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Newby With The Prius. (Gotta Fix It Myself)

Discussion in 'Newbie Forum' started by Transit, Aug 12, 2019.

  1. Transit

    Transit Junior Member

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    2006 Prius
    Model:
    Excel
    So I'm asking the brethren, for some help, please ?
    Here is the history;
    1) 2006 gen 2 , bog standard version, blue in color, fairly good condition, paid $3.000.00 for the unit.
    second day of driving it, threw a code C1256,C1310, UO293 along with some lost communication code , triangle of death, limp mode etc etc .
    2)Short version, with basic electronics background, i pulled the main battery and followed this Russian guys blog, on U-Tube who lives in US. He was extremely thorough. His ID on U-Tube is Igor Kadulenkov. So I followed the battery reconditioning to the letter, then some, I have 4 full battery packs at my disposal. Anyhow we got through it had taken a couple of intensive weeks. I drew 3-4 batteries from the donor packs as mentioned and changed out the faulty ones, balanced the pack and put it back into service.
    So, it didn't work. Laugh Out Loud !
    3) Moving on, I had taken note that some of the time, when I received the triangle of death, along with engine light, battery fan running, and the brake icon (I Think,)
    4) Next I changed both front brake sensors (ABS) didn't fix problem.
    5) So my next plan is to change my Hybrid Water Pump, Then I will put a set of new spark plugs into the engine. I am fully aware this wont fix the problem.
    6) So the next major brainstorm, is to change the main Hybrid Unit under the bonnet engine bay (Inverter/Convertor Unit) which involves inverter cooling system bleed. I will go right over the vehicle disconnecting, cleaning and reconnecting electrical plugs (This Car is Not going To Beat Me) I got ripped off buying it, now I'm hopefully going to fix it .
    So begging and cringing , I ask all of the prius experts to please throw their hat into the ring, throw some ideas around.
    I HOPE ITS NOT THE ABS UNIT , that job looks scary. Please bare in mind, this Prius drives perfectly , sometimes it goes for two weeks before it starts the games. ABS functions perfectly , Ive tested it on loose surface. But I have 3 things, which are the following;
    1)Throws the faults on hitting a bump sometimes.
    2)Seems do it when screaming along at 100ks. Up until now, it usually didn't do it at low speeds. But now its starting to throw these codes at low speeds. It did it the other night while cruising slowly through a car parking station, on battery only. And It starting to do it, when going into the fault codes, using my Bosch general purpose scan tool, 200 hundred dollar unit (Generic)
    So this has been plaguing me for three months, slowly getting worse. If I am forced to take it to Toyota, the battles lost.

    I thank you in anticipation.
     
  2. PriusCamper

    PriusCamper Senior Member

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    Well, assuming you're 12v battery isn't creating chaos due to being low... It looks like UO293 is sometime caused by a loose wire and the problem happening on bumps or at high speed reflects that...

    Also did you pull the pack after the rebuild didn't succeed to check your work? There's near 100 electrical connections in a rebuild and even the best among us will overlook something from time to time...

    If you can get an old microsoft windows computer you can buy a mini-VCI plug & hacked copy of Toyota Techstream software that will help you with brake system diagnosis.

    Lastly, an OBD2 reader < Hybrid battery diagnostic and repair tool for Toyota and Lexus > and Dr. Prius app will give you a great view of battery module in pack while vehicle is running and give you a better sense of what might be wrong... Hybrid asst app with Hybrid Reporter app could give lots of data while driving vehicle to give insight too.
     
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  3. ChapmanF

    ChapmanF Senior Member

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    why? you didn't list any code involving the main battery

    why? didn't list any code involving front brake sensors

    why? haven't listed any code implicating that

    ... that confounds even my impulse to ask why ...

    why? no listed code suggests it

    The best idea I can offer is to pay attention to the trouble codes you do and do not have, and choose actions that fit the picture.

    You started by listing three codes. One of them (the U code) is about lost communication between two of the computers in the car (I believe between the engine ECU and the HV ECU, but better to trust the manual than my memory). The other two (the C codes) are logged by the brake ECU, but they only mean the brake ECU has learned of some problem involving the HV ECU.

    So far, you haven't listed the trouble codes from the HV ECU. Those would be of the most interest, as you already have both your engine ECU and brake ECU telling you "hey, go find out what's up with the HV ECU".

    There's more than one possibility for why you haven't posted any HV ECU codes. One (very common) possibility is that your generic scan tool (even if it is a 200 dollar unit) didn't read them. It only read the codes from the engine and brake computers, because pretty much all generic cars have those.

