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Fixing Friend's 2014 Prius c Need Knowledge

Discussion in 'Prius c Care, Maintenance and Troubleshooting' started by Hobie18, Sep 4, 2020.

  1. Hobie18

    Hobie18 Junior Member

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    Hi! Thanks in Advance. Experienced DIYer but do not have the knowledge base experience brings. Hence why I am here at the oracle of Prius.

    Car sat for a while, then driven few hundred miles. After its return, the next day it started but lit up the dashboard. Friend brought it to mechanic who could do nothing then to the stealership. Oh boy. After calling me he retrieved the car after a 300 dollar fee. The cost to repair was remarkably close to the value of the car. Surprise surprise.

    So the easy things that were recommended I did right away. In Parentheses () is what Dealer wanted. :eek:
    Spark plugs (237), Air filter (40 dollars), replaced cabin air filter and the cover which was not on originally and no filter(not on dealer list). Replaced left headlight bulb (95 dollars). Replaced left wiper (40 dollars), Hybrid Cooling Fan Debris (410), That was the easy stuff. Have to say this car is easy to work on despite the limited room. Even the air filter change was smoother than those cars with limited space and parts that will not get out of the way. Checked battery twice. First at the under hood "jump" point and at the battery itself. 12.6 volts. I did take battery out and put charger on it. Battery appeared absolutely pristine! Seriously perfect. Reinstalled battery maybe two hours later. Hoped it would clear codes but no.
    My simple scanner can clear codes but only for a second. It comes back immediately.

    Now for the rest of the stuff the stealership says they want to do:
    invertor coolant flush/gasket
    trans service/gasket
    ABS Hydraulic Control Assembly no communication with other ecu's
    Throttle Body Service heavy carbon build up.
    Some other brake adjustments and additional time to sort abs ecu
    ($4,638.13)
    Will get pics of the warning lights and such ASAP

    Again,
    Thank You
     
    #1 Hobie18, Sep 4, 2020
    Last edited: Sep 4, 2020
  2. Hobie18

    Hobie18 Junior Member

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    Check your hybrid system, pull over immediately.
    ABS, Brake, Skid Mark, and Warning Triangle. Power steering light is on sometimes.

    A sniffer test was done to make sure no rats had been near the car, for what its worth.
    Again, Thank You
     
  3. PriusCamper

    PriusCamper Senior Member

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    Wow!!! Sure wish there was a mandatory minimum jail time for Toyota Stealership owners... Soon as some of their fellow owners start doing years in jail for consumer fraud they'd think twice about if their criminal activity is worth the risk... I charge $30 to clean a hybrid cooling fan! And replace the trans fluid? Toyota's own manual says the fluid is good for the life of the car. You should send this documentation to a consumer fraud attorney to help them build a case against this particular stealership!
     
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  4. Hobie18

    Hobie18 Junior Member

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    Thank You PriusCamper!. Yeah I thought replacing a bulb for 95 dollars was a bit high! Wiper blade! Clean fan debris over 400 dollars. Oh well.

    I need a good scanner for these hybrids. Are there any solid choices, cobbled together or what ever needs to be?

    Anybody got advice on where the ABS fault could be? I will try to track it down next. Wonder if just a computer "restart" would help too. I will let you all know anything I find.

    PriusCamper, the space mods you made, (seat console removal), sound very handy. any pics?
     
  5. Leadfoot J. McCoalroller

    Leadfoot J. McCoalroller Senior Member

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    The absolute gold standard is Toyota Techstream, which is software for a Windows computer. You can get that and an appropriate interface cable pretty cheap on ebay. It gives you the DNA of the nitty of the gritty, seriously every last diagnostic detail you can imagine plus it lets you invoke certain tests and performance modes that make traditional tests easier.
     
  6. davidc83

    davidc83 Member

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    First thing, replace the 12v battery... Bad batteries can check good. A good 12 v battery should check 13.2 not under load... if not checking the battery under load, everything is a guess... I just had to replace a 12 v in a different vehicle, it read 13.2 not under load, but under load, it dropped to 10.8, thus bad.....before the car can go into ready mode, it must have a known good 12v battery.

