Red triangle, no codes

It does make the triangle pop up. the best way to fix this is to find the computer (behind gove box small 3 inch one and unplug top plug) This will eliminate the problem and light will go out. SIMPLE FIX!!!!!!!!!

 

That would be the best way to ignore that particular problem.

The best way to fix it would be to replace the headlight leveling sensor attached to the top of the (left??) rear suspension.

 

I also have the master warning light plus engine light and interesting situation of not being able to get any codes from the local auto store whose scan code reader has a special Toyota feature. Inverter coolant is likewise gurgling and the pump was replaced recently. The 12V battery test was reading over 12V initially when I did the self-diagnostic test on the MFD and then 11.8V when I pushed the power button the second time, then over 14V when I put it in ready mode.
Unlike the OP's situation though, the MFD is displaying the hybrid warning system light instead of the headlight leveler indicator. Also, the aggravating phenomenon occured last night where all the normal indicators on the instrument panel like the speedometer, odometer, fuel gauge didn't show up. (This has happened periodically in the past).
It's a 2005 Prius with 62,500 miles that I got from a municipal auction.
Could this just be a loose connection, given that the scanner couldn't retrieve the test codes and indicating that the car wasn't communicating with it properly or something?
Thoughts of what to try next?

 

Oops, forgot to mention that yellow brake indicator was on for a while too but it has since gone away. Could a blown fuse be the problem? Would it help to drive the car to charge up the battery? Is it even safe to do so with the red hybrid warning light on? I did drive it a couple miles yesterday, and it drove smoothly, didn't even hear the fan behind the rear right seat. I'm pretty sure the 2005 car still has the original HV battery, and so maybe it's time it's up. Then I'm out the big bucks for a car I purchased not long ago, geesh. Sorry if this is hijacking the thread, but I thought it might be a good idea since the pattern was similar. Thanks.

 

Driving the car isn't necessary for the battery to get charged; just having it in READY mode is enough. It can sit that way in one place. Less risk, anyway, compared to taking it out on the road if you don't know what the trouble is.

Not knowing the trouble codes, that's a real handicap. If there's anybody around with access to Techstream, I would want to see if that gets any better results than this store's "special Toyota feature" did.

You can get some of the car's trouble codes by counting light blinks, using a jumper wire between the Tc and CG positions of the diagnostic port. (Search other threads for details.) You can't get the most-directly-relevant hybrid system codes that way, but you may well get some others that will shed some light on what's going on. This bypasses various problems that a plug-in scan tool might have getting the codes.

You seem to be saying the greenish, vacuum-fluorescent instruments (speedo, fuel, odometer) are not showing up on the combination meter, but the various colored warning lights, those still work? Of course those must work, to be able to get anywhere with the count-light-blinks code retrieval.

 

Another option for reading diagnostic codes is to get an OBD2 bluetooth adapter and an app for your smartphone. The best I have found is the Autel Maxi AP200. About $70 gets you the adapter device and app- this has the ability to read codes and data from all systems on a Gen2 Prius- almost the same as the Toyota dealer's Techstream pc software.

If the speedometer (& most of the warning lights to the right of it) usually do not work, that could be a fairly common fault in the Combination Meter (the entire speedo assembly). There is a capacitor on the circuit board that goes "out of spec" and can intermittently prevent to CM from turning on correctly. There is a sticky thread at the top of this forum about the subject.

Posted via the PriusChat mobile app.

 

Thanks guys, a bunch. It's good to know these diagnostic tricks and techniques. Well, I ended up taking it to the service center at the dealership and got the verdict. The combination meter is out and (ready for it?) the HV battery is toast. So the 2005 Prius that I got from a municipal auction in 2017 for $5000 and which still only has 62,500 miles on it is basically junk, it seems. They want $3700 to fix it, and I'm not sure it's worth it. I already replaced the inverter pump and babied it from the day I got it. So much for my Toyota experience...I am not impressed. Thank you guys very much for your help though.

 

The combination meter is a cheap-fix item (though a dealership isn't going to fix it that way).

There usually aren't cheap traction-battery fixes that are also effective, that's true. Still, I'd want to know the exact trouble codes they saw. "toast" is actually not a Prius diagnostic code. Right number of characters, but the first one would have to be P, C, B, or U.

 

Oh, sorry, that was just my choice of words for the problem. I should have asked for the codes, but, basically the Toyota dealer told me the hybrid battery was at the end of its life and would have to be replaced but that they could put me on a financial plan. But, maybe I'll call back and ask for the specific codes - thanks!
Have you guys heard of a company called Motorcells? Apparently they make cells for the battery or a renewed battery as a cheaper alternative to replacing the whole battery. Is that a good option?

 

Haven't heard of that one, but lots of outfits are in that line of work. You can read people's experiences and opinions all over this forum.

 

Okay, thanks, I'll check it out.

 

Talk to Matt at Texas Hybrid Batteries. https://www.texashybridbatteries.com/ He can fix both the speedometer and battery.

 

Just what I was going to suggest.

 

Thanks a bunch you guys; I've reached out to him. After I picked up my car from the service center/dealership following the diagnostic, it barely accelerated at all from a