2001 Prius, Red Triangle, Check Engine Light, PS + Battery+Car red exclamation alert

Discussion in 'Generation 1 Prius Discussion' started by Brandon Doyle, Dec 29, 2015.

  1. Brandon Doyle

    Brandon Doyle New Member

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    Hello Everyone,

    I'm new to this thread. I have a toyota that I was driving yesterday. I parked my car on the side of the road for 2 minutes to find something in the car. Randomly after a minute of being parked the car suddenly flashed the red triangle on the dashboard as well as the check engine light.

    Also as well on the main computer screen where the radio stations normally are displayed a Problem alert appeared. It shows the PS icon, the Battery Icon, and the Red Car exclamation icon. Only the Car Exclamation point is red. I attached pictures as a file below.

    As some basic steps I tried (Because I don't know that much about cars) I opened the hood when the engine was off and cold and checked the air vent filter to see if it was clean. I cleaned just in case. I also check the gas cap to see that the cap was closed tightly. Also checked the tires air to see if that could be the case. Oil was looked at by me and I didnt see anything abnormal as well.

    I read these forums and mostly I been reading that it's either a cooling pump issue or the battery. Also the temperature light is blue on the dashboard as you can see from the picture. Its been like that recently. It goes away after 2 minutes and I attribute that to the colder weather we been having.

    Any advice will be appreciated. Thank you so much.

    EDIT: I drove the car around a bit as a test and the car was a little sluggish when putting my foot on the gas pedal. Not all the time thought. Other than that the lights are on as normal and everything else appears and sounds normal except for these warning lights.


    IMG_0088.JPG IMG_0089.JPG
     
    #1 Brandon Doyle, Dec 29, 2015
    Last edited: Dec 29, 2015
  2. Stevewoods

    Stevewoods Senior Member

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    I know nothing about the Classic GEN1 Prius.

    However, lack of knowledge seldom prevents me from expressing an opinion.

    And, since no one else has said anything -- First:

    Check your 12v battery and assure that it is O.K.

    I would suspect that it could easily be very low and need replacing. A good cold snap will often push a marginal battery into the grave.

    And, I would suspect, if that is the case, replacing it will cure your woes.
     
    #2 Stevewoods, Dec 29, 2015
  3. Stevewoods

    Stevewoods Senior Member

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    Don't know if this helps or not?
     
    #3 Stevewoods, Dec 29, 2015
  4. Brandon Doyle

    Brandon Doyle New Member

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    Wow that video I think will help alot. I'm not at home yet but I will try that ASAP. I'm not sure if the battery is the issue because everything seems to be working fine except that the warning signs I showed on the picture are displaying. Ill keep people posted here. Thank you Stevewoods.
     
    #4 Brandon Doyle, Dec 29, 2015
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  5. ChapmanF

    ChapmanF Senior Member

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    Not to get your hopes too high with the video, but the "self diagnostic mode" shown in that video is only the one for the multi-function display itself, the radio, and nav if you have it. (Ok, on its "LAN check" page it will also show status of the "gateway ECU" which is one piece that's common between the MFD/radio/nav and the rest of the car's computers, and that actually turned out to be someone's problem here once, but that's rare.)

    Because the car-exclamation-point is lit up, there are trouble codes stored in one or more of the car's other computers to tell you what the trouble is if you have them read. A code reader is needed to do that. Most generic ones are useless on a Gen 1 Prius, because they will only show codes from a couple computers (engine and possibly brake) and totally ignore the other computers in the car, which they don't know about. That makes them worse than useless, really, because they might even tell you there are no codes, and then you'll be the n-hundredth person to come on PriusChat and say "hey, I've got the car-exclamation icon and there aren't any codes!"

    There are a lot of threads in the Gen 1 forum about code readers that work. The Mini VCI is a very inexpensive option if you have a laptop to use it with. The ScanGauge II is more expensive, and you need to manually train it for Gen 1 Prius info, which is quite tedious on its four-button keypad, but it can get the job done if you need it. The Android app Torque is reported to work, if you load the right Gen 1 Prius defs.

    Most people lately have been going Mini VCI, which shows you the same info the dealer would see.

    There is a PriusChat meme that won't die where your 12 volt battery is probably the cause of everything, and replacing it will solve your problems, clear all your codes, and erase the scratches from your paint. It can be the problem in some circumstances, but you can find plenty of threads here where someone comes back $200 poorer and a few more days delayed in solving their problem, saying "ok, I tried that, now what?" and we haven't met their needs well when that happens.

    One thing that is absolutely true about changing the 12 V battery is that all your codes will be cleared, and since they are the best information you have right now on what your car's problems are, it's well worth making sure you read them first.

    Regards,
    -Chap
     
    #5 ChapmanF, Dec 29, 2015
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  6. Brandon Doyle

    Brandon Doyle New Member

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    i took the car to a mechanic. He thought this could be the Sparks or coils causing the issue communicating to the engine. I dont know much that much to dispute so i gave him a try. he swapped them out and i tested it and it drives ok now but performance is lacking. he got the P codes i wanted off the scanner he had and it produced a P3000 - battery malfunction and P3006 - unusual levels coming from battery. So im really hoping its the cheaper 12v battery. but the main dashboard showing the engine and battery and consumption info is not appearing. it only shows when i press the info button "external device is not connected." is this car even safe to drive?
     
    #6 Brandon Doyle, Dec 30, 2015
  7. Brandon Doyle

    Brandon Doyle New Member

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    He said really nothing other than possibly either replacing the 12v or the Hybrid battery. From the codes he pulled up that I posted here he said he is not sure. To be honest he did not seem to be a very good mechanic and the only good I got out of paying him a $100 was going and getting the codes off his scanner. Who knows if he even changed out the sparks in the car.
     
    #7 Brandon Doyle, Jan 4, 2016
  8. Brandon Doyle

    Brandon Doyle New Member

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    I fortunately live in NY and I'm hoping that it is the 12v. If its the Hybrid battery itll be very expensive.

    The codes that the scanner produced were P3000 and P3006 which point to the Hybrid battery malfunction the mechanic said.
     
    #8 Brandon Doyle, Jan 4, 2016
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