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

Can someone please explain to me what exactly is going on

Discussion in 'Gen 2 Prius Care, Maintenance and Troubleshooting' started by G0LDM@N, May 30, 2024.

  1. G0LDM@N

    G0LDM@N New Member

    Joined:
    May 18, 2024
    14
    1
    1
    Location:
    Baltimore Maryland
    Vehicle:
    2008 Prius
    Model:
    N/A
    So if anyone has been following my posts I've been having problems with my prius. The vehicle had catalytic converter codes camshaft position codes and ac dc inverter codes. I took it to a dealer and they said I needed a new acdc inverter and new rear brakes. I suspected this was a scam because they didn't say the camshaft position sensor needs to be replaced or recommended the camshaft position sensor needs to be replaced. Ontop of that my brakes which multiple people who road my car said were wonderful needed to be replaced. So the big head tech of the dealer took a look at it and said the inverter water pump went out which was causing the issue but after tapping on it it works now. After explaining to him that the error code had been off and on but came on when i made sharp turns he was able to figure out my car was low on oil. After putting some oil in the car he says all codes went off. Now I know you can turn the codes off using a scanner and I'm curious if anyone else suspects this is what they did. Either way how exactly can low oil cause hybrid fault camshaft and catalytic converter codes to come on?
     
  2. Tombukt2

    Tombukt2 Senior Member

    Joined:
    Nov 29, 2020
    10,372
    1,792
    0
    Location:
    Durham NC
    Vehicle:
    2009 Prius
    Model:
    Base
    No the running low on oil will allow the red triangle to come on when you go around the corner kind of spirited driving like a little old lady this won't happen to The master warning light or the triangle comes on to let you know that something is wrong somewhere It is not a code light like the! The ABS and the VSC light. Scam I don't know about all the scam business everybody wants to use these words instantaneously these days but anyway point is they figured it out you were low on oil I guess nobody thought about looking or checking that because everyone's more interested in talking about the codes that you have and the related dialogue that goes with those codes. Had they just checked the engine oil in the fluids and topped up the engine oil then there you go The codes could be previously stored and the light not on that's possible and you're not going to see those codes until somebody with the capable scanner has it connected and asks the car for the codes. Some codes will be held in memory waiting for them to come back again to turn the master control light on If you haven't met the conditions then it doesn't come on. But a technician who scans the car he gets to see a little deeper than that this has been set this has been set that is not they're pending these are permanent and stored and these are active currently there's a lot of dialogue to sift through.
     
  3. Leadfoot J. McCoalroller

    Leadfoot J. McCoalroller Senior Member

    Joined:
    May 12, 2018
    7,427
    6,913
    1
    Location:
    Pennsylvania
    Vehicle:
    2018 Prius c
    Model:
    Two
    No clue on the cam sensor, but regarding the oil and the catalytic converter:

    If the oil is in an older engine, the oil can be slowly burnt along with the gasoline. This produces much more pollution in the exhaust than usual. If you push all of those bonus pollutants through a catalytic converter, the catalyst will eventually lose performance. Eventually the oil volume drops low enough to go below the suction intake on the pump, which causes the pressure to drop and the dash alarm goes off.

    In other words, that engine is pretty tired. It's burning oil, and the oil burning is now causing other parts to go bad in a cascading failure.

    I suspect the cam sensor is just a fluke; not at all related. But I wouldn't worry about it too much, because I think you're going to need either a new engine or a new car soon, and either way it'll come with a new sensor.

    It is worth knowing that the oil pressure alarm is not a 'code.' That one is a live alarm. If there isn't enough oil pressure, the indicator lights up and the beeper starts beeping. If oil pressure comes back for any reason, the beeper goes silent and the light goes off in real time.

    That's because low oil pressure is an emergency condition- a thing that could kill the engine in seconds.

    All the problems that get referred to as 'codes' are just that, diagnostic codes. They can usually wait for somebody to figure out what they mean, so those require a deliberate reset to clear.
     
  4. G0LDM@N

    G0LDM@N New Member

    Joined:
    May 18, 2024
    14
    1
    1
    Location:
    Baltimore Maryland
    Vehicle:
    2008 Prius
    Model:
    N/A
    I'm trying to get ahold of the tech that fixed my car. I'm curious if it will pass inspection at this point given that all the codes are off and everything seems.to be working fine for the moment. I'm taking a trip tomorrow hope no lights come on.
     
