replace the battery in my wife's car way too many times as she works 5 minutes from home. Either live with replacing the 12V battery frequently or use a battery tender.
     
    #20 32kcolors, Aug 13, 2013
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