Permanent P0A80 & required drive cycles needed to clear it

Discussion in 'Gen 3 Prius Main Forum' started by Dusttttt, Oct 5, 2021.

  1. Dusttttt

    Dusttttt Junior Member

    Joined:
    Mar 29, 2021
    15
    4
    0
    Location:
    california
    Vehicle:
    2011 Prius
    Model:
    II
    So I have permanent P0A80 code and in California a permanent code will automatically fail you. I cleared the MIL and have been driving to get all the monitors ready. With Torque PRo app I can see all monitors get READY except for the Evaporative system (which CA will allow only this 1 monitor to not be ready and still pass smog). So my question is how do I know how many drive cycles I've completed? If the Evap system doesn't get ready does that mean it never completes a full drive cycle? I have driven almost 500 miles and I have no idea how many, if any, complete drive cycles have been completed. I have cleared the MIL many times and every single time the check engine light will come back on. This time has been different tho as I've only been doing highway drives for 30 minute periods and when I'm at a stoplight I press gas and brake at same time to charge the battery and my MIL hasn't come back on since. Now I know my hybrid battery needs to be replaced but this is the longest I've ever driven without the light coming on. I just need the permanent code to go away or just let the guy smog and fail my car. If I let the car idle for any amount of time the MIL will come on guaranteed but doing it this other way is keeping the light off but I'm concerned that its not allowing it to be a full complete drive cycle.

    Any advice?
     
  2. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

    Joined:
    May 11, 2005
    110,443
    50,202
    0
    Location:
    boston
    Vehicle:
    2012 Prius Plug-in
    Model:
    Plug-in Base
    repair the battery?
     
    Dusttttt likes this.
  3. ChapmanF

    ChapmanF Senior Member

    Joined:
    Mar 30, 2008
    25,078
    16,345
    0
    Location:
    Indiana, USA
    Vehicle:
    2010 Prius
    Model:
    IV
    Fixing the battery will make a 'current' code go away, but the OP seems to be asking about when the 'permanent' code goes away after fixing. It doesn't go away until the car passes consecutive internal tests confirming you've fixed it.

    For permanent codes, there are "confirmation driving patterns" given in the repair manual (more info). The one for P0A80 involves doing a code clear, then a universal trip (there's an earlier section in the manual defining "universal trip", it comes up in the confirmation patterns for lots of different codes), then sitting in Neutral until the battery SoC drops to 30 %. That lets the ECU confirm that the battery is behaving for charge and discharge.

    I have sometimes been frustrated getting permanent codes to go away, if I was somehow leaving out one detail of a step of a confirmation pattern. I once had a P0102 because I had forgotten to plug my MAF sensor back in. I plugged it back in right away and that took care of the current code, but I was stuck with the permanent one for a year before Elektroingenieur figured out what step of the confirmation pattern I was missing.
     
  4. AzusaPrius

    AzusaPrius Senior Member

    Joined:
    May 27, 2020
    2,078
    875
    0
    Location:
    California
    Vehicle:
    2010 Prius
    Model:
    IV
  5. Dusttttt

    Dusttttt Junior Member

    Joined:
    Mar 29, 2021
    15
    4
    0
    Location:
    california
    Vehicle:
    2011 Prius
    Model:
    II
    I mean...you're absolutely right. That would fix the problem. I just can justify spending that kind of money on this car. I was just trying to find a way to pass smog with
    1. check engine light off
    2. all monitors ready (except for evap system)
    3. permanent code cleared after completing XXX drive cycles and warm up trips.
     
    bisco likes this.
  6. Dusttttt

    Dusttttt Junior Member

    Joined:
    Mar 29, 2021
    15
    4
    0
    Location:
    california
    Vehicle:
    2011 Prius
    Model:
    II
    The links look like cool upgrades. If my ride passed smog I would certainly look into something like that. Until then a modification is not what I need. Thanks. How did you pass with permanent code?

    This below is directly from bar . ca . gov

    How are PDTCs going to be used as part of a Smog Check inspection?
    Upon implementation, vehicles that have a PDTC stored in the OBD system will fail the Smog Check inspection regardless of whether the malfunction indicator light is illuminated. If a PDTC is stored, it indicates that the OBD system has not yet successfully verified that a previously detected emissions-related malfunction is no longer active.

    Which model-year vehicles will include PDTCs as part of the Smog Check inspection?
    The new criteria will apply to model-year 2010 and newer vehicles that support PDTCs.
     
