1. Attachments are working again! Check out this thread for more details and to report any other bugs.

Check Hybrid System light, engine rattling, limp mode -- NO OIL?

Discussion in 'Gen 3 Prius Care, Maintenance & Troubleshooting' started by elleonleo, Jan 6, 2023.

  1. elleonleo

    elleonleo Junior Member

    Joined:
    Aug 12, 2016
    23
    5
    0
    Location:
    bay area
    Vehicle:
    2010 Prius
    Model:
    II
    Well you were right that the check hybrid system light came back on after I tried to drive it a little more. The loud ICE noise has gotten much softer but it's definitely in limp mode. Is it worth doing egr/intake/throttle clean?
     
  2. elleonleo

    elleonleo Junior Member

    Joined:
    Aug 12, 2016
    23
    5
    0
    Location:
    bay area
    Vehicle:
    2010 Prius
    Model:
    II
    One thing I'll mention is that when I go in reverse, the engine noise completely stops.
     
  3. Mendel Leisk

    Mendel Leisk EGR Fanatic

    Joined:
    Oct 17, 2010
    56,686
    39,235
    80
    Location:
    Greater Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
    Vehicle:
    2010 Prius
    Model:
    Touring
    Verify head gasket integrity first. Might also be piston arm bending. And damper damage. If and when that's all sorted, get on the EGR cleaning.

    My 2 cents: a lack of timely cleaning of the carbon build-up in the EGR circuit is what's blowing the head gaskets. Belated cleaning will not reverse the head gasket failure. Nor straighten piston arms, "heal" dampers.

    Was that a cold-start in the video?
     
    #23 Mendel Leisk, Jan 9, 2023
    Last edited: Jan 9, 2023
  4. elleonleo

    elleonleo Junior Member

    Joined:
    Aug 12, 2016
    23
    5
    0
    Location:
    bay area
    Vehicle:
    2010 Prius
    Model:
    II
    Thank you everyone for your thoughts thus far.

    A guy I know is going to come clean egr/intake/throttle today. And hopefully look at headgasket.

    Looks like new engine installed would cost me 4k in NYC. That's not horrible and might give me a few more years.

    I know the ICE and hybrid system work together, but I'm just worried that the Check Hybrid System light still won't be fixed after an engine swap.
     
  5. Brian1954

    Brian1954 Senior Member

    Joined:
    Jan 31, 2021
    1,114
    412
    0
    Location:
    South Central PA, USA
    Vehicle:
    2011 Prius
    Model:
    III
    Use your scanner and check the trouble codes again to see if they are the same as what you posted in post #15 above.

    Based on the recording of the engine noise, you need to take you car to a mechanic to get a good diagnosis.

    Posted via the PriusChat mobile app.
     
    #25 Brian1954, Jan 9, 2023
    Last edited: Jan 9, 2023
  6. rjparker

    rjparker Tu Humilde Sirviente

    Joined:
    Jun 6, 2008
    8,498
    5,064
    7
    Location:
    Texas Hill Country
    Vehicle:
    2012 Prius v wagon
    Model:
    Three
    Reverse is always ev only.
     
  7. elleonleo

    elleonleo Junior Member

    Joined:
    Aug 12, 2016
    23
    5
    0
    Location:
    bay area
    Vehicle:
    2010 Prius
    Model:
    II
    Thank you all.
    So, a mechanic i know came by and deduced that the throttle body was messed up and that that's why it wasn't accelerating now. Indeed it did sound like the sound was coming from the throttle body (which surprised me). We opened it up, and it was pretty damn clean, so if it is the throttle body, it would be something electronic inside. My understanding is that's super not common. But the sound truly was coming from there. I ordered a new throttle body and he will install on thursday. Could this really be the primary problem right now (the limp mode, and check hybrid system light, etc).

    I asked him to clean EGR and intake manifold. We looked at them and honestly although there was buildup there was no visible obstruction in either. We're gonna clean them up anyway (though we're not taking out the EGR completely, just the pipe and cleaning from there.

    This in total is costing around $400 with new throttle,cleaning and oil change. Which I think is a decent price. However, anymore and I will back track and probably do an engine swap, which I got a quote for approximately 3k (jdm engine).

    Thoughts?
     
