Prius 2008 Doesn't Start

The combination meter (the display that's now black) might have failed based on what you've described.

Toyota issued an extended warranty on these displays. I don't know if your model year was included. If it had been, you should have received a letter by now.

Contact your nearest Toyota dealership and ask them to check your vehicle identification number to see if it's
covered by the extended warranty. If it is, they should send out a tow truck to you to get it repaired.

 

perhaps a loose connextion at the 12v?

 

Wish it was true. A loose gas cap will throw a check engine light at best but will not hamper the car's ability to start.

To save you and the kids from being stranded at the worst possible time please try this and post all 3 battery voltages.
It may save you a huge hassle and alot of money:


Weird stuff happening? MPGs dropping? Test The Battery | PriusChat

 

Yes, do check the 12V before anything else.

 

Thanks nh I fixed it.

 

Hi Katia. It's not the gas cap, and if nothing is done then the condition will probably return.

A bad connection to the combination meter, as jadziasman suggests, is the most likely cause here. This is a fairly common fault, and it often starts out as an intermittent problem just like yours. In any case it's always a good idea to test the 12V battery voltage when the Prius has any unusual behavior, so do that first.

 

And get that kid off the hood..lol...

 

When you press the brake, does the car turn on? I know you say the 12V was just replaced but, this sounds like a weak/discharged 12V battery problem. That would be my first point of attack. Check the voltage and charge it if you can.

 

Yikes, I hope you have small hands.

 

JC, I gotta go, can you help Katia with this? Have her disconnect and reconnect the 12V and go from there.

 

I'll try

 

Unfortunately, just because the 12 volt battery was replaced in July, doesn't mean the problem isn't stemming from the 12vlt battery or that related area. Too many stories of people getting "new" batteries not fully charged or defective.

The here today, gone the next moment nature of the problem makes me speculate that perhaps it's a defective battery, battery post or installation of same battery created a short in a connecting cable or in installation a connection was loose.

The fact that you had the 12 vlt battery replaced relatively recently actually makes me MORE suspicious of it being something related to that entire system.

But since it seemed to suddenly appear, suddenly disappear, and suddenly re-appear. My speculation would be a loose connection or a short.

I would think if it was a failing or weak battery, your symptoms would of been more consistent and simply remained until the problem was discovered.

Best of Luck.

 

Could also be a bad brake switch. Those might cause intermittent problems with failure to start the car.

SCH-I535

 

She clearly states she's pushing the brake and the car is not going into 'Ready". The engine is not starting. Also in her first post the combo meter is flaking out also so she may have 2 issues.

First thing is test the small battery voltage. Just do the first 2 steps where you don't have to push the brake. Just the first 2. We are really interested in the second step the second button push as then the car is in accessory and has load on it and will reveal the true remaining voltage of the small battery. If its at 12.1 or above the small battery is not the issue.

Alot of no starts on this forum have been no gas. Since the combo meter is out do you know if there's any gas in the car?
Or the throttle body may be really mucked up and needs a cleaning. You do not post the mileage on the car nor where you live so not sure how cold it is where you live.

BUT, there's also alot of posts where the mechanic severely overfilled the oil during an oil change choking the engine, fouling the plugs and the engine won't start. The dealer is famous for this. I see you just had the car/oil serviced. This is a common story. So check the engine oil dipstick asap.

 

We're all speculating, in so much as we only have the information given and do not have the vehicle in our possession.

But in the case of "No Gas" or "Engine Oil Overfill" those conditions don't synch with the intermittent or Here Today, Gone Tomorrow symptoms.

The OP had the problems, then perhaps with no real connection tightened the gas cap and the symptoms went away. Then after X amount of time they returned.

That would suggest to me it's not a case of being out of gas, or engine oil overfill.

I'm still going with 12V battery....or a short or defect in the system, wires, post, connectors.

If it's a short in the system, she could do the 12V battery voltage test, get good results but still have a problem. I think she should have the whole thing checked out. Battery voltage, connectors, post, wires....