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Help: VSC light, red triangle, ABS, check engine, won't get out of park

Discussion in 'Gen 2 Prius Main Forum' started by benk33, Aug 14, 2017.

  1. benk33

    benk33 Junior Member

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    Hi all,

    I have a 2008 Toyota Prius. I was coming home yesterday and right as I turned into my apartment the VSC light came on along with the big red triangle.

    I drove slowly and parked. When I tried to turn on the car today it turned on, windows go up and down, overhead light turns on, and all these lights (see subject line) are on, but when I try to put the car in drive or reverse nothing happens. Even if I take the emergency brake off the emergency brake light does not come on or off. The map screen still comes on and basically everything still comes on.

    Tried to jump the 12V battery but didn't really do anything.

    Any idea what is wrong? I don't want to go right to the dealer because I have to tow it (can probably get one or two free tows with AAA) and they charge $120 just to diagnose.

    Any suggestions?

    Thanks!
    Ben
     
  2. drysider

    drysider Active Member

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    Be suspicious pf the 12v battery.
     
  3. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

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    can you make it ready?
     
  4. wjtracy

    wjtracy Senior Member

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    SFO likes this.
  5. benk33

    benk33 Junior Member

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    I am kind of in a bind. I have to tow it somewhere to get it checked out. My thought was simply to have it towed to a place and have them change the 12V battery for $180 (including labor). The battery is at least 2.5 years old or so.

    A diagnostic itself would be $110/$120 and I am kind of pressed for time right now (finishing writing my dissertation and expecting a baby soon).

    Do you think this is a wise course of action? Take it to shop change battery for $180. If it doesn't fix problem, then take it to dealer to do $120 diagnostic test.
     
  6. dolj

    dolj Senior Member

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    I'd do it the other way around. Find out what the problem is and then fix it, rather than make assumptions, that may or may not pan out, and blindly throw parts at it in the hope that fixes it. Does the cost of the diagnostic not come off the job if you go ahead with repairs?
     
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  7. Beachbummm

    Beachbummm Senior Member

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    could be the pump for the hybrid system, they are known to be defective and Toyota was replacing them for free but I think that has ended...
    if nothing changed when you tried to jump the car its where id start looking.. see if the fluid is moving in the tank and if you hear the pump with the power on
    you can research the symptoms of a failed pump on google or youtube
     
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  8. IMkenNY

    IMkenNY Im just being nosy

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    I would check these two items before a tow:
    1) Check fuse AM2 in engine fuse box, if it is blown your inverter coolant circulation pump may be bad. If you replace it and it blows again you can disconnect the pump and try again. Short test drives can be made without the pump but you risk expensive inverter damage without proper cooling.
    2) disconnect 12v battery and reconnect 1 minute later . If the hybrid system detects a high voltage leak it will not allow you to go to ready without a reboot. The possible high voltage leak could be from the traction battery, inverter, AC compressor or transaxle. AC is the easy test, if this only occurs when initiating the AC its the culprit.
     
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  9. Donnygeewebb

    Donnygeewebb New Member

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    I would definitely check the water pump. Look in the resivoir tank in the middle back side under the hood. If you see fluid turbulating, it's not the pump. If the fluid is standing still it's definitely the pump. This is an easy, tool free trouble shooting method. I just had to replace mine today and was getting the same exact lights. The water pump is located under the driver side headlight. It's a decently easy DIY repair so I wouldn't take it to a shop and pay the labor. It only takes about an hour to replace. Good luck troubleshooting!
     
  10. Donnygeewebb

    Donnygeewebb New Member

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    1st photo is the tank to check. 2nd photo is the actual pump.
     

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  11. Donnygeewebb

    Donnygeewebb New Member

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    Water pump
     

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  12. benk33

    benk33 Junior Member

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    I thought I would update this just in case anyone had the same problem and how I had it fixed.

