Maintenance Mode is useful for running the engine continuously without it shutting off, such as when you do a coolant drain and fill and want to purge air out of the cooling system. This thread was created to clarify the procedure for engaging Maintenance Mode on the G3 Prius after attempting to do it according to the Prius service manual and finding that the manual does not clearly describe or include all the required steps. Perform the follows steps in less than 60 seconds to engage Maintenance Mode for the G3 Prius. Begin with the car and all accessories turned off. Set the parking brake. With the car in Park, and your foot off the brake pedal, turn the Power Switch "On" by pressing it twice. With the car in Park, and your foot off the brake pedal, fully depress the accelerator twice. Step on the brake pedal and use the shift lever to shift from Park to Neutral. With the car in Neutral, and your foot off the brake pedal, fully depress the accelerator twice. Step on the brake pedal and press the Park switch/button to shift from Neutral to Park. With the car in Park, and your foot off the brake pedal, fully depress the accelerator twice. Check that "Maintenance Mode" is displayed in the multi-information display. Step on the brake pedal and then press the Power Switch to start the engine. Important: DO NOT drive the car in maintenance mode to avoid damage to the transaxle. CANCEL Maintenance Mode by pressing the brake pedal, and then press the Power Switch.
Thanks for that! Just in case it's not dead obvious, what the last line is saying to do is Shut the Car Down. Just for giggles, it might be good to block the tires before doing this? Just in case.
i tried the procedure and it didn't work. the engine started when gas pedal pressed before the end of the dance. is it only for the touch screen models?
If the engine started, you must have been in READY, not ON. Be sure to follow step #3 exactly as written.
If I remember correctly, on the UK G3 and Prius+, I seem to think it was just turn car on (ready or acc), press setup button on the nav/radio and turn headlights on and off 3 or 4 times, as it is now on the G4.
That's how you get into a set of self-check screens for the infotainment system, which always gets new owners excited thinking they've found a secret shortcut to diagnosing the car, until they find out those screens have only to do with the infotainment system. (They do show the 12 V voltage on the vehicle signal check screen, which is sort of useful. And of course, if the infotainment system is what you've got trouble with, they're helpful then.) Nothing to do with the "maintenance mode" that you use when you need to run the engine steadily for testing purposes. Also worth knowing: in earlier generations, there was one "maintenance mode" that both ran the engine constantly, and suppressed traction control so you could do dyno tests. In Gen 3 those are split into two separate modes, with two different menu selections in Techstream to enter them. (Without Techstream, they involve different numbers of go-pedal steps in the little dance.)
I am not sure I understand the question. The maintenance mode is something you can select if you are going to do any kind of service procedure where you want the engine to continuously run. In maintenance mode, the engine will never stop automatically, but will stay running, for as long as you want. When you power the car off again, the mode is cancelled, so the car will be back in normal operation when next started.
I was in maintenance mode for 3 mins and then the engine stalled out shaking like crazy.I'm at my wits end. Ever hear of that happening?