2008 with 290k miles - brake, ABS and VSC lights on

If you don't have a scan tool that can show you the trouble codes, get them this way instead, and post them here:

Blink (a/k/a Flash) Codes – How to. | PriusChat

 

In general, even if the malfunction indicator (warning) lights are out, whatever triggered them should be retained in the ecu as a history code - at least for a few key cycles.

CarScanner can read some data and codes from the ECM, Hybrid Control, and HV battery ecu, but not much more.

If you want to look at some other scantool apps and devices, read this review thread. Several options can get codes and data (and more) from all systems on a Gen2 Prius.

https://priuschat.com/index.php?posts/3290690

Posted via the PriusChat mobile app.

 

I purchased a 2007 recently with 260K miles and had the same lights on. I expected to be replacing the abs pump module and even heard it pumping what seemed like more often than it probably should have. Seller had no issue with brakes and I drove it home and agreed that the brakes felt great.

In a desperate attempt to avoid a big expensive job (that brake actuator), I hooked up my tech stream and had it go through a brake diagnostic routine. It was pretty cool, I could hear all the different wheels making noise and all kinds of clicking up front as valves were opened and closed. At the end of it all, the lights went out. Haven't come back in the few weeks that I have been driving it. Too soon to see if that "fixed" things, but I did read that the diagnostic routine can possibly free up valves that are binding.

As a side note, the seller was a young man that drove the Prius as much like a race car as you can drive a Prius. The front wheels were covered in brake dust. Something I had never seen before on a Prius. I drive in a way that I hardly use the brakes.

It took me years to get Techstream on an old laptop, but now I use it from time to time, so I am glad I have it.

 

which lights? The ABS, VSC, Brake or the entire cluster? Other lights in the vehicle?

 

I had an old pc that I could dedicate to this but I installed an Ubuntu Linux OS and then installed Virtual Box. The windows 10 with tech stream vm I found online. I believe I was able to follow along with a YouTube video by blue moonshine but there are others. You have to purchase a mini vci cable. Found that on amazon and just verified that purchasers were able to use it

 

As those three lights indicate brake system issues, and sometimes it is good to know what those are sooner rather than later, the method of retrieving the codes up in post #2 might be of use, in the interim while the scan tool situation might not be sorted yet.

 

Brake dust is cheap Chinese pads

 

Techstream usually installs in one go on windows 7, I lucked out and have a few old military handheld pc's with windows 7 on them. One mini usb male to usb2 female dongle and an adaptor is all I needed, here is what to search on amazon to find the exact cable:

Washinglee OBD2 Diagnostic Cable for Toyota Lexus Scion, USB Diagnostic Scanner Cable Compatible for TIS Techstream and 32/64 bit Windows

 

I agree that these can be hard to find unless you are lucky enough to have a surplus of old computers. I suggest looking into installing Virtual Box (free virtualization software) and then you have a good chance of finding and downloading the complete image of windows XP with tech stream installed. Free Virtual Box + download and run windows/techstream. I think the only issue i had is a setting in virtual box to make sure the USB on the laptop was connected to the Windows virtual machine. It may sound complicated, but it isn't. Worth watching that blue moonshine video if you have time.
I also consider this a low risk install. Virtual Box is owned by Oracle and should be a safe install. Whatever runs in Virtual Box should be compartmentalized and not effect/infect your computer.

 

Sometimes it takes a while to get through the process of setting up Techstream or another adequate scan tool, and meanwhile, if the car has a problem turning the brake warning lights on, it can still be useful to find out why. That can be done with the procedure upthread in post #2, without waiting for all the Techstream kinks to be ironed out.