Common 2G Problems, and What to Do About Them...

I am new to the Pirus world. This past July I bought a 2008 with 75k miles on it. Has some front end cosmetic issuses, but the engine and etc was fine, checked out good at first oil change in late August/had no issues with it..
I took it in for 5k oil change and tire rotation early November, to the same Toyota dealer. Now having on going issues since then. Two of the 4 tire sensors have since quit, was told it would be $50 ea wheel to replace plus labor and tax (the tires were practically new when I bought the car). Of the 2 working sensors, one has a weak signal and the other read fine. I am also now having to replace tail lights, as well.
The biggest issue is that I am very concerned about the car not powering down after parking, pressing the power button and then removing the fob. I have tried holding the stop button for up to a minute after the car has shut off before letting it go. Still no powering down noise like it always use too, before the last maintenance. The lack of the powering down noise after shut off is happening more often than not, since then. It doesn't make a difference on distance I drive either. Could be a couple miles or 300. Also, the gas milage is not what it was either. I could easily get 45-50mpg on the interstate. It's a good day when I can get anything above 43.5mpg. Per the engine/battery grid on the maf, when coasting, the battery is not recharging as much as it did before, as well. The green/blue bars for showing the recharge are slow to respond when it does prove to be charging. I realize with the cold weather things tend to be slower.. but, all seems to be a bit much for just a mere coincidence. I talked to the service dept at the dealer regarding the matters. The dealer just said to keep holding the power button for a bit at shut down for the power down issue to resolve (that does nothing). Otherwise, he said when they ran the 21 point test and diagnostics when the car was in, they didn't notice much of anything. If anyone has any experience with any of the above and what they did to solve it without spendng $$$ on it, please let me know. Very fustrated my car is not what it use to be since the maintenance. (I spent $187.00 for regular oil change, tire rotation and diagnostics. which is a lot more than I ever spent on my conventional cars. Is this the norm with Priuses?) Thanks

 

Welcome.

It sounds like it may be a low 12V battery. That can cause a lot of strange things to happen. It will also reduce your gas mileage, but sol will colder weather.

Another possibility is a failing combination meter (speedometer, etc.). When they start to fail, it becomes harder to shut off the car. Usually, from what I hear, holding the power button longer will get it to shut off. Matt @Texas Hybrid Batteries, might be able to advise on that.

I would double check that 12V first even though the service tech should have tested it in the 21 point test.

 

It the capacitors on the PCB replace them. http://www.mouser.com will sell the parts

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You picture didn't load for me. I have this problem in my 08. What's the solution?

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Ground Loop noise isolator
On Amazon headphone jack in head phone jack out

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Will this make the aux jack stop thinking that I'm disconnecting and reconnecting my device and over and over again real fast?

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If you put in the jack and it works for any time at all and there only two black lines on the jack it self or did work. With all the same wires. That tell me you have a bad or dirt or mostly damage/loose female jack or the two male jack wire cable normally moving it will make it cut out. On both. The nose loop adaptor is for not clear sound or a buzz

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Mine used to buzz. Now it just loops connected to disconnected so fast that music doesn't have time to play.

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My 2008 Prius runs perfectly, but I have to disconnect and reconnect the white connector on the + side of the 12v battery every morning to reset the a/c. Anyone seen that problem before?

 

Try holding the male jack to one side at a time to see you can force the sound to stay on if you can replace female jack if no sound back jack too

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Possibly not, if the problems that the plug-is-in-the-socket detection mechanism is broken. There is a post (possibly only one) here on the Gen 2 where a guy details how to repair that. It involves removing the plug and soldering a bridge between two contracts. It looses the ability to detect whether the plug is in or out, and default to "plug always present' so you can use the plug again.

The other alternative is obtain another working plug from a wrecker/dismantler/pick-a-part yard and replace your plug.

BTW, ground loop noise is usually only present when you also have the power cable connected.

You possibly have a combination meter problem, if your speedo, ODO, and gear shift graphic disappear. Otherwise have not heard of this work around for A/C problems.

 

Is this the box next to the 12v whitch is a box of capacitor for the back up power to the brakes

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No, it is on the 12 V positive terminal of the battery.

 

When you disconnect, then reconnect, it:

1. You have to reset the digital clock on he dashboard
2. Re-enter your radio presets
3. And most importantly, the air conditioning system starts working and the car works perfectly until the next day.

 

Ok the box on the + of the battery so your dash going out I take it. There lot of trick to get them to some on and get the car to turn off. But the real fix is the caps on the dash display HUD the gray around ones

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Mine is doing the same thing and i have a full tank and never let go below 1/4 tank. I have had almost everything replaced it could be. Help

 

Did they fix the problem? What was it because minr is doing same thing

 

you probably need a new battery

 

The battery has always charged fine it even gets green bars alot only has turned red when gas engine dies and i have to run it on battery only

 

To get gs engine back on i have to turnoff car nd restart then press gas peddle to floor and pump to keep moving