Two error codes-- C1249 and B2284

Hi guys!

I just got Toyota Techstream working on my 2006 Prius with 117k miles, and after clearing codes and coming back, there are 2 codes I'm concerned about and can't find a lot of details on what they mean for my car.

C1249 - Open Circuit in Stop Light Switch Circuit
B2284 - Brake Signal (Cable-Information does not match to BEAN-Information)

From my research, I can't seem to find anything concrete on what these errors are caused by. I've attached a picture of what randomly happens in my car (warning lights will illuminate, if I turn the car off, they go away and then will randomly pop up again eventually). Nothing changes with how the car drives. I can't tell any difference with it. I talked to one mechanic who mentioned that it was likely caused by the blue ribbons in the combo meter, and when I recently replaced the combination meter in December, I took pictures of the noticeable damage to them.

Any ideas on these codes? What to troubleshoot or check for? Do you think it's related to these warning lights? Would appreciate anything you have to guess!


EDIT: and I can add that this photo of the error lights is of the first or second time it happened, hence the mileage difference. I've got 117k now.

 

Hmm, I just had a friend come and look while I drove around the lot and they said all 3 of my brake lights were functioning. It was not while all those warning lights were illuminated, but regardless, they seem to be functioning just fine.

 

Hmm, I really don't think it's the brake light bulbs directly being out. While driving the other day and stopped, with the warning lights on, I could see the red reflection of them in the car behind me. I'm sure it's still *possible* that one of them could be intermittent, but I think there's a good chance it's something else.

Service manual as in my car's handbook, or do I find that somewhere else?

 

Yeah, unfortunately the damage is still there. When I opened it up for the combo meter, I wasn't prepared to repair the ribbon as well (no parts or tutorial for that) and I honestly couldn't find anything about how to do it, after the fact. Funnily enough, I was just at Tampa Hybrids in February for my stolen cat and installing my MillerCat shield. I am trying to avoid going back already, lol.

 

I found this website link that explains that C1249 is related to the catalytic converter oxygen sensor: C1249 Engine Code Meaning - C1249 Engine Trouble Code - How To Fix C1249 | EngineCodes.net which gives me hope. My cat was recently stolen (as mentioned above) and I had it replaced with an aftermarket and shield, so that makes me think that maybe this is just a normal code that I can ignore? It comes back even when I clear it, so it is a persistent code and not related to just turning the car on w/o a cat (I had a few codes like that that I cleared and did stay gone).

I also found this link: https://www.tochr.net/2470/brake_signal_malfunction_b2284_.html which gets into a little more of the schematics and shows that it's probably a little too complicated for my blood, haha. I'll probably have to call around to see if I can get any actual quotes.

 

Oh yes thank you for that clarification! You're totally right, I did see about the manufacturer-specific codes and then got distracted on that line of research. Trying to do too many things at once, oops. Thank you so much for that graphic too, super helpful for the future reference.

I did get the repair manual open as well through my public library which is an awesome resource, and pulled up those pages (I believe) that you mention. Since the brake lights are functioning fine, I see that the next step is to measure the voltage of the connector. I don't personally have access to that, but I know someone who might have a multimeter. Definitely nervous about this being an ECU issue, after reading some threads about that. How urgent is this issue? Is this something you think if left unattended is going to worsen or damage the car?

 

Oooo, thank you for that note about the Gen3 ECU vs Gen2... I think I was accidentally reading some threads about that fix instead of the Gen2 and getting concerned about the extremely high costs of that potential. I always try my best to DIY with things that I can, but I'm not sure I have the equipment or skills for this. I'll check with my sister to see if she's up for the job, as she does understand wiring diagrams with her field of work lol. Great point about it also having to do with starting the car; I have intermittent issues with my SmartKey not being recognized when I'm in the car (I'll unlock the doors just fine but sometimes when I go to turn the car on, it will think it's not inside the cabin, and I'll press the keyfob to lock the doors, then turn the car on and it works fine), so maybe that is related.

So much possibility for old wiring to start going wonky! I will say I am a little confused with the page I'm looking at and where exactly I can find directions on actually getting the Skid Control ECU to check it. Where do I go to find the information on actually getting to this point? Is this within the dash, like if I was tearing it apart to replace the combo meter? https://i.imgur.com/8nuELlG.png

 

Hmm... so I had a look under there and couldn't see anything. I saw this ebay listing, and I guess I would not have the same angle perhaps to see this, but does this look like what I'm looking for? 2006 Toyota Prius Skid Control ECU 89540-47100 | eBay

Do you see it in any of these pictures? The blue-covered wires looked sort of similar, but there are only 2 of them.

 

Haven’t had a chance to try any troubleshooting yet (I’ll see my sister next week and hopefully can have her help to borrow the multimeter) but weirdly enough since my oil change and tire rotation, brake error lights haven’t come on once. I’m assuming it’s just coincidence.

Also had a friend who followed me for a while driving home yesterday and said my brake lights didn’t come on the WHOLE TIME (30min or so). I had already shut the car off by that point, turned it back on, drove around the parking lot and they worked just fine. So maybe it is an intermittent issue. Sigh.

 

Final update: took it to a Toyota mechanic (not dealership) and they replaced the stop light switch, came out to about $200 post-tax. Fixed this issue, as well as the issue I was having sometimes where even though my foot was on the brake, the car would not fully turn on and display READY. Didn't have the energy to do it myself, unfortunately, but wanted to give this conclusion for anyone in the future researching these sorts of issues.