    I called a tow guy out from AAA to take it to a shop to have the 12V changed and he came and looked at the car. He tried to jump it and that didn't work so he told me that it was probably not the 12V. That dissuaded me from taking it to the shop and just decided to take it to the Toyota dealer for a diagnostic instead. They did a diagnostic for $130 and gave me the code: P0AA6. The guy at the dealer told me it was probably the battery.

    I had it towed back to my home and called a Prius battery replacement service. They came out today, checked the car, did some tests with the 12V and the Hybrid battery and eventually replaced the Hybrid battery (for $935) and now everything is working fine.

    Hope this helps anyone who finds themselves in a situation like mine. Feel free to PM me if you have any questions or need more details.
     
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  13. SFO

    SFO Senior Member

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    Please let us know how the new (to you) HV battery works out in the long term, and if you ever need to make a warranty claim. You might also want to share which company you used for the replacement service and how you ended up choosing them.
     
  14. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

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    was the hybrid battery no longer in warranty?
     
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  15. benk33

    benk33 Junior Member

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    I bought the car used and it is a 2008 with 164,000 miles so I didn't even check with Toyota about it being under warranty. The guy who changed the battery also found out by looking at the old battery that the battery it already had in it was a rebuilt battery.

    I chose Austin Hybrid Battery. Found them on google and they had good reviews.

    They were great. Really good technician and very much looking out for me as the customer. Highly recommend them. Also, as far as I understand it, if the battery goes within the first year they swap it out for free. If it goes bad in the following year you have to pay a $250 charge and then they swap it out. As far as I'm concerned, that is way better than buying a new battery for $3500.
     
  16. SFO

    SFO Senior Member

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    How much (approximately) was the buy in for the rebuilt battery?
     
  17. benk33

    benk33 Junior Member

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    The battery with labor for installation (I have to give up my old battery) was $967.72 total with tax.
     
  18. James_Smith

    James_Smith New Member

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    Thank guys! Had the same problem with benk33 , dead Read Triangle, VSC, ABS, CHECK, BRAKE lights up on a sudden while I was driving to restaurant. I turned back home and stopped. My Prius 2007 then didn’t move when I started, with all the warning lights up again. The car cannot shift to either Reverse or Drive gear, just stayed either “N” or “P”. I called the Hybrid battery replacement service to fix that. Work like a charm. I have 152600 mi on it and hope not to face the problem again for a long time.... (5 years warranty / 100000 mi on the refurbished Hybrid Battery).

    The Toyota dealer asked about $3500 for the problem to get solved. The battery replacement service (local mechanic - non Toyota dealer) charged $ 1600.

    My car was recalled on replacing some modules in Hybrid Battery in 2012 while it was under warranty. Seven years after, now, the issue looms. I think the lifetime of the batter is about 10 years average( for original Hyb Batt. Even Toyota recalled on 2012 to fix the problem reported by consumers, the battery itself had only few cells replaced which is kinda band aid more than fixing the problem.
    So, my Prius has original battery for 12 years! About time to replace with a new one.

    PS: some signs that indicate your Hybrid Battery getting bad ,and ,soon or later ,will fail like benk33’s and mine :
    1) gas consumption (mpg) very low , lower than average- mine was about 30/35 mpg for few months before the Hyb Batt crashed.
    2) noise when car accelerated. I thought it was something loosing inthe engine. The sound is like little rattling crank. But everything is fine; belts, bearing hub, ABS actuator, water pump, etc.
    3) 12 v battery showed less a than 12 v on “Vehicle Signal Diagnosis” I checked it by using “twice start then info then three times headlight on and off” technic. It read 11 . 5 v instead of 12 or more on IG mode “on”
    4) dim lights sometime when drove. This maybe 12 v batt issue.
    5) the sound from Hyb Batt at the back seats. Like some squeaky sound when stop and when start and stop again there is no sound
    6) the battery bars on the monitor is inconsistent in color and numbers. Don’t know why it changed between orange, green , blue and even blank bars

    Hope this helps