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Help! Hybrid System Malfunction indicator & gas engine won't stay on

Discussion in 'Gen 2 Prius Care, Maintenance and Troubleshooting' started by mishk99, Nov 30, 2013.

  1. mishk99

    mishk99 Junior Member

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    I have a 2008 Prius with 106,000+ miles on it. It was running fine till 2 days ago, I didn't start it yesterday and today when i went to start it, I get the Hybrid System Malfunction light, along with check engine, the red triangle and TPMS light. The gas engine tries to start up, then 1 second later makes a grinding noise and turns off.

    I am in Toronto and its cold, but not THAT cold yet. So I am doubtful its temperature related. I checked the fluids and they all seem to be sufficient (engine oil, radiator fluid, power steering fluid). I didn't notice any leaks under the vehicle either.

    I do regular maintenance on my vehicle since I drive it a lot. Over the last 1 yr, this is what I have replaced
    - Water Pump (1 yr ago)
    - TPMS on 1 tire (< 1 yr ago)
    - 12v Battery replacement (< 6 months ago)
    - Radiator flush (< 1 month ago)
    - Oil change (< 1 month ago and every 5000 miles)

    I looked on forums and am scared the hybrid charging system might have gone bust?

    Any advice would be highly appreciated! Right now seems like I just have to get it towed to the dealership on Monday morning :-(.
     
    #1 mishk99, Nov 30, 2013
  2. Patrick Wong

    Patrick Wong DIY Enthusiast

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    Yes, the transaxle or the inverter may have failed and it is reasonable for you to seek Toyota dealer service dept assistance.
     
    #2 Patrick Wong, Dec 1, 2013
  3. mishk99

    mishk99 Junior Member

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    Thanks for response Patrick. Any idea how much each of those takes to fix (approx?)
     
    #3 mishk99, Dec 1, 2013
  4. nh7o

    nh7o Off grid since 1980

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    At the least, get the codes read and list them here for second opinions. There may be some alternatives, such as used parts, that can reduce your repair costs. Some dealerships have better techs than others, and there may be hybrid specialists in the area as well, so get all the infomation possible beforehand.
     
    #4 nh7o, Dec 1, 2013
  5. mishk99

    mishk99 Junior Member

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    I'm actually in a very tight spot right now. I was visiting Toronto from the US for Thanksgiving and my car broke down here. Luckily my workplace is understanding and I won't get into trouble at work since I can't go back for a few days.

    But I can't be stuck here for many days. I need to get the repair done in 2-3 days so I won't have the luxury to look for used parts. Right now my cars KBB trade-in value is about 7K, I really am upset about spending another 5K on repairs, specially since there's a high probability other stuff is going to break down in the next year.

    In any case, if anyone is aware of hybrid repair experts in Toronto, I would appreciate if you can let me know of their contact info!
     
    #5 mishk99, Dec 1, 2013
  6. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

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    maybe fly home and have car shipped? or rental car? don't rush into anything serious if you can help it.
     
    #6 bisco, Dec 1, 2013
  7. mishk99

    mishk99 Junior Member

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    I know there's a lot of knowledgeable people on this forum so I must ask - how does an inverter just blow overnight? I'ts not super cold, and I do all the regular maintenance. I understand its a 106,000 miles but the only reason I didn't get extended warranty or trade-in my car yet is because people say "priuses are built like tanks" and "hybrid system is good to at least 150k miles".

    Sorry not ranting, just very upset :-(
     
    #7 mishk99, Dec 1, 2013
  8. nh7o

    nh7o Off grid since 1980

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    There is no way to really answer with certainty. Certainly over the life of millions of cars, the Prius is statistically very reliable. Inverter failure is very rare, but that means there are always outliers. There is no way to say, since one thing failed, something else is more likely to fail soon. Electronics does not fail in the same way as mechanical systems.

    "What people say"is to be taken with a bag of salt. Everything is always a gamble, and that includes all cars.

    Make no decisions until the codes are read. The way the Prius works, there could be a number of root causes for the same symptoms.
     
    #8 nh7o, Dec 1, 2013
  9. mishk99

    mishk99 Junior Member

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    so i'll probably get the codes from the dealership tomorrow, once I get them is there a reference to check what the codes mean?
     
    #9 mishk99, Dec 1, 2013
  10. Patrick Wong

    Patrick Wong DIY Enthusiast

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    1. techinfo.toyota.com which is a subscription website
    2. Do a Google search for Prius DTC xxxxx and you'll probably be pointed to one or more message strings here on PriusChat
     
    #10 Patrick Wong, Dec 1, 2013
  11. mishk99

    mishk99 Junior Member

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    Alright guys here's the news - you gonna love this one!

    So apparently "rodents" chewed threw my ignition wires and that's why the car wouldn't start! Friggin' rats in Toronto probably found a nice cozy car to keep warm under and decided to feed on the wires too!!

    The dealership charged me 3 hrs labor to fix wires, and 1 hr labor for the diagnostics = 4 hrs labor+parts = $440 bucks.

    They said they took it out for a test drive after the wires were fixed and it was running perfect.

    Thanks to everyone for their support!
     
    #11 mishk99, Dec 2, 2013
  12. ccnp999

    ccnp999 Junior Member

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    could you get the codes by scanning tools first ?
     
    #12 ccnp999, Dec 2, 2013
  13. nh7o

    nh7o Off grid since 1980

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    Rodent damage again! Another Prius Chat meme. Kudos to the dealership for actually repairing the wires. In past cases where this happened, the standard dealer "fix" was to replace the Entire Wiring Harness at an unbelievable cost. So it is great that the techs did the right thing for you. Congrats.
     
    #13 nh7o, Dec 2, 2013
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