Help! Getting codes for Generator Inverter Performance & Inverter "A" Cooling System Performance

Ok first let me say thanks so much for any and all the help that anyone provides. I live with and take care of my 89 year old mom and this is the only reliable car we have.

I have a 2012 Prius with 154,000 miles on it. Been a really great car, have replaced the hybrid battery and had spark plugs and that whole housing replaced along with the manifold. Those are the two biggest repairs.

Now the current problem. Lately I have been getting the temperature symbol on the dash, when running on the interstate. It would come on and then go away. I check the fluid level and it was low so I filled it up. Then recently as it got cold and started running the heat. I started to getting a sound on the inside behind the center console of rushing water. And the heater would work on and off.

Then yesterday, I was driving it and I was stopped, when I went to put on the gas the electric engine didn’t kick on and I got the triangle of death, check engine light and hybrid engine failure drive to a safe place. So I pulled into a parking lot. I have Carista OBD on the car. So the first thing I did was check the codes and got which I didn’t know exactly what it was. I did a little research sitting in the parking lot.

Basic OBD2:

P0A7A (Permanent) - Generator Inverter Performance

P0A93 (Permanent) - Inverter "A" Cooling System Performance

P0A94 (Permanent) (Pending) (Confirmed) - DC/DC Converter Performance

P0C3A (Pending) (Confirmed) - DC/DC Converter Temperature Sensor "A" Low

P0C3F (Pending) (Confirmed) - DC/DC Converter Temperature Sensor "B" Low

Hybrid engine:

P0A94 - DC/DC Converter Performance

P0C3A - DC/DC Converter Temperature Sensor "A" Low

P0C3F - DC/DC Converter Temperature Sensor "B" Low

ABS:

C1259 - Manufacturer-specific code

(tap to search)

C1310 - Manufacturer-specific code

(tap to search).

I kept resetting the codes but they just kept popping right back up. I drove the car to auto parts store to get things checked out. When I drove it, it wouldn’t engage the electric engine but ran on the gas engine. At the auto parts store the first reaction I get of course a Prius what is that ??? So I knew I was out of luck. I did have them check the 12 volt battery and they said it was fine, but I am not sure because the guy didn’t seem like he new what he was doing. I didn’t ask them to check the codes because I knew they wouldn’t do it right and it was getting dark and I had my 89 year old mom with me. So my next thought was to take the leads of the 12 volt to see if it will reset things. And of course that didn’t work. I then noticed the engine reservoir coolant was low so I bought some fluid and added it. That didn’t fix things. So I drove it home so I could get my mom home. Then started to doing research and found out about the inverter system cooling going bad and how to check that. So this is where I am this morning. I am about to check that pump and the inverter cooling, also look around to see if I can see anything in the daylight. Below is a copy of all the OBD readings along with pictures. Any thoughts, ideas or advice of things I need to check or look for that might be causing the problem. Thanks so much, I need to get this back up and running so I can get my mom to doctors appointments and run errands.
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P0A94 - DC/DC Converter Performance

Freeze frame :

Calculated load: 29 %

Coolant temperature: 76 °C

Intake manifold pressure: 28 kPa

Engine rpm: 992 RPM

Vehicle speed: 0 km/h

Intake air temperature: 47 °C

Absolute throttle position: 16 %

Time since engine start: 179 sec.

Number of warm-ups since diagnostic trouble code cleared: 0

Distance driven since diagnostic trouble code cleared: 0 km

Ambient air pressure: 99 kPa

Battery voltage as seen by the engine ECU: 14.57 V

Outside temperature: 11 °C

Absolute throttle position D: 16 %

Absolute throttle position E: 32 %

Time run by the engine since diagnostic trouble code (DTC) cleared: 0 min

Remaining live of hybrid battery pack: 51 %
--------
Basic OBD2:

P0A7A (Permanent) - Generator Inverter Performance

P0A93 (Permanent) - Inverter "A" Cooling System Performance

P0A94 (Permanent) (Pending) (Confirmed) - DC/DC Converter Performance

P0C3A (Pending) (Confirmed) - DC/DC Converter Temperature Sensor "A" Low

P0C3F (Pending) (Confirmed) - DC/DC Converter Temperature Sensor "B" Low



Hybrid engine:

P0A94 - DC/DC Converter Performance

P0C3A - DC/DC Converter Temperature Sensor "A" Low

P0C3F - DC/DC Converter Temperature Sensor "B" Low



ABS:

C1259 - Manufacturer-specific code

(tap to search)

C1310 - Manufacturer-specific code

(tap to search)

 

I saw that info on several other posts and the info about the class action lawsuit also. I put the car in mateince mode and inspected the fluid in the inverter and it did move or shake which I understand indicates the invverter pump might be out also.

 

I forgot to mention I am going to be looking into the warranty fix in the morning.

 

didn't

 

update time, called Toyota Cooperate told them the situation with codes and Vin # and they said the car was part of the recall and would have probably been part of the ZE3 and ZJB programs but they had been closed and moved to customer confidence program 3TE002 & 23TE03. And I got a case #. Then I did some google research on those two programs andd found the info from Toyota about those two programs. Then I found out their was a class action lawsuit against Toyota over these same problems Remy McCarthy, et al., v. Toyota Motor Corp., et al.. Under the programs and lawsuit if you get certain codes Toyota will fix the inverter and pay for the tow and a rental. I had Toyota customer care call the two local dealers and one said I would have to pay for a tow and the other never returned my call. So I contacted another Toyota dealer about 30 minutes away in another town and they took the case number, my VIN the program numbers, and said yes you are covered, I asked is towing and rental covered and they said yes. So I had it towedd down their yesterday, bonus they put me in a 2023 Prius Prime for the rental. They called me this morning and said that the 12 volt battery wasn't holding a charge and it needed to be replaced and would be 273.00 before they could do anything with it. At the time the car went down and I had it at home running codes and trying to diagnoise the problem myself the 12 volt battery was fine, but because of the holiday the car had to sit for 5 days and when I went out to have it towed yesterday the tow truck driver had to jump it of, we drove it got it on the flatbed towing truck got it to the dealer and it wouldn't crank again to get it off the flatbed we had to jump it again. Here is my question would the inverter problem cause damage to the 12 volt ??? Or was it because it sat for 5 days and turned real cold that would cause the battery to not hold a charge ??

 

They did load test it and it wouldn't hold a charge, sorry thought I said this