Prius ICE won't turn on. Limp mode.

Hello I put some cataclean in the gas tank because my catalytic converter is getting worse. I was hoping I could buy some time to replace it which in hindsight I won't ever do again.

So my Prius the past couple days has been driving like the Cat was clogged prior to me doing this. It'd lose power Going uphill and have a sound like a paper plate into a box fan flapping sound when I tried accelerating. It could still get to normal speeds it'd just have that tapping sound which fit evey online description of what a clogged Cat does and I have both codes for my catalytic converter.

I realize this was all A HUGE mistake and if I could go back in time I would but that doesn't help me now.

So while driving i suddenly lost power and it went into limp mode. I'd usually always drive fast enough to where that sound wouldn't present itself but was hoping the cataclean would do its job so drove at normal speeds while I was beginning to go uphill.

I realize this was all a huge mistake now so please don't lecture Me. I just REALLY need help now because it won't go into drive.

I have error codes P0456. P3190. POA4B. P0401. P0420

The only error code I had was A red steering wheel with an exclamation point and the check engine yellow symbol which I've had periodically since I owned it because of the catalytic converter code.

I've unplugged and plugged it in several times and have never changed the 12 volt battery so I believe that is drained too now because its acting like it's possessed. It'll make a whirring sound when I try shutting it off and the yesterday when I connected the battery terminal back In it immediately turned on like I had just pressed the power button. When I'd press the brake pedal it'd flash all kinds of codes and would intermittently go in and out like a dead battery would. So I believe the battery was already low but me trying to troubleshoot it drained it completely.

It's an absolute nightmare and I've been using the car to make money and now I'm completely screwed if I don't get it going.

Any help would be beyond appreciated and trust me if this ever happened again I'd change the Cat immediately

 

By charge you mean jump start correct? It's worth a shot. I'll try it. I've hooked jumper cables up to the area in the fuse box and it worked. First time I ever jump started It ever.

Oh the Cat is definitely shot so was hoping to clean it. I'm concerned that red steering wheel and exclamation point could mean fuel related issue because from what I read that dashboard light can indicate issue with fuel too. And I've ran cataclean and seafoam through the gas tank within the last couple months several times. Not at the Same time but several.

 

It had no problems holding A charge until it died while in route and went into limp mode. I disconnected and connected battery several times to no avail. That's when the red battery dashboard light came on. I can easily drive for 4 hours without stopping. That's not a problem whatsoever.

It's the red steering wheel exclamation point dashboard light That's throwing me off and preventing the ICE engine from engaging. That dashboard light can also be related to the fuel pump and fuel filter I've found out from the non stop researching I've done since it happened. Very irritating way to for Toyota to do these things. It'd be much easier if they told me EXACTLY what I need to do instead of deciphering through the multitude of possible options. Craziness

 

I'm not confused by anything. The dashlight symbols I have are the red steering wheel with exclamation point and the check engine light

 

There aren't any warning lights. How its related to the gas tank inadvertently was something I found on the internet. I'll post what I read.

 

I meant there aren't any warning sounds not warning dashboard lights. My apologies. There aren't any warning sounds. There is the red steering wheel with exclamation point. Check engine light. And check hybrid system. ICE won't turn on. Had to have it towed home. Been sitting 7 days. I live 50 miles from the city. To say this hasn't been an absolute nightmare is an understatement.

I have 7 error codes related that I've researched thoroughly. I'll list them

 

I PROMISE you if I had the red triangle of death I'd had mentioned it in at least one of the numerous posts I've posted so far. It's a little perplexing how dumb You must think people are. Why anyone on planet earth wouldn't mention the worst dashboard lights that exists is beyond me.

I've used several scanners. They all say the same thing.

And my apologies it mentions the code for the catalytic converter more then once. Same code but multiple times. The P0401 code if I remember correctly. It lists two of the codes twice. If it's that significant I'll go hook up to it and find out which ones it lists twice. Both of them had to do with the Cat which I've known was bad and used to smell melting but after everything I read on the internet assumed it'd be thousands of dollars. I found A shop up the street thats going to do it for hundreds not thousands and the part wasn't expensive at all after I researched it for awhile.

I'd just have changed it immediately if not for the majority of idiots online saying its be a 3-4 thousand dollar job. I'm getting it done for a small fraction of that. Lesson learned. Do your own diagnostics and research!!

I've listed the exact dashboard messages that there are. It's almost insulting to insinuate that im that incompetent to list exactly what i see. I can see what dashboard warning codes are listed. The red triangle of death looks nothing like A red steering wheel and exclamation point. I have two perfectly healthy eyes that can see without problem

 

It has 7 but lists the same one twice. Both related to the cat and exhaust system. I believe it's the p0401. If it's that crucial I'll go hook it up again and tell you which ones are listed twice.

And thank you. I've been trying to tell people that I think thats the error code that is preventing the ICE from engaging. But everyone else seemed to think I just needed a new battery or something else very minor of the sort.

I had a front end collision with a highway sign 5 or 6 months ago. It messed up the front bumper and left a very small dent In the hood. I havent ran a scan since then because I didn't own one then and I drove away from the situation just fine.

I lost control and served and ended up on the side of the road In the Nevada desert. I'm an animal lover and A coyote darted right in front of me while I was going 70 mph. I did a 360 took out a highway sign and ended up way off the side of the road on in the Nevada desert surrounded by Joshua trees. I drove away fine but did change the bumper. I do wish I'd had scanned now obviously because I don't know if that code has been there since then or not. That was 8 months ago. I lost my tail lights last month and whenever I change the fuse after changing the bulb the fuse immediately blows. If it's the transaxle generator then I'm wasting everyone's time because I'm for sure not getting that fixed. If replacing that is what it's going to take to get the car to drive again then that car isn't going to get fixed.

 

I'm most definitely guilty of assuming the worst. 100 percent guilty as charged

 

My apologies yes its written on the dash. The scanner I bought I also downloaded an app and it gives Me even more info sort of but not really. It lists the same error codes as the scanner