  7. Dusttttt

    Dusttttt Junior Member

    Joined:
    Mar 29, 2021
    15
    4
    0
    Location:
    california
    Vehicle:
    2011 Prius
    Model:
    II
    I feel like I'm chasing a ghost.
     
    Edwin Laguardia likes this.
  8. ChapmanF

    ChapmanF Senior Member

    Joined:
    Mar 30, 2008
    25,078
    16,345
    0
    Location:
    Indiana, USA
    Vehicle:
    2010 Prius
    Model:
    IV
    Right month for it.
     
    Dusttttt likes this.
  9. Dusttttt

    Dusttttt Junior Member

    Joined:
    Mar 29, 2021
    15
    4
    0
    Location:
    california
    Vehicle:
    2011 Prius
    Model:
    II
    Just an update...the MIL came back on threw the code again. I just did a quick drive to the grocery story but the city driving is definitely what made the light come back on. I cleared the code again and going to drive it until all the monitors are ready for smog check. I'm only going to drive on the highway and if this doesn't work then I have a 2011 Prius black/ 174k miles for sale in San Diego. Thanks for reading.
     
    bisco likes this.
  10. ChapmanF

    ChapmanF Senior Member

    Joined:
    Mar 30, 2008
    25,078
    16,345
    0
    Location:
    Indiana, USA
    Vehicle:
    2010 Prius
    Model:
    IV
    If it came back as a current code and turned the light on, then bisco's "repair the battery" suggestion is probably still on the mark.
     
  11. tacopyro

    tacopyro Member

    Joined:
    Oct 25, 2018
    82
    41
    2
    Location:
    Los Angeles
    Vehicle:
    2012 Prius
    Model:
    II
    I had that issue, repairing the battery will be first step.
    Once the battery is fixed. Even if you clear the smog monitors, you still will not pass smog until the permanent code is taken cared of.

    After a code clear, you need 15 warm up cycles from 120F to 160F. plus 200 mi minimum trip distance. once this is done, smog machine will let you pass.

    All you need is a OBD reader that has temp readout, start in maintenance mode when the engine is cold, as soon as it hits 160F it will count as one drive cycle. shut off your car and let it cool down, if the weather is cool, usually 30mins will bring it down to below 120F, fire it up again, hit 160F, turn it off, repeat.
    You can do 8 or more in a day. then do that 200 mi round trip somewhere. i did that in two days. pass smog after. can be done in one day.
    i do have to mention, each time you get a P0A80. you have to repeat the cycle from scratch.

    On the battery, if i may suggest the lithium replacement since i have good experience with it so far.
    Good Luck.
     
  12. PapaWill

    PapaWill Member

    Joined:
    Jan 11, 2019
    137
    25
    0
    Location:
    Maui, Hawaii
    Vehicle:
    2010 Prius
    Model:
    II
    Hi Taopyro, regarding the P0A80 PERMANENT code, I live on a small island (Maui) and it is not really feasable to do the 200 mile driving pattern presumably in one go ( without turning off the power?) so I guess I am SOL. Can you provide more detail about what I would have to do? The hybrid battery has been repaired months ago and all is working well BUT it does not seem to charge the hybrid battery above 70%. SO, question is: does the PERMANENT P0A80 code cause the battery to not fully charge or any other issue which may be compromised by the PERMANENT code or, if not, what would cause this situation? Thank YOU!
     
  13. ChapmanF

    ChapmanF Senior Member

    Joined:
    Mar 30, 2008
    25,078
    16,345
    0
    Location:
    Indiana, USA
    Vehicle:
    2010 Prius
    Model:
    IV
    In this thread, I can see that tacopyro is the one who supplied the information about needing 15 warmups and 200 miles.

    Really, people oughtta look in the repair manual, where every code is listed with its correct confirmation pattern. The confirmation pattern for P0A80 barely even requires the car to move. All steps of the pattern are stationary except step 6, the "universal trip".

    "Universal trip" is an ingredient in the confirmation patterns for a lot of different codes, so it's described on its own at the front of the DTC section. It only needs some warming up and 5 minutes of driving at 25 mph or above (and you can slow down or stop during, as long as it totals at least 5 minutes at 25 or above).

    These one-size-fits-all rules about so many warmups and so many hundred miles that get posted sometimes are often more about the inspection policies in some states, where if you can show you've gone through all that and still have the permanent code, they'll let you pass anyway.

