My 7k miles Prius has broken down on me !

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(cwerdna @ Aug 20 2006, 09:37 PM) [snapback]306425[/snapback]</div>

Hi Cwerdna,

Unless you are a huge person, its readily easy to slip up under the front of the car (in your work clothes), and see the bolt. I am 250 lbs, medium height, and kinda thick chested. Even so, I was able to do fix the plate without jacking the car up. Although, I have some experience wiggling around under cars, but I am not a mechanic, amatuer or professional. Open the hood, to get light shining down from above. Look for the oil filter from underneath the front of car, off towards the passenger side. Then reach up with your hand to the driver's side of the oil filter and feel for the lower bolt head. Then touch the bolt head with your index finger. Run your thumb along the edge of plate toward the front of the car, until it reaches the closest approach of the MG control cable. If the plate has a smooth curve there, no problem, if it has the rectangular nib sticking out - problem. I was actually able to see the nib was in the wrong place. Another way would be to feel for the dome in the center of the plate. Once your finger has found the lower bolt, move your whole hand straight up, and feel for the dome with your index finger. If the dome sticks out, the plate is in backwards and upside down. If the dome recesses into the starter hole (towards the driver side of the car), the plate is in correctly. From above, run your hand down the MG Control cable, and feel between it and the plate. The view of the nib is obscured from above, but you should be able to feel it behind the cable.

If you are too big to do the evaluations above, I would print out Hobbit's document and take the car to someone who could check this. Then if the plate is backward, schedule a dealer maintenance appointlment.

In my car there was no damage to the cable, but there was a slight scuff on the cable jacket indicating the plate nib had made contact with the cable. The resting position had about 1/8 inch gap between the cable and the plate nib and the cable was stiff enough that contact did not take place unless there was some dramatic vibration of air force (hitting a pot hole, or driving into a strong wind). So, it was Russian Roulette when the cable would be damaged. Probably damage would have happened in 5 or more years on my car. I imagine depending on cable dress, and the point where the cable is grabbed by the guides, the gap could vary, and might even be in contact all the time. If that was the case, I think it would ware through the cable jacket quickly during highway driving. The nib is probably intended to be a mounting point for one of the cable guides, that they apparently decided not to use.

We have severly hijacked the OP's topic here. I wonder how he is doing with his car, and if this truely was the fault that happened with it ? Maybe we should start a new topic on this starter hole plate issue?

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(hobbit @ Aug 16 2006, 08:37 PM) [snapback]304387[/snapback]</div>

OMFG, thanks for reminding us of this Hobbit. we forgot all about it after you mentioned it... probably related to looking at the amp that was acting up in Bill's car.

anyway that's something DH is going to look into in his latest diagnostic spree on some whacked can system. and he'll check ours when it's light outside.

thanks again, man.

 

When I did mine, I think I had it up on the cheezy red ramps and
already had some of the under-plastic off, since it was around the
same timeframe as the "naked prius" leadup. So access was easy.
I simply disconnected all three of the connectors that this harness
feeds, across the front of the transaxle, and pushed the whole thing
aside while going after the plate. The harness support clips are
easy to release and pull off their little metal tabs.
.
I think you can do it without having the under-plastic off, esp. if
you bring a drop light under there with you, but I'd have to look
at it again. It's dark and raining outside so that's not gonna be
now...
.
[Edit: oh, right, now I remember why I was looking at all that
closely in the first place. Part of SSC-50P was applying dielectric
grease to ONE of the three connectors, and I was trying to figure
out why. I NEVER got an answer to that, either.]
.
_H*

 

If it were me, i'd give them a call and ask when you could come in to talk with the tech about what he did... say there's something you don't understand on the receipt. When you're in there, get the codes he pulled from your computer and post em here. Finally, i'd say if the problem's solved, then it's solved. it might be worth it to write to toyota about how you had to take it in 3 times before they could fix it. Then, if yet another problem occurs, you'll have that much more leverage when you take it in to the other dealer: "Mr service writer, i had it in at this other dealer 3 times last week and they said they fixed it the third time. i lost faith with them so i'm here, but i am in the middle of communicating my problems with corporate. i hope you can help me out better"... see if that gets their attention :-p

 

I had a similar problem on my 05. The ICE wouold shutdown and all the lights would come on. I had coses register that there was a problem in the fuel system. In the end Toyota replaced the Oxygen sensor and all is well! Apparently the sensor sent improper readings causing the eninge to go into a safety mode. It took three times for them to get it right though.

