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2002 GEN1 with PS, Main battery, exclamation car and red triangle lights

Discussion in 'Generation 1 Prius Discussion' started by kutcht1, Feb 17, 2015.

  1. kutcht1

    kutcht1 Member

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    Location:
    Andover, Minnesota
    Vehicle:
    2008 Prius
    Model:
    N/A
    I have searched and this seems to have multiple things that it can be with the most probable being the HV traction battery. The car has about 168,500 miles and have been areal champ getting around 40 mpg even in the cold winter as I have had the car about 15 months. Everything running good until last night I see the lights on the dash, used a standard OBD2 code reader that I have and it would not give me any codes (code P0420 had been coming and going). Drove the car the 3 miles to the hockey rink and back with no issues. Started scanning the internet for info of steps to do and check.
    Being it was late and COLD last night I checked:
    - oil level as it was just changed and it is good.
    - 12V battery measured 12.58 volts
    - Changed out inverter pump last fall with fresh fluid and has good circulation.

    Before I put a for sale sign on this car and move on as I have seen them sell for $1500 with issues in my area, what would be my next steps as I will not be putting in a different HV battery?
    Dirty MAF sensor, corroded battery terminals on HV battery, throttle plate needs cleaning are all things I have read.
    Thanks!
    TomK
     
    #1 kutcht1, Feb 17, 2015
  2. valde3

    valde3 Senior Member

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    You should read the codes with Toyota hybrid capable scanner. Mini VCI is cheap and good if you want to do it yourself.
     
    #2 valde3, Feb 17, 2015
  3. ChapmanF

    ChapmanF Senior Member

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    The design of that warning screen must have made good sense to the guy who thought it up, and it pretty much fools everybody else....

    The icons of power steering, main battery, and car-exclamation-point are all always on that screen. It's a goofy graphic design and it makes everybody who sees it come here and post "yikes, I've got the PS, main battery, and exclamation-car warnings!"

    What that screen is telling you depends on which of the three icons are shown highlighted in red.

    But +1 on having the codes read with a Prius-aware scanner. At the moment you're trying to think about whether to sell your Prius without any information on whether it's even got a big or small problem.

    -Chap
     
    #3 ChapmanF, Feb 17, 2015
  4. kutcht1

    kutcht1 Member

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    Thanks guys! Sorry about acting like I am bailing on this so soon, lots of info I read was leading to the HV battery has failed so I mentally think I was ready to move on. As far as the Mini VCI, everything I find it is just a cable so do I get a CD and load that into a laptop to read it?
    TomK
     
    #4 kutcht1, Feb 17, 2015
  5. kutcht1

    kutcht1 Member

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    I was able to read the codes as the lights were not on the dash when I got home tonight. The 12V battery was at 11.58 volts but it started without issues. After running for about half hour the lights came back. Pulled codes and it has P3006 which I think is unbalanced HV battery. Now to get the Techstream hooked up to find out the health of all of the cells right?
    TomK
     
    #5 kutcht1, Feb 17, 2015
    Last edited: Feb 18, 2015
  6. kutcht1

    kutcht1 Member

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    I have not been driving the car. Went out and checked the 12V after a few cold days and it was at 12.33. Checked the codes this time after just running it and not driving and it gave me P3028, doesn't this point directly to the second to last bank of cells? There is very little information I am finding on this code. I will hopefully be getting it hooked up to a Techstream this week end.
    TomK
     
    #6 kutcht1, Feb 20, 2015
    bwilson4web likes this.
  7. ericbecky

    ericbecky Hybrid Battery Hero

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    kutcht1.
    As you already have confirmed it is the hybrid battery.
    If you are not willing to spend the money or time with fixing it, then yes, sell it.

    You could swap in a couple of cells, (I have plenty) but that will just fix it for a time, eventually you will be back in there again.
    You just need to decide how much time/effort you want to put into it.

    Fixing it 100% means putting in a replacement pack. Under $2,000 delivered to your door. But not sure if you want tos spend that kind of cash.

    Feel free to call me and talk through it. Alternately I may even have a buyer if you decide to sell.
     
    #7 ericbecky, Feb 20, 2015
  8. kutcht1

    kutcht1 Member

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    Well, I have had a productive day. Found someone local that had some cells and the techstream and just got done replacing one of my cells which was found to be bad. Hooked up to techstream, found the bad cell through some load/charge tests, removed and replaced HV battery in around three hours. Also replaced all the copper bus bars with clean ones as well as the cell bolts. Hope this is it for awhile at least through the winter. Thanks for the replies and help. This process is not scary any longer for me as long as certain steps are made. Feels good, at least for now as I know it is only time.
    TomK
     
    #8 kutcht1, Feb 21, 2015
    telmo744 and strawbrad like this.
  9. Garvin

    Garvin Junior Member

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    Kutcht1. Did the work done (replace bus bar and faulty cell) fix the problems you had?
     
    #9 Garvin, Sep 3, 2015
  10. kutcht1

    kutcht1 Member

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    Yep, it is pretty obvious when you hook it up to techstream. Drove the car for months after and then had the chance to get a 2006 and sold the 2002. Hope it is still working well for the new owner. The whole HV battery thing used to scare me a little but after having taken the battery out a few times it is really not that big of a deal and for sure not the end of the car or even an expensive repair.
    TomK
     
    #10 kutcht1, Sep 3, 2015
    strawbrad and bwilson4web like this.
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