A list of common questions/problems that crop up here and what to do about them. ...a work in progress... by no means complete. I just filled up my tank and my check engine light came on. -Make sure your gas cap is tight, then restart your car 3 times. If this doesn't make the light go away, it's time for a trip to the dealer. I can't get much gas in my tank. -The bladder makes filling up in a prius quite different than other cars. You will probably not get the whole 11.9 gallons in there, and as the weather gets colder the tank capacity will shrink. Try filling up slowly. Also, if you find a gas station pump that works, keep using that one. I ran out of gas and added one gallon, but the car still will not start. -You need to add at least 3 gallons before the car will recognize that you've added anything. Then you should be good to go. My gas gauge is stuck on 10 bars even after 100+ miles of driving. -The gas gauge is "top-heavy" so the first few bars will take longer to go out. This means the last few do go quickly! It's cold out and my water pump is screaming. -It does tend to get noisier when outside temperatures drop. This has proven to be normal. However, if the noise continues to get worse, your dealer can force the pump to run and check to be sure it's okay. I have a rattle in the back of my car. -Check that the rear seats are locked upright. If they're not locked upright they can rattle. This is not the only thing that causes rattles but it's very common. Every now and again I hear an "errr" sound from the front end of the car. -This is the brake pressure accumulator pump. It will do this from time to time. However if it does this ALL the time you want to have it checked out. I just had my oil changed, but the "Maintenance Required" light is still on. -1. Turn the power switch IG-ON and make sure that the ODO/TRIP meter is the odometer display. 2. Turn the power switch OFF. 3. While pushing the "ODO/ TRIP meter switching & TRIP meter reset" switch, turn the power switch IG-ON. 4. Until the resetting is completed, the reminder light flashes. 5. The resetting is completed when the reminder light turns OFF. Release the "ODO/TRIP meter switching & TRIP meter reset" switch. 6. After the resetting is completed, the ODO/TRIP meter displays as a set of zeros for 1 second. Then, the ODO/TRIP meter displays the your normal odometer mileage. My 2004's MFD says "Check A/C connection" and does not want to work. -You have the classic MFD failure. If you're under warranty, you get a new screen for free. If you're out of warranty, you can get a refurbished one for $400-$500. I had new tires put on my 2006 or 2007 and they broke a TPMS sensor. -The installer needs to buy you a new one and install it. Before they install, they need to write down the ID code from the sensor itself. THen you need to go to the dealer and have them program the ID into your TPMS ECU. The tire installer should be paying for all of this. There is a yellow light on the dash that looks like (!) -One of your tires is low on pressure. Check your tire pressures and fill them to the correct pressure. Then reset your pressures. Press and hold the Set switch under your steering wheel, the TPMS light will flash 3 times and then turn off within 3 seconds. You're ready to go. I had new rims installed on my 2006 or 2007 and the TPMS light is constantly on. -Unfortuantely without sensors this will happen. Your options are to ignore the light, transfer the sensors from your old rims to the new ones, or buy new sensors for the new rims.
Very good start, Galaxee. Here's another one: I hear a rattle from the dash area. -Check to make sure the shelf in the upper glove box is "installed" correctly.
"I just had my oil change and now I'm getting lower gas mileage than before" Two things to take a look at.... 1)Tire pressure. If you've been running at higher than OEM recommended pressures the dealer likely lowered the pressure to 35f/33r on you hot tires....thus they may be even lower than that when cold (when you're supposed to check and set tire pressure). So, pump them back up to where you like them when they are cold. 2)Check oil level...if significantly above the 'max' line it could adversely affect your mileage. Have the dealer drain some of that oil if necessary.
Hey G. This is a great idea and a great resource. In fact, I like it so much that I've stolen it. (but I give you credit) Check it out on the ChicagoPriusGroup website http://www.geocities.com/chicagopriusgroup Click the "What To Do If..." link in the NavBar Next, I'm going to incorporate the "Hybrid Myth Busters" page from the thread.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(efusco @ Nov 30 2006, 06:24 PM) [snapback]355785[/snapback]</div> I've often wondered how the dealer would 'drain off' some of the overfill - how can they ?. I'm thinking they'd have to undo the drain bolt in the sump and whoosh out comes all the oil. Wouldn't they in fact have to empty and refill again ?
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(pinball @ Dec 1 2006, 01:36 PM) [snapback]356297[/snapback]</div> Actually, it's pretty easy to find small hand pumps with either an assortment of tiny tubes or just buy a tube to fit. I do used oil analysis and use a Caterpillar oil sample pump, as I have my oil tested at a Caterpillar lab. It was very easy for me to find a small flexible plastic tube that fits into the dipstick tube, though it would probably take a long time to siphon out say a quart of oil. At my hobby farm I have a Mityvac fluid evacuator that came with an assortment of plastic tubes. My last oil change I tried it on my Prius and had the oil pan almost empty in less than a minute.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(galaxee @ Nov 30 2006, 12:51 PM) [snapback]355758[/snapback]</div> I hope this one is wrong. If what you say is true and you ran out of gas on the side of the road and someone came along with a normal sized 2 gallon gas can it would do no good. I doubt this is true. The gauge may not register adding less than 2.5 or 3 gallons but I would bet the car would still start and run. At least it should.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(jburns @ Dec 2 2006, 12:01 AM) [snapback]356574[/snapback]</div> just going on reports since it's never happened to me. http://priuschat.com/index.php?showtopic=15028
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(galaxee @ Dec 2 2006, 12:17 AM) [snapback]356579[/snapback]</div> hmmm I would definitely consider that a poor design. I'll try and look into this further as my curiosity is aroused.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(jburns @ Dec 1 2006, 09:01 PM) [snapback]356574[/snapback]</div> It may be true, but my own experience in "running out of gas" only required 1 gallon to get it restarted. I think I had to make several attempts. OTOH, it may not have been completely out of gas, as I had gone less than 10 miles after the pip started flashing and I was within two miles of the next station. It took about 10 gallons total to "fill" it. Dave M.
i think in some cases one gallon is enough but for some it doesn't want to start without 3. maybe has something to do with how far you go after the dashboard christmas tree lights up? so if one doesn't work, try three.
Why is there a little red car with a key blinking on my dash panel? This means your smart key is active and working!
There's a rattle apparently coming from somewhere in or above the dash; I've already checked the glove box tray. Open and re-close the bottle holder at the front of the center console. Weirdly, a rattle there can sound as though it's coming from the dash.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(richard schumacher @ Dec 2 2006, 12:19 PM) [snapback]356711[/snapback]</div> Also check to see if your sunglasses are rattling in the sunglass holder...I suggest padding the space with a lens cleaning micro-fiber cloth...stops the rattle and is convenient for cleaning the glasses.
