Codes on '06 ABS/VSC/(!), Question re Techstream & Mini VCI

I started out the New Year requiring replacement of the 12V battery, hybrid battery, and hybrid battery fan in my 2006 with 142,000 miles. Everything has been great until today, when first startup of the day displayed the VSC, ABS and (!) lights. No check engine, and thankfully (I guess) no red triangle.

Been searching this forum, and I guess if I plan to hang on to this car & get my money out of that traction battery, I need to be able to pull codes. Unless I'm missing something, it appears that getting a Mini VCI plug & using Toyota's Techstream software is the only option for DIY.

The connectors are all over the interwebs, no biggie. But what's the deal with Techstream? Is it a cloud-based app you subscribe to? Or is there a standalone software out there I'm just not finding? I could find links for different levels of subscription on Toyota's tech portal, so if $15 for a 2-day gig to pull my codes is all I need (besides the connector), then that's way better than a stealership visit. Unless I'm just getting old & don't understand what I'm looking at/for.

So is that how it works, a Mini-VCI, a 32-bit XP laptop, and a 2-day subscription to TIS?

 

Thank you very much for that! Interesting procedure, I wasn't aware this existed.

Followed the procedure, didn't expect a constantly flashing light show! I suppose I thought it would run through one system at a time, so I was prepared for the lights to blink one at a time. So if I observed correctly after figuring out what was going on, here are the blink results I got:

ABS 31
VSC 43
(!) 36

Now where might I find the corresponding data to know what that tells me?

 

Thx nh70, I'll inspect that within the next day or so.

With regard to your previous question on the hybrid fan, I wish I could confirm the condition myself. Since (you may recall from your input on a previous thread) Toyota extended me some "goodwill warranty" relief, the dealer did the work.

The tech did note on the initial inspection that the fan electrics were corroded and very likely to fail. I can confirm that the fan was running at a high rate when I dropped off the car for the hybrid battery replacement, so at least I know it was operating.

My cousin's husband is a Hybrid Service Tech at another dealer, and he told me they are starting to see more of this corrosion condition in Gen IIs. That's all the additional info I can offer on this fan topic.

Maybe I'll pull things apart & make sure he cleaned out the fan duct, see what I can tell from looking at the fan assembly. Shoot, maybe the orig fan is still in there, wouldn't put it past a dealer to pad the bill. Toyota Corporate goodwill countered by dealer BS.

 

Pulled and visually inspected condition of RF sensor. Looked great, honestly. Pulled LF sensor for good measure & comparison, it was really clean too. Tried unsuccessfully to reset the lights using the brake pedal method described, several attempts didn't work. I have a Mini VCI delivering Wednesday, I'll clear them that way if I need to.

Interesting discovery however. Since I was busy pulling wheels, I went ahead and pulled the rear wheels to check brake wear. Behind the LR wheel assembly I noticed a piece of angled metal CLEARLY disconnected from where it was supposed to be. On closer inspection, there is a pot or some kind of actuator at the top of this piece, and a dangling bolt at the bottom that's supposed to be attached to a mount on the rear "axle" assembly. I'm assuming this is intended to feed ride height info to one system or another. So I found a correct nut & reconnected it.

Is it possible this is what threw the code(s)? Anyone know what that sensor is for? Not good at posting pics, but I'll try in a few minutes.

EDIT: Finally located the right parts diagram, looks like that disconnected sensor is the ride control height sensor. Not sure if that would have caused any of the codes, however.

 

I received the MVCI interface today. Other than being a really slick tool, it pretty much told me what nh70 told me after the blink test.

C0200 Front Speed Sensor RH Circuit

It also pulled a code from the Air Conditioner ECU: B1421 Solar Sensor Circuit (Passenger Side)

I'll have to figure out what that one is about.

But interestingly, I could not clear the fault indicator lights. They wouldn't clear when I tried earlier this week using the brake pedal/jumped DLC procedure. They wouldn't clear through Techstream either?!? Unless of course the fault is immediately storing again right after I clear it. Would welcome any ideas on why the warning lights won't reset.

 

The importance of a thorough inspection is once again shown.

In the process of re-checking the RH speed sensor, my focus was on the wiring & connector, based on nh70's assertions. Could not find the wiring route inside the engine compartment, so I deduced it was probably mounted to the inner fender. When I pulled down the fender skirt, a small piece of wiring harness fell out, with a chewed-through piece of blue wire inside. Uh-oh.

The above picture is of the speed sensor connector. Connected to nada.

I guess a wiring repair is cheaper than a new sensor! Now I hope the little bastards haven't chewed through anything else.

 

Folks, am I screwed? Have found upon attempting repair, this sensor wire is not a "normal" wire. It has some sort of shielding around it, and an uninsulated third wire. I also pulled the headlight assembly, hoping to track the wire to another connector, thinking I could replace just the section of bad wiring between connectors. No dice, it routes into a harnass bundle.

Can anyone familiar with electrical systems in Prius tell me, is this fixable? Or am I looking at having an entire portion of the wiring harnass replaced?

 

Thankfully, success!

Did the best repair I could on the 2 wires, snipped the shielding wire, and buttoned everything back up. First try putting it back into Ready, all the warning lights disappeared. Yay!

Thanks all for the assistance getting it figured out.