Please help me, car keeps dying, and I am stuck

Discussion in 'Gen 2 Prius Care, Maintenance and Troubleshooting' started by hybridmel, May 12, 2019.

  1. hybridmel

    hybridmel Junior Member

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    Everything seems to point to a dead/dying 12V battery, but the battery tests fine, so I really have no idea where to go from here.

    The last few months, I have had issues with my car dying and it needing jumped. After the 2nd time it happened, I took it to the dealership. The 12V battery is about 6 years old, so I was pretty certain that was the issue. But, they tested it and said the battery was in good condition. They are the experts, so I deferred to their knowledge. And, everything seemed to go okay for a while, and then within the last week, I've been having issues again.

    Now, every so often, especially when it is cold, I will get a situation where the car turns on and runs, but the dashboard will not light up. Typically, I drive to my destination and by the time I get there, if I turn it off, then turn it back on, the dash will light up. Other issues: on a few occasions, I have had situations where the car simply will not turn off. I let it go for a while, and eventually when I try it again, I can get it to turn off.

    Yesterday, my car was dead. The overhead lights were dim, but other than that, it was dead. We got it jumped, let it run, and everything seemed fine. So, today, I tested it again. And once again...dead. So, we got it jumped again; initially after the jump, the dash did not work, but after running for a bit, turning it off then back on, the dashboard worked. So, this time I drove the car around for a while so the battery could build up a charge. The battery got all nice and green and pretty.

    I turned it off, turned it back on. All was well. So, 1 hour later I go out, turn it on, and again...the dashboard is off, but the car turns on. I did a self-diagnostic on the battery and the voltage seems perfectly fine...great even. All the symptoms I have looked up seem to point at the battery, which makes sense considering the age of it.

    Any ideas at all of where I need to go from here? I do have some codes, but I am unsure of their meaning.
     
    #1 hybridmel, May 12, 2019
  2. SFO

    SFO Senior Member

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    You say the battery is fine, but what does that mean in relation to resting voltage (Example 12.4 volts)

    How often do you drive this vehicle? (hours per week)

    It also sounds like the combo meter (do a search) is starting to fail : https://www.texashybridbatteries.com/prius-combination-meter-repair

    Please post the codes, unless you don't want to know what they mean.
     
    #2 SFO, May 12, 2019
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  3. wjtracy

    wjtracy Senior Member

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    You may have multiple things. but once you are jumping 12v is questionable. Keep in mind 12v does not charge all that fast in the car. You want to make sure good charge of the new battery before installed and keep in mind short trips do not do much to recharge battery.
     
    #3 wjtracy, May 12, 2019
  4. hybridmel

    hybridmel Junior Member

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    I am not sure what is what, but the voltage when I started up the car was 14.1 Then, when I put it into (is it called Auxiliary Mode? Accessory Mode?) It hovered between 12.0-12.1. Now, this was 1 hour after last being driven. So, it might be different in the morning.

    It's not driven a ton. Per week, I would say anywhere from 4-8 hours per week. Maybe not even that much. Some days, (on the days it IS driven) it could be as little as 20 minutes. Some days, I might drive it 4 hours in a day.

    Couldn't figure out how to post a picture, but here are the codes:

    01-DC 190-1A-3
    01-D8 190-17-1
    01-D5 190-67-B
    01-DB 190-08-B
    01-DB 110-1E-8
     
    #4 hybridmel, May 12, 2019
  5. ChapmanF

    ChapmanF Senior Member

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    Everybody seems to fall into that trap when new. Those codes are from the A/V diagnostic screen on the MFD, which is only useful for diagnosing the A/V and nav (if present).

    They are completely different from the trouble codes needed for diagnosing the car, which are read using a scanner tool plugged in to the diagnostic port above the driver's lap under the dash.
     
    #5 ChapmanF, May 13, 2019
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  6. Dxta

    Dxta Senior Member

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    You might be having a short circuit problem somewhere in the car, or that battery is just not OK.
    1. The dash lights not turning on or off sometimes, could be you have a problem with the dashboard.
    May need to be replaced, or repaired.
    2. Prior to the car dying on you, do you see any kind of warning lights lit on the dash or MFD?
    3. Check your inverter coolant to see if it's even working (for turbulence).
     
