Warning light going on and then off

Discussion in 'Gen 2 Prius Care, Maintenance and Troubleshooting' started by SteveTaylor, Mar 23, 2017.

  1. SteveTaylor

    SteveTaylor Junior Member

    Joined:
    Oct 5, 2016
    8
    0
    0
    Location:
    Basingstoke
    Vehicle:
    2007 Prius
    Model:
    N/A
    My car has a slight history ... it has done 171k miles now and I have had it a few years (it is a 2006 model in the UK).

    Last March the hybrid warning light came on and the main dealer recommended a new battery at just over £2000 which was way more than I could afford. A private dealer switched the cell out and I carried on.

    A few months later another cell went and I had a private dealer switch it out. Another cell went in December, or rather a warning light came on in December and I had the entire battery changed.

    At the time an the yellow check engine warning light came on. I had a mechanic look at it and he told me that it was just an emissions error and not to worry about it. Every 400 hundred miles or so it goes off it is on and on if it is off. Twice this year the Hybrid warning light has come on and, the next day, gone off again. The car is driving perfectly well.

    Has anyone else has this sort of thing happen? Any ideas which do not involve spending more than I can afford at a garage?
     
    #1 SteveTaylor, Mar 23, 2017
  2. JC91006

    JC91006 Senior Member

    Joined:
    Nov 10, 2013
    16,601
    8,478
    0
    Location:
    Los Angeles, CA
    Vehicle:
    2008 Prius
    Model:
    II
    I suspect your catalytic converter is failing, that's the check engine light issue going on and then off

    The hybrid warning triangle would probably mean your oil is low or your inverter pump has failed. Those are the 2 that will give temporary warnings
     
    #2 JC91006, Mar 23, 2017
    SteveTaylor likes this.
  3. SteveTaylor

    SteveTaylor Junior Member

    Joined:
    Oct 5, 2016
    8
    0
    0
    Location:
    Basingstoke
    Vehicle:
    2007 Prius
    Model:
    N/A
    Yes, the low oil warning light came on last night as I was driving home!!
    That would actually cause the hybrid warning light to come on?

    Is replacing a catalytic converter a big job? What would happen if I just ignored it, would that be dangerous?
     
    #3 SteveTaylor, Mar 23, 2017
  4. JC91006

    JC91006 Senior Member

    Joined:
    Nov 10, 2013
    16,601
    8,478
    0
    Location:
    Los Angeles, CA
    Vehicle:
    2008 Prius
    Model:
    II
    No danger with catalytic converter, just bad emissions and you'll probably get poor fuel economy.
     
    #4 JC91006, Mar 23, 2017
    SteveTaylor likes this.
  5. SteveTaylor

    SteveTaylor Junior Member

    Joined:
    Oct 5, 2016
    8
    0
    0
    Location:
    Basingstoke
    Vehicle:
    2007 Prius
    Model:
    N/A
    Thanks for the quick response!
     
    #5 SteveTaylor, Mar 23, 2017
  6. ericbecky

    ericbecky Hybrid Battery Hero

    Joined:
    Mar 12, 2004
    4,379
    3,238
    1
    Location:
    Madison, Wisconsin
    Vehicle:
    2005 Prius
    Model:
    Two
    It would probably be worth your time buying a Bluetooth OBDII reader and dowload the Torque app onto an android phone/tablet.

    Then you can read (and clear) the code yourself.
    It will help prevent you from ignoring the warning light when it is something that is important.
     
    #6 ericbecky, Mar 23, 2017
    Raytheeagle and wrprice like this.
  7. dolj

    dolj Senior Member

    Joined:
    May 14, 2012
    8,023
    4,063
    0
    Location:
    Wellington, New Zealand
    Vehicle:
    2007 Prius
    Model:
    N/A
    I hope the unwritten statement was "and I immediately filled the oil back up to the top mark on the dipstick."

    Because, if it wasn't, yes, it would be dangerous to ignore it.

    In any case, you may have made the engine oil burning issue worse by letting the oil get so low.
     
    #7 dolj, Mar 23, 2017
    Raytheeagle likes this.
  8. SteveTaylor

    SteveTaylor Junior Member

    Joined:
    Oct 5, 2016
    8
    0
    0
    Location:
    Basingstoke
    Vehicle:
    2007 Prius
    Model:
    N/A
    Sorry, yes I refilled it as soon as I stopped the car.

    How often should I be refilling the oil? I take it I should not be waiting for the warning light to come on!
     
    #8 SteveTaylor, Mar 24, 2017
  9. dolj

    dolj Senior Member

    Joined:
    May 14, 2012
    8,023
    4,063
    0
    Location:
    Wellington, New Zealand
    Vehicle:
    2007 Prius
    Model:
    N/A
    Correct, by the time the light is on, it is already doing damage. Initially check the oil at every fuel up until you get a feel for how much oil you are burning, then top up when it gets down by 0.5 litre, which is 1/3 of the way down between the F and L marks on the dipstick. Use a good quality 5W-30 (or 0W-20) full synthetic oil.
     
    #9 dolj, Mar 24, 2017
    SteveTaylor likes this.
(You must log in or sign up to post here.)