 

Hopefully the battery cable issue is the culprit. It would explain the loss of any error codes. But, if it does it again I would suspect one of the computers is defective, crashes, and then conveniently loses its memory and codes. Actually, the computers are the only part of this car that worries me, maintenance-wise. I can fix just about anything, but glitchy computers give me the willys.

 

Some dealers will work with you when you experience "the same problem" 3 times and still cannot be resolved. Kinda like the electronics stores offer. Talk to them about possibly exchanging it for a new or used one of the same year.
Can't hurt. There is the Lemon Law in our state. Check it out but whatever happens please keep us informed. Good luck and as the rest of us we are sorry for the inconvenience.

 

Hi Prius_fr,

Did you happen to check out the cable/starterholeplate issue that Hobbit pointed out. I know the Prius is multi-facetted system, and it would be remarkable if that was it. On the other hand, best to check off everything it isn't, or might be in the future.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(prius_fr @ Aug 15 2006, 05:16 PM) [snapback]303766[/snapback]</div>

You've clearly got an intermittent problem, and these can be difficult or even impossible to find, because whatever went wrong on the road has cleared itself up by the time the dealer gets a look at it. For problems that don't cripple the car, it's usually best to wait until they occur all the time, or at least can be easily reproduced: I've been through this with virtually all the cars I've owned.

However, an intermittent that stops the car cold can't be dealt with patiently, and I'd guess that after the dealer has seen it and failed to fix it a reasonable number of times, you'll have to exercise your rights under a lemon law, having documented the whole sad story.

I'd guess you have an electrical intermittent or short or possibly a computer glitch: I know a guy who traded an otherwise perfectly good new truck for that reason: the dealer was amazed he was trading it in, but did call back a few months later, asking "did you ever have a problem with the ... whatever?"

I hope they find something, but suspect it's going to have to get worse before they can. Good luck.

 

My 2005 Prius did this once- on my way home from Vegas- and I was so scared! I was in a reallt ghetto area, and it was not safe! I had less than 10k miles on the car- can't remember how many, just know I didn't even have license plates yet!

The car eventually restarted after about 30 minutes (AAA was taking awhile), and I took it to a dealer soon after- they said that it had a "ran out of fuel" code. Basically they made me feel stupid.

I traded it in at 39k miles, and I never had that issue occur since the first time, and I hope it never happens with the '06!

I know your frustration- I had purchased a brand new Chevy truck years ago- and it constantly broke down, I would take it to the dealer and they would say nothing was wrong- very upsetting!

 

First thing you've got to do is demand they extend your warranty on all parts related to this problem. If they can't fix it good now, they better guarantee free service on it for a longgg time.

If you really can't nail this down to a very specific scenario I'd guess it's a flaky connection somewhere... plenty of electronic connections in the Prius available to flake out now and then.

It's been over a month since your last breakdown; any news?

 

Dang....I can't open hobbit's link about the plate...will keep trying.

Just thinking about the fuel...If you are really low on fuel, how many miles does the car show? Does the mileage seem to fit?

When I get down to my last two pips, I fill up and it only takes 7.5 gallons which is probably right but always surprises me since the gauge looks low.

Keep us posted, please!

terri

 

What's all this business about a plate that needs to be checked? I can't open the Hobbit link either!
Anyone have an old copy of the article they can cut'n'paste?

Thanks!

 

Actually, the same thing happened to me last month. My 2005 Prius lost power and I was able to pull over at a bus stop and put my hazard lights on. I was towed to the nearest Toyota dealer who had no explanation as to what happened. They put it on a trickle charge, kept it overnight and drove it around for a while. So far, it's been fine but I still have that feeling of waiting for the other shoe to drop! The most disturbing issue is that they couldn't give me a reason for what happened!!

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(prius_fr @ Sep 19 2006, 08:26 AM) [snapback]321706[/snapback]</div>

Here are three pictures and a diagram taken from Hobbits site:

Edit: sorry, the pictures didn't come through. I'll try again.

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(prius_fr @ Sep 19 2006, 08:26 AM) [snapback]321706[/snapback]</div>

This is my second try at getting Hobbit's pictures through:



<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(prius_fr @ Sep 19 2006, 08:26 AM) [snapback]321706[/snapback]</div>

Still trying to get Hobbits pictures through:


<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(prius_fr @ Sep 19 2006, 08:26 AM) [snapback]321706[/snapback]</div>

One more try to get Hobbit's pictures through:

It is not going to work today. Sorry.

 

just went to that Google link and pic *are* now visible...I copied 'em into a MS document with the captions, for the reference file.