    #6 Dxta, May 13, 2019
  7. hybridmel

    hybridmel Junior Member

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    As to #2, yes there is a "Check Engine" light. The dealership said I needed the air flow sensor replaced and potentially the O2 (Bank 1 Sensor 2) sensor as well, but the O2 sensor error they said MAY be related to the A/F sensor.

    However, they quoted me $1,200 for this and said that at that cost point and with the age of the car, it was really an unsure thing if it would be worth it to replace.
     
    #7 hybridmel, May 13, 2019
  8. exstudent

    exstudent Senior Member

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    14-14.5V is normal voltage to see when the Prius is READY. This is equivalent to a conventional car running with the engine on, and the alternator producing 13.5V, to recharge the 12V battery. The Prius obviously does NOT have an alternator. The Prius 12V battery gets recharged slowly from the 12V bus via the HV Battery.

    Is my inverter coolant pump slowly failing? | PriusChat
    Read Post #5 (how to apply a load for a more meaningful measurement of 12V battery health)
    Read Post #8 (Battery SOC (State of Charge) chart and 12V AGM compatible smart chargers to consider buying).​
     
    #8 exstudent, May 13, 2019
  9. exstudent

    exstudent Senior Member

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    What were the exact codes the dealer (Toyota?) reported?

    If the MAF (Mass Air Flow) sensor is bad, $143 at Camelback Toytoa. Easy to DIY!

    I would start by cleaning the MAF and throttle body 1st. RESET the codes by disconnecting the 12V battery for a minute or two, then reconnect. OR, clear codes with an OBD2 reader if you have such a tool. Be sure to buy MAF and Throttle Body Cleaner. Local auto part stores and WrongMart sell a combo pack of both cleaners (~$8 at most?; I forget how much I paid when I got mine). There are threads on how to clean the MAF and throttle body, here.

    If the O2 sensors are bad, the CEL (Check Engine Light) will come back on very soon.
     
    #9 exstudent, May 13, 2019
  10. hybridmel

    hybridmel Junior Member

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    Alright, after sitting overnight, I have some new numbers, per the instructions from exstudent. The only thing I did not do was turn the lights on, as I parked the car facing the neighbor's house and didn't want to be shining a bright headlight on them at 6 am.

    In Ready mode, it was still clocking in at 14.1 But, in the other mode, it started at around 10.2 and fell to 9.1, at which point the red triangle came on and I shut it off. I will say in my neck of the woods, it is about 48 degrees, which is chillier than it has been.

    The good news is the car DID start, with the dashboard lights on. Would you recommend driving it till I can get it to the dealership so I can at least keep the charge up, or not risk it?
     
    #10 hybridmel, May 13, 2019
  11. hybridmel

    hybridmel Junior Member

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    P0031, P2195, P2237

    I just don't understand how the dealership missed a failing battery, as they said that they both tested it and did a visual inspection of it.
     
    #11 hybridmel, May 13, 2019
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  12. exstudent

    exstudent Senior Member

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    The 12V battery is severely discharged! Do one of these:
    1) Recharge it w/ a smart AGM compatible 12V battery charger.
    2) Leave the car in READY mode for 12+hrs (24hr should do it), in a non-enclosed space that is not in a high crime area, with doors locked (take the small metal key w/ you so you can unlock the door).
    3) Go on a 10+ hour road trip.
    4) If the battery is more than 5 years old, consider just replacing now.​

    PepBoys has a cheap and GOOD, 12V AGM battery for the Prius. $146.24 Bosch.
    Direct fit. JIS battery posts. Vent tube hole. 4year straight warranty (no proration). 45Amp hour battery.
    AVOID the YellowTop Optimas b/c it is only 38Amp hour.

    The dealer may have NOT even checked the battery. OR, if they did, the 12V reading was marginally acceptable, say 12.5V, at the time of reading. Hours later in your posession, the 12V battery continued to discrage.
     
    #12 exstudent, May 13, 2019
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  13. exstudent

    exstudent Senior Member

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    #13 exstudent, May 13, 2019
  14. hybridmel

    hybridmel Junior Member

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    I am pretty sure it will be #4. That's really my only option currently. Also, wouldn't running the car in Ready mode for 12-24 hours cause the battery to die?