    Z6201V ?
     
  7. sam spade 2

    sam spade 2 Senior Member

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    Not with the vehicle OFF it shouldn't.
    The "nominal" resting voltage for an AGM battery is 12.8 to 12.9.
    13.2 indicates that it is being charged.......or was immediately prior to taking the reading.
     
  8. RRxing

    RRxing Senior Member

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    Maybe I missed it but...how many miles are on it?
     
  9. Hobie18

    Hobie18 Junior Member

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    140,000 miles. 12.6 volts underhood, and 12.6x direct on battery. With car off. Running it goes over 13. Battery is absolutely pristine but I will replace it anyway. Been trying to get into friend's shop so I can use the lift to make other jobs easier. especially the fluid drains. I am hopeful that I do not have to replace the accumulator or what ever the ABS thing is called. But If I have to I will try myself. After that I may need to do some computer work and that will be a toughie. I appreciated all the responses. Sorry I was away. Just waiting for lift time. Stay safe!
     
  10. Scubaman

    Scubaman Junior Member

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    Batteries can be load tested by any auto store before replacement. All lights on, AC on, etc and they use a load tester. I have never had to replace a battery just because someone says to replace it.

    What is of concern is the no communication to the other modules.

    What does the basic scanner read for codes? I have had a single P0A80 code light up virtually every light on my dashboard, just about freaked my wife out.

    Seek out a fellow Prius owner in your area with Techstream and have them help you or get it yourself. If in fact you have a Communication problem, then you need someone very knowledgable like a Scanner Danner in your area to track down the no comm fault.
     
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  11. Hobie18

    Hobie18 Junior Member

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    Used friends shop to look for codes. Could not communicate with computer. While this was not a techstream (ordered one) it seems the actuator unit is not communicating. Was hoping it was a wire or such but it is more likely the unit is gone. BTW the cowl has a cutout at the exact spot , for brake fluid use, but I wonder if this is a water leak spot.
    Are there any scan people in chicago that can help me? I can meet anywhere in the area. In the meantime i will try to remove cowling to get a better look at the top of the actuator. Or use my ear camera to look at the top of the unit.
    Where is the main computer located? Maybe a wire is gone there. But I guess it is hopeful thinking.
    Thank you all.
    Ps how hatf to remove cowling and put back perfectly.
     
  12. Hobie18

    Hobie18 Junior Member

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    What is the best techstream available...
     
  13. Hobie18

    Hobie18 Junior Member

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    Finally got techstream to "work". Apparently all the ecu's are not responding. That is a bit hard to diagnose. Where are all the ecu's located. I know the ABS unit is one of the issues. But I would like to check all the wiring and such.
    Thank You
     
  14. PriusCamper

    PriusCamper Senior Member

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    What are the error codes and subcodes?
     
  15. sam spade 2

    sam spade 2 Senior Member

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    Did you in fact replace the 12 V battery ?
    And did you check the main battery cable connections......at BOTH ends of both cables ?
     
  16. Hobie18

    Hobie18 Junior Member

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    I could pull no codes. The systems were yellowed out. Maybe I was doing something wrong but maybe not.
    Thank you
     
  17. Hobie18

    Hobie18 Junior Member

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    I will be getting a new battery. The old one is now weak from sitting. It was good before but now will be replaced. Is there a best place to get.
    Thank you.
     
  18. Leadfoot J. McCoalroller

    Leadfoot J. McCoalroller Senior Member

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    12v battery? Toyota has the only exact fit replacement. You can make other batteries fit but you have to make modifications to the car.
     
  19. PriusCamper

    PriusCamper Senior Member

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    There's diagnostic tests you can do in Techstream... Let us know if any of that turns up a problem?
     
  20. Hobie18

    Hobie18 Junior Member

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    Replaced the battery with a new Toyota one.
    Still the techstream could not read codes. Shows all ecu's not available. Wonder what is going on. Maybe my techstream. But it seems to work on other cars. Need to test it on another prius.