    If you can get access to a laptop with Techstream, you might find out what the HV ECU wants to tell you.

    It's also possible you didn't get HV ECU codes because it's actually not communicating (the U code raises that possibility), in which case you'd be following the Repair Manual steps to figure out why.

    But it is probably fastest to start by just plugging in Techstream and seeing if the HV ECU has anything to say to you. If it does, then you will know what it is complaining about, and if it doesn't, then you'll know it's not communicating, and proceed with figuring out why that is.

    One problem with just replacing a bunch of random things on the car, aside from just slowing down your search for the real problem, is that all of those other things you're doing carry the possibility that you inadvertently cause some other, unrelated problem, which can then make the picture even harder to piece together.
     
  4. Transit

    Transit Junior Member

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    Thank
     
    #4 Transit, Aug 20, 2019
    Last edited by a moderator: Aug 20, 2019
  5. Transit

    Transit Junior Member

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    Chapman F, Your comments are appreciated. In the last few days, i am continuing driving the Prius with the faults. From time to time, I have to reset the unit, when the triangle of death appears.
    So I actually drove down to Sydney a week ago. I had to reset the Prius 4 times over a 200 hundred mile round trip . (Its Kilometers here in Aus.)
    So I called the guy out, to my house, who I purchased the vehicle from. He is this young guy, who maintained 23 of these vehicles, before all them being sold off. He connected Tech stream to the Prius, basically cutting to the chase, he says that my battery reconditioning job has failed. he showed me three bad batteries, along with the other codes mentioned in earlier posts. He claims on 400 stacks of bibles that as soon as i put a correct spec battery back into the Prius, all will be good."All The Other Codes Will Go Away" !
    What a nice thought.
    So in addition to his testing, he claimed that he was the Guru on Prius's. Gave me a bit more of a rave about how good he was, then departed.
    So, I own three of these Prius's, one being a donor car. they all come from his stable . All suffer questionable batteries, as they sat around for 8 months unused. May I also add, that the guy also said that my Blue Prius (The one in question) had no faults and was a good car.
    so Chapman F ? I invite you to please , if you will ? Make some helpful comments. I will accept anything including criticism . (Laugh Out Loud)
    Transit
     
  6. ChapmanF

    ChapmanF Senior Member

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    At the risk of sounding like a broken record (does anyone even know what that means anymore?) ... what were the codes?
     
  7. PriusCamper

    PriusCamper Senior Member

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    So what happened to this so-called expert's equipment that he used to maintain this supposed 23 vehicle fleet. Because right now this person for starters could possibly charge and balance pack to get a better sense of pack's condition and then offer to swap out modules and do reconditioning? Or just swap out pack with a loaner pack? What the deal with him talking about how great he is but not lifting a finger to prove it?
     
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  8. Skibob

    Skibob Senior Member

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  9. Transit

    Transit Junior Member

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    C1259
    C1310
    UO293
    (Or is VO ? Hard to distinguish )
    Those are the codes plaguing the vehicle from the outset . The fellow that put the Techstream onto the vehicle last week , basically said that when I get the battery right ,all of this may disappear?
     
  10. Transit

    Transit Junior Member

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  11. Transit

    Transit Junior Member

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    Thanks
    So let us just say there are shallow people that exist .
    The deal was I pay money , in return I get a reliable Prius !
    So as we manoeuvred along in the past few months , he relinquished a spare Prius for 250 bucks and I bought another with a flat battery for two grand .
    My intentions are to weather the storm and take good or bad until I get them sorted .
    I’ve just retired and learning about these well appointed little babies , is what I want to do .
    For better or for worse . Part of the road that I’ve put myself on is joining the forum .
    As I move along , one would hope that I improve
    The situation is what it is !
    Transit
     
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  12. Transit

    Transit Junior Member

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    OK, you guys,I'm back.
    You all deserve an update on the Prius saga.
    I now recondition batteries, "Success" I am not bad at it either.
    The problem was "THE MAIN BATTERY" LAUGH OUT LOUD !
    So i have quite a few old battery packs, no shortage in fact ! So rather than spend money, I went on YOUTUBE, learned how to reco the main batteries. Fancy that ? LOL
    All those codes where "sympathy codes"
    So for all you guys ? That's the deal. "FIXED PRIUS"
    Do I love these little gems ? Resoundingly Yes !
    I thank you guys for all your advice's and kind words.
    Since I spoke to you guys a few months back, Ive driven the little gem to the moon and back .
    Sincerely Always
    Transit ! (AUSTRALIA BURNING )
     
  13. dig4dirt

    dig4dirt MoonGlow

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    Congrats!