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Car doesn't start occasionally

Discussion in 'Gen 2 Prius Care, Maintenance and Troubleshooting' started by WatsonJoey, Mar 7, 2005.

  1. WatsonJoey

    WatsonJoey New Member

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    At 18,000 miles, my 2004 Prius usually starts promptly in all Boston weather, but occasionally, even just after I've driven it it won't start,
    just goes to amber and stays there.
    The times it won't start the screen lights up and shows the battery space as all white, with no blue or green blocks. Then a few minutes later it may start just fine.
    Also, sometimes when I get into the car
    the dashboard left and right directionals flash once or twice for no reason.
    Any connection between the two? Dealer is checking it out, doesn't
    know.
     
    #1 WatsonJoey, Mar 7, 2005
  2. DaveG

    DaveG Member

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    Are you sure you're pressing the brake pedal hard enough when you power-on? If you're not pressing the pedal hard enough, the car will only go to accessory-on mode rather than full power-on.

    Maybe a bad connection in the brake pedal position sensor - I remember seeing a toyota bulletin about that, but not sure if it is relevant for a Prius.

    The dashboard directionals sound like possibly the alarm system arming or disarming.

    Dave.
     
    #2 DaveG, Mar 7, 2005
  3. jrfaris

    jrfaris Member

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    You might check this Knowledge Base post. It's happened to me a few times, usually when I'm in a hurry and hit the brake & Start button quickly.
     
    #3 jrfaris, Mar 7, 2005
  4. rick57

    rick57 Member

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    Since you say it is at the dealer,I'm sure they are checking for any open recalls. There is one that may cause that no start symptom, 40L Brake Light Switch. Yes it controls the stop lights but the system also needs to see the pedal depressed to go ahead and start the car. But I don't think it is tied to the blinkers. That could be a different concern.
     
    #4 rick57, Mar 7, 2005
  5. naterprius

    naterprius Senior Member

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    I had this same problem with mine on Friday. I am way outside the brake light recall, but even so, I called my wife from my cell phone who ran outside to verify that my brake lights were on.

    It would NOT leave the IG-ON position! That is, it wouldn't cycle through! I tried it almost a dozen times, nothing. As soon as I let go of the brake, it went to off, then it went straight to IG-ON AGAIN! I confirmed that the vehicle wouldn't go from IG-ON to Ready or to OFF as long as I was holding the brake.

    After letting go of the brake one more time, I could go to off, and then pressing the brake and then hitting the button caused it to go to Ready.

    The dealer can find nothing wrong with it. Like I said, I can't make this happen, but it happenned twice, and WAS STUCK in IG-ON until I let go of the brake.

    It's a software glitch, I tell you.

    Nate
     
    #5 naterprius, Mar 7, 2005
  6. WatsonJoey

    WatsonJoey New Member

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    Thanks for all your help. I have the Prius back from the dealer, got sympathy but no help. Just monitor it, they said!
    Joey
     
    #6 WatsonJoey, Mar 7, 2005
  7. DanMan32

    DanMan32 Senior Member

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    I got hang-on-Ig-On condition just a few minutes ago when I went to look for that green light around the ring some talked about in another thread.
    By the way, I think that's the illumination. It will come on when you first get in the car, and sometimes light shows through the space between the ring and the button.

    I put the car in Acc (green) then Ig-On (Amber) then hit the brake and pressed the button. Pressed a few times, would not go to ready.
    By the way, you should be able to get the SOC in Ig-On mode. If it didn't show up, that might be why it won't go to ready. I'll make note of SOC display next time that happens. We may be getting somewhere!

    The directionals might be your answer back. Did you hear beeps?
     
    #7 DanMan32, Mar 7, 2005
  8. WatsonJoey

    WatsonJoey New Member

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    Well the Prius spent the day at the dealer, they were able to get it to fail to start, then they read the codes, downloaded software updates, and they say the problem should be gone. They did the brake light recall also.
    Thanks for all the comments. They reassured me I wasn't creating the problem.
    Joey
     
    #8 WatsonJoey, Mar 25, 2005
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