  8. jerrymildred

    jerrymildred Senior Member

    Joined:
    Oct 28, 2016
    11,518
    14,128
    0
    Location:
    Tampa, FL
    Vehicle:
    2017 Prius
    Model:
    Two
    That won't help one bit. The worst of the problem is in the ports inside the intake manifold. They clog up in a sequence with #1 cylinder being the worst. And the EGR cooler is also prone to complete clogging. If you don't take those out and clean them, it's like fixing one link of a chain that has several about to break.
    You can't see the places that need to be cleaned without removing the intake manifold and the EGR cooler.

    I'll be surprised if the throttle body fixes the noise. But at least it's an easy swap. What did your guy mean specifically by "messed up?"

    The noise in your video sounds more air related to me than pure metal on metal. Vacuum leak?
     
    Mendel Leisk and Grit like this.
  9. elleonleo

    elleonleo Junior Member

    Joined:
    Aug 12, 2016
    23
    5
    0
    Location:
    bay area
    Vehicle:
    2010 Prius
    Model:
    II
    We did take out the manifold and will clean that more deeply. I can ask if he can take out the egr cooler in addition to the valve. Like I said they didn't look so bad though tbh.

    As for the throttle body--I do not know. I'm skeptical that this is causing the problem but keeping fingers crossed? The sound did seem localized to the throttle body, and the car was no longer accelerating. I'm buying a used oem throttle to replace. The knocking/rattling sound that I had heard before seems to be gone?.
    -Mel
     
  10. elleonleo

    elleonleo Junior Member

    Joined:
    Aug 12, 2016
    23
    5
    0
    Location:
    bay area
    Vehicle:
    2010 Prius
    Model:
    II
    jerrymildred likes this.
  11. elleonleo

    elleonleo Junior Member

    Joined:
    Aug 12, 2016
    23
    5
    0
    Location:
    bay area
    Vehicle:
    2010 Prius
    Model:
    II
    UPDATE AND CONCLUSION (FOR NOW): looks like it really was the throttle body unbelievably. Replaced it, and had EGR valve (not cooler) and intake manifold also cleaned. That along with new battery (I somehow still was using the OG battery) and doing proper oil change, Car is getting better mpgs and engine seems like it's coming on less and generally quieter. I still hear some knocking/rattling upon start, but that isn't any worse.

    I have this feeling that part of what caused the damage was actually electrical. I let the old battery die again, and then used this inexpensive jump starter which sort of worked. Anyway I clearly don't know anything and am largely guessing here. But car is working again!
     
    ASRDogman and bisco like this.
  12. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

    Joined:
    May 11, 2005
    110,156
    50,059
    0
    Location:
    boston
    Vehicle:
    2012 Prius Plug-in
    Model:
    Plug-in Base
    congrats!(y)
     
  13. nicoj36

    nicoj36 Active Member

    Joined:
    Oct 15, 2013
    500
    159
    0
    Vehicle:
    2010 Prius
    Model:
    II
    BG hybrid repair kit
     
  14. Mendel Leisk

    Mendel Leisk EGR Fanatic

    Joined:
    Oct 17, 2010
    56,686
    39,235
    80
    Location:
    Greater Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
    Vehicle:
    2010 Prius
    Model:
    Touring
    With 130~140k, do get on the full EGR clean, soon. That mechanic may bankrupt you though; DIY is the way to go. You can do all this. Last time I did it, didn’t even raise the front. If you don’t drop anything lifting is avoidable, but it’s good to have the capability, just in case.

    anyway, if I haven’t mentioned: see first 2 links in my signature.
     
  15. elleonleo

    elleonleo Junior Member

    Joined:
    Aug 12, 2016
    23
    5
    0
    Location:
    bay area
    Vehicle:
    2010 Prius
    Model:
    II
    What will this be helpful?
    Thanks everyone!
     
  16. nicoj36

    nicoj36 Active Member

    Joined:
    Oct 15, 2013
    500
    159
    0
    Vehicle:
    2010 Prius
    Model:
    II
    It eliminates oil consumption.
     
  17. ASRDogman

    ASRDogman Senior Member

    Joined:
    May 29, 2018
    6,424
    3,413
    0
    Location:
    Florida
    Vehicle:
    2010 Prius
    Model:
    Two
    the bg kit MAY help with oil consumpsion.
    "IF" you do it early enough, it may delay it.

    I used it, it did nothing. Except cost me money. But I gave it a try.