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Brake Warning Lights

Discussion in 'Gen 2 Prius Care, Maintenance and Troubleshooting' started by askreeger, Jan 28, 2006.

  1. askreeger

    askreeger New Member

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    2005: Intermittant warning lights come on and remain on until the the car is restarted. Four lights are involved: the red brake light; the "take me to the dealer" light, the VSC light; and, the ABS light.

    When I first took the car to the dealer, the service writer thought the problem was a loose gas cap. Alas, that was not the problem. When I picked up the car, they said the codes they pulled were ambiguious and they were uncertain the problem was fixed. They could not get the lights to reappear.

    There were no lights for about a week but now most of the time I start the car, the warning lights reappear.

    Any ideas?
     
    #1 askreeger, Jan 28, 2006
  2. richard schumacher

    richard schumacher shortbus driver

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    Take it to a different dealer?
     
    #2 richard schumacher, Jan 28, 2006
  3. tomdeimos

    tomdeimos New Member

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    This happened to my car once. It never happened again, so I ignored it.

    If it happens regularly now, seems like they should have a better chance to diagnose it now.
     
    #3 tomdeimos, Jan 28, 2006
  4. galaxee

    galaxee mostly benevolent

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    bring it in somewhere else. the brake warning light is not set by a loose gas cap. have them put their diagnostic tech on it- there's usually one or more at each dealer that excels at and really enjoys diagnostic work. that's the kind of person who should be working on that problem.

    if they say they can't replicate it, ask the tech if he'd keep it as his daily driver for a day or 2. that's what my DH does if there's an intermittent problem that he can't replicate right away.

    what the heck are they doing giving you a car back if they're not sure it's fixed??? :rolleyes:
     
    #4 galaxee, Jan 28, 2006
  5. DanMan32

    DanMan32 Senior Member

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    Sounds like an intermittent brake system problem to me. All of the lights refer to a component of brakes.
    Take Me Home (I like that) - generic for problem. Admittedly, not just for brakes, but brakes would probably trip it.
    Brakes - self explanitory.
    VSC - Vehicle Stability Control. Uses brakes to prevent you from fishtailing.
    ABS - modulates brakes to prevent wheel lockup when braking.

    Bad SKID ECU maybe? Or CAN communications to it.
     
    #5 DanMan32, Jan 31, 2006
  6. tochatihu

    tochatihu Senior Member

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    I read of one NHW20 that gave an unhappy light because of an intermittent wheel speed sensor connector, but I don't know which lights in particular came on.
     
    #6 tochatihu, Feb 1, 2006
  7. Don-RI

    Don-RI Member

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    <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(askreeger @ Jan 28 2006, 11:49 AM) [snapback]199337[/snapback]</div>
    Any updates on this? Just happened to me tonight -- 2004 BC9, about 41,000 miles.

    Dealer asked me if the car was "doing anything" as a result. To me, it seems as if the power is gone from the power brakes. I've loosened & tightened gas cap, and the brake lamps all light.

    Dealer will take a look at it tomorrow if he can fit me in. Fingers crossed.
     
    #7 Don-RI, Jul 6, 2006
  8. babsrocks

    babsrocks Junior Member

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    Same thing happened to me..... I took it to the dealer (Valenti Toyota in Westerly, RI) and they said it was a TSB (Something like a brake relay switch). And the lights haven't come on since.
     
    #8 babsrocks, Jul 8, 2006
  9. Don-RI

    Don-RI Member

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    <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(askreeger @ Jan 28 2006, 11:49 AM) [snapback]199337[/snapback]</div>
    Dealer did a diagnostics and got Code C1364 Info 243. They called CA tech assistance and were told to bleed the brake system. They did & the lights went out. :)

    An aside: the dealer had my Prius for three full days b/c they were "swamped" with work & had only one Prius tech working. Actual time spent on my car was only a couple of hours, of which I paid for only one given the insane wait for service. :(
     
    #9 Don-RI, Jul 9, 2006
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