    The trouble with buying a battery myself is I am not particularly comfortable changing a car battery, and unfortunately, none of my friends/relatives want to touch it, either.

    Unfortunately, I am certain I won't be able to get into the dealership till next week. I could maybe beg and plead and say it's an emergency, but I don't want them thinking $$$. So, in the meantime, just keeping it charged via either #1 or jump-starting it. (I live in a very small town, so I don't even know where I could get an AGM battery charger, and if so, it probably wouldn't be for a couple of days.) should keep it going?
     
    #14 hybridmel, May 13, 2019
  15. edthefox5

    edthefox5 Senior Member

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    Go on amazon and buy the CITEK MUS4.3 battery charger. It has a recondition mode. Overnight it. I have one there pretty good.

    Put it on charge till the "battery is full" light comes on then put it on recondition mode till that light comes on. It will fix that battery enough to get to the dealer.

    Do not hook the charger directly to the battery that's a the best way to damage your car. Open the hood and black plastic fuse box on the right. take that cover off. There's a red plastic cap that is covering the 12 VOLT BATTERY JUMP POST.

    Flip the red cover up and then there's a vertical tang under it to connect the POSITIVE RED CABLE. Its a big flat metal tang that will accommodate the big jaws on any charger. That metal vertical tang is bolted directly to the 12 volt positive post in the trunk. Its just an extension of that battery and was put there by Toyota so you can easily jump start your car. Do not hook the charger to the battery in the trunk.

    The back negative charger cable goes to any bare chassis nut/bolt most use the bolt head right above that box.

    It also has reverse polarity protection too.

     
    #15 edthefox5, May 13, 2019
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  16. ChapmanF

    ChapmanF Senior Member

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    Only if it runs out of gas.
     
    #16 ChapmanF, May 13, 2019
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  17. exstudent

    exstudent Senior Member

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    READY is similar to a conventional car where the engine is running, spinning the alternator, which in turn charges the 12V battery. However, in a Prius, the gas engine will turn on periodically to make sure the HV battery is within parameters. The HV Battery supplies energy to the 12V bus that recharges the 12V battery. As the HV battery goes down, the Prius gas engine will activate to recharge the HV battery. So, don't run out of gas.

    Many auto parts stores will replace the 12V battery for free or a very small fee (cheaper than dealer).
    Call repair shops to see how much they charge for a 12V battery install.

    Search "prius 12v battery replacement" on youtube. Watch a few videos to see if this is something you believe you can handle; some videos are Gen2 (2004-2009), others are Gen3 (2010-2015). This videos isn't bad; only critique is he used an Optima (38Amp Hr), and is giving up 7Amp hr by not going w/ a Toyota TrueStart, Bosch, Exide, or ACDelco (45Amp Hr).
     
    #17 exstudent, May 14, 2019
    Last edited: May 14, 2019
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  18. TMR-JWAP

    TMR-JWAP Senior Member

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    Mel,

    What is your location? You may be right next to a fellow forum member who could give you a hand. If you're close to me, I'd be happy to help you swap a battery.

    Most of the auto parts stores in my area won't even touch a hybrid 12v. They all say company policy ,blah blah blah....
     
    #18 TMR-JWAP, May 14, 2019
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  19. landspeed

    landspeed Active Member

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    I don't know how they missed it, but, the 12v battery is definitely not good, and low voltages have been known to cause all kinds of error codes;

    That charger posted above by edthefox5 is a good one, if you are not replacing the battery. If it won't hold charge, then you need a new 12v battery.
     
    #19 landspeed, May 15, 2019
  20. Marty2go

    Marty2go Junior Member

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    This is indicative of the engine shutting off but the computer screen does not shut off. When the dash lights are not turning on and off correctly you may think that everything is shut off but if you look sometimes the computer screen is still on therefor your battery will run down in about an hour or so. When the dash lights go out and the computer is still on you must get it to turn off also. The way to do this is to hit the power button twice fairly quick, if it doesnt work, time your two hits either quicker or slower and the computer will shut off i'm sure. Always check the screen when the dassh has been giving you trouble. If the dash won't turn on, unplug the 12v battery. sometimes thats the only way to get them on again. Good luck and don't run out of gas.
     
    #20 Marty2go, Jul 11, 2022
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