    But if you just do the confirmation pattern in the manual and make the code go away, then there's no need to try to get a special pass from the inspection.
     
    vallesj likes this.
  14. PapaWill

    PapaWill Member

    Joined:
    Jan 11, 2019
    137
    25
    0
    Location:
    Maui, Hawaii
    Vehicle:
    2010 Prius
    Model:
    II
    Chapman, thank you for the information. However, it has been months and I have driven many miles and still the permanent code persist. It does not go away with time or any driving patters that I have annoyingly already completed! However, at this point, and in the interest of getting at the truth, I will look at the proper manual to see what they say… if you hear frustration in me, it’s because I have listened to others recommendations about it and so far the permanent code is still there. And I thank you very much!
     
  15. ChapmanF

    ChapmanF Senior Member

    Joined:
    Mar 30, 2008
    25,078
    16,345
    0
    Location:
    Indiana, USA
    Vehicle:
    2010 Prius
    Model:
    IV
    I'm hopeful, anyway, that when you follow the published confirmation driving pattern for P0A80 in the Toyota repair manual, you'll have a better outcome than with the other procedures you have annoyingly completed ... and seeing that might help save some others the kind of annoyance that you've had to go through.

    I don't know whether you have Techstream. I'm pretty sure you can get by with any scan tool that can issue a code clear (for step 3), and display the battery state of charge (for step 7), and show your permanent DTCs (for step 9).

    The point in step 7 is just so you make sure the charge goes down below 30 actual percent (this is off the bottom of the battery charge scale you can see on the dash), and in step 9 is just to confirm that the procedure worked.
     
  16. PapaWill

    PapaWill Member

    Joined:
    Jan 11, 2019
    137
    25
    0
    Location:
    Maui, Hawaii
    Vehicle:
    2010 Prius
    Model:
    II
    I do have TS and I have not ventured to clear any codes other than an EGR on the Gen 3. I do hope I can save some folks the annoyance i have been through... Thanks for your input!
     
  17. PapaWill

    PapaWill Member

    Joined:
    Jan 11, 2019
    137
    25
    0
    Location:
    Maui, Hawaii
    Vehicle:
    2010 Prius
    Model:
    II
    BTW, di you consider my other question as to whether the permanent P0A80 code would possibly affect the battery charge/discharge parameters? I don't believe a code can affect the drivability except in the Prius...
    I would love your input here. Thanks.
     
  18. ChapmanF

    ChapmanF Senior Member

    Joined:
    Mar 30, 2008
    25,078
    16,345
    0
    Location:
    Indiana, USA
    Vehicle:
    2010 Prius
    Model:
    IV
    I don't believe a code that is only shown in the 'permanent' category has any current effect on the driving of the car, no.
     
  19. ASRDogman

    ASRDogman Senior Member

    Joined:
    May 29, 2018
    6,650
    3,490
    0
    Location:
    Florida
    Vehicle:
    2010 Prius
    Model:
    Two
    You should clear the code, all codes.
    If it comes back, then you likely have an issue that need to be looked into.


     
  20. ChapmanF

    ChapmanF Senior Member

    Joined:
    Mar 30, 2008
    25,078
    16,345
    0
    Location:
    Indiana, USA
    Vehicle:
    2010 Prius
    Model:
    IV
    The code in question is a permanent code. It is not a current code, or a code that has come back because of an issue.

    A permanent code is one that was set because of a previous issue, and is still around because the confirmation pattern after fixing the issue hasn't been completed yet.

    A code clear does not make a permanent code go away. It does, however, reset all monitor tests to the 'incomplete' state. which is useful when you are doing the confirmation pattern on purpose, to make sure the monitor test will run as soon as it can while you go through the confirmation pattern.

    Once the full pattern has been completed and monitor test sees that the battery is ok, the permanent P0A80 code will go away.

    Note that the code clear doesn't just reset the one monitor you care about to 'incomplete' state. It resets all of them to 'incomplete' state. It won't be possible to pass an inspection until all of them have returned to 'complete' state.

    You can use the Techstream 'monitor status' feature to see when they are all ready for inspection, or which ones haven't completed yet. If there's a time crunch, you can look up the confirmation patterns for the slowpokes and go through those on purpose too (skipping the code clear step, of course, which would be like groundhog day).