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2003 Prius - I lose gas pedal a crusing speed on highway

Discussion in 'Generation 1 Prius Discussion' started by Pepcfreak, Mar 3, 2018.

  1. Pepcfreak

    Pepcfreak Junior Member

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    Hello all,

    I was driving my Prius today and had to be towed home :(

    It start fine no errors i got about 10 miles from home and bam, i lose acceleration and the pedal doesn't do anything and i get warning lights.

    I let it sit for a bit start it up, got up to 70mph and 2 more miles later, same thing.

    I have plenty of power when its going, engine sounds clean no misses or anything. If im sitting in neutral right after this happens and push the pedal to the floor, no rev in the ICE at all.

    When waiting for tow truck i had the car on for 30 mins, watching the energy tab and saw the battery was getting charge from the ice, i had the AC on the whole time with radio going. When the tow truck got there i was able to drive it right up onto the flatbed with no issues or assist.

    I was thinkig this was a throttle position sensor or Accelerator position sensor. Would i be on the right path?
     
    #1 Pepcfreak, Mar 3, 2018
  2. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

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    no dash lights?

    how many miles on her?
     
    #2 bisco, Mar 3, 2018
  3. Pepcfreak

    Pepcfreak Junior Member

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    I get dash lights Right warning sign on.

    209k
     
    #3 Pepcfreak, Mar 3, 2018
  4. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

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    could be many things, do you have access to a code reader?
     
    #4 bisco, Mar 3, 2018
  5. Pepcfreak

    Pepcfreak Junior Member

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    I don't, unfortunately.

    Its confusing as the power is fine after it sits and then bam... no pedal.

    As i said, everything runs i just lose the pedal.
     
    #5 Pepcfreak, Mar 3, 2018
  6. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

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    maybe the inverter coolant pump?
     
    #6 bisco, Mar 3, 2018
  7. Pepcfreak

    Pepcfreak Junior Member

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    Maybe, but i replaced that about 40k ago. God i hope its not that again. I have big hands and getting behind that light sucks.
     
    #7 Pepcfreak, Mar 3, 2018
  8. Pepcfreak

    Pepcfreak Junior Member

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    So i drove it down the road to the autozone and it came back with the following codes

    p3125
    p0300
    p0301
    p0302
    p0304
    p1455
     
    #8 Pepcfreak, Mar 3, 2018
  9. Pepcfreak

    Pepcfreak Junior Member

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    Is thre anyone that can assist with this?
     
    #9 Pepcfreak, Aug 6, 2018
  10. Patrick Wong

    Patrick Wong DIY Enthusiast

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    1. Clean the throttle body interior and throttle plate. Use a clean cloth with throttle body cleaner fluid applied to it. Do not drown the throttle body in cleaner fluid.
    2. When were the iridium spark plugs last changed? If not within 60K miles, do that change now, using only the correct NGK or Denso plugs.
     
    #10 Patrick Wong, Aug 6, 2018
  11. Pepcfreak

    Pepcfreak Junior Member

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    I cleaned the throttle boddy plate and interior last night. Cleaned the MAF (with MAF cleaner) and the spark plugs were changed <20k ago with Denso Iridium Plugs.


    But now, i may have a larger issue as since the car has been sitting for a bit, i had assistance and the person helping me reverse polarity the battery for a jump and the 100 amp fuse blew so now tonight when i get home i have the task of replacing that fuse with my fingers crossed the freaking inverter is ok. So i ahvent been able to test your recommendations yet.

    SMH i swear im just gonna light this thing on fire.
     
    #11 Pepcfreak, Aug 7, 2018
  12. JC91006

    JC91006 Senior Member

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    You'll have to think if you want to continue working on this car. More problems will come up and it'll get to be more of a headache.

    Since this car has been sitting, chances are, the hv battery might be out of balance.
     
    #12 JC91006, Aug 7, 2018
  13. Pepcfreak

    Pepcfreak Junior Member

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    I start it every month to at least keep it up. Just this time the person helping me, which i normally dont do, mixed up polarity.

    If it is the inverter the thing wont start then right. I think a 4 $ fuse is worth a shot to at least test it. If the inverter is gone, then i think im done.

    The only thing is the car has sentimental value to my wife as its her first car,
     
    #13 Pepcfreak, Aug 7, 2018
  14. JC91006

    JC91006 Senior Member

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    Depending on how old your hv battery is, it can go out of balance within a week. Starting it once a month won't help it much.
     
    #14 JC91006, Aug 7, 2018
  15. Pepcfreak

    Pepcfreak Junior Member

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    It is an old battery as well. I guess ill find out tonight.

    How will i tell if the battery is out of balance?
     
    #15 Pepcfreak, Aug 7, 2018
  16. Raytheeagle

    Raytheeagle Senior Member

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    You’ll get a dash light telling you;).

    It’s a red triangle and it can mean many things. Having a code reader like Techstream helps with the diagnosis :).

    Good luck and keep us posted (y).
     
    #16 Raytheeagle, Aug 7, 2018
    Pepcfreak likes this.
  17. LEVE

    LEVE Member

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    Humm... it's an odd time that I see this. Finally, after several months, I finally started to troubleshoot my 2002 Prius. I charged up both the Aux and the HV Traction battery and took it down the road four miles to see what would happen. I went through 25mph to 55mph speed zones. After the four miles, I felt I was pushing my luck and I turned around and headed home. The car was running quite nicely.

    Then, it happened, the gas pedal had no effect.. none.. zip.. nada.

    When I got home and put my scanner on the system... only traction battery errors showed, one high and one low block.

    • It slowed drastically. I turned on the 4-way flashers and continued home.

    • On the way I slipped the transmission into neutral and then back to drive. The engine responded again, for about 1/3rd of a mile.

    • During this time I was also monitoring the HV Charge. The car never seemed to carge the HV Battery, as far as I could descern.

    • I think the problem is communications between the HV traction battery and the rest of the car.

    • It's time to take the back seat out, remove the battey shroud and start checking stuff...
     
    #17 LEVE, Aug 9, 2018
  18. Pepcfreak

    Pepcfreak Junior Member

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    Thurs sounds nothing like where issue I'm having.
     
    #18 Pepcfreak, Aug 9, 2018
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