  5. Brian1954

    Brian1954 Senior Member

    Joined:
    Jan 31, 2021
    1,106
    410
    0
    Location:
    South Central PA, USA
    Vehicle:
    2011 Prius
    Model:
    III
    How many miles are on the car?

    Creating multiple threads (this is the 5th) for the problems with your 2008 Prius is VERY confusing and does not help with continuity for troubleshooting purposes. In two of your previous threads, you were advised to purchase a more capable scan tool so that you can read all the trouble codes, not just a few of the codes that your car has. You seem to be ignoring this advice. No one will be able to help you until you read all the trouble codes and post them in this forum.
     
    Danno5060 likes this.
  6. G0LDM@N

    G0LDM@N New Member

    Joined:
    May 18, 2024
    14
    1
    1
    Location:
    Baltimore Maryland
    Vehicle:
    2008 Prius
    Model:
    N/A
    I bought a more capable scan tool but there are no codes at the moment
     
    Tombukt2 likes this.
  7. Tombukt2

    Tombukt2 Senior Member

    Joined:
    Nov 29, 2020
    10,372
    1,792
    0
    Location:
    Durham NC
    Vehicle:
    2009 Prius
    Model:
    Base
    Your device tells you there's no trouble codes so that means there's no lights on the dash maybe except for the tire monitor or the PO420 code for the catalyst and it doesn't matter in your state but other than that no ABS lights no master warning triangle none of that stuff correct? And what is your more capable scan tool Is it on the list here in this forum or something you just picked up because the advertisement said it would work? Just curious you don't mention what scanner you got you just say it's more capable because why? It says so on the box or.
     
  8. Brian1954

    Brian1954 Senior Member

    Joined:
    Jan 31, 2021
    1,106
    410
    0
    Location:
    South Central PA, USA
    Vehicle:
    2011 Prius
    Model:
    III
    What did you buy?

    How many miles on your Prius?
     
  9. G0LDM@N

    G0LDM@N New Member

    Joined:
    May 18, 2024
    14
    1
    1
    Location:
    Baltimore Maryland
    Vehicle:
    2008 Prius
    Model:
    N/A
    I went onto the dr. Prius app and bought the panlong obd2 sensor which was stated to work with dr. Prius. No error codes for the battery and temporarily no codes for the engine but the p00420 code came back on. I took my car to a maryland inspection center and I needed some break work and an alignment the guy I paid to do my alignment didn't do it up to code
     
  10. Brian1954

    Brian1954 Senior Member

    Joined:
    Jan 31, 2021
    1,106
    410
    0
    Location:
    South Central PA, USA
    Vehicle:
    2011 Prius
    Model:
    III
    FYI, the Dr Prius app is very limited with what trouble codes it can read. A better choice for a scan tool is the Autel AP200 for about $60 at Amazon.

    You have still not answered my question about how many miles are on your Prius?
     
    #10 Brian1954, May 31, 2024
    Last edited: May 31, 2024
    Danno5060 likes this.
  11. G0LDM@N

    G0LDM@N New Member

    Joined:
    May 18, 2024
    14
    1
    1
    Location:
    Baltimore Maryland
    Vehicle:
    2008 Prius
    Model:
    N/A
    Nearly 300k
     
  12. jdenenberg

    jdenenberg EE Professor

    Joined:
    Nov 21, 2005
    3,872
    1,871
    1
    Location:
    Trumbull, CT
    Vehicle:
    2020 Prius
    Model:
    LE AWD-e
    When my 2004 Prius was approaching 300k miles, I decided that the required periodic maintenance (Brakes, Suspension, tires, plugs, coolant/pumps, etc.) Greatly exceeded the value of the car so I traded it in for a 2016 Prius. It may be time for you to consider a similar decision. It is, after all, a 16 year old car.

    JeffD
     
    Brian1954 and Danno5060 like this.
  13. G0LDM@N

    G0LDM@N New Member

    Joined:
    May 18, 2024
    14
    1
    1
    Location:
    Baltimore Maryland
    Vehicle:
    2008 Prius
    Model:
    N/A
    I can't really afford it I had a serious accident almost 3 years ago and even though I'm not at fault it's drastically increasing my insurance. I'm thinking about getting a motorcycle. With a little more work the car will pass inspection and I'll be able to transfer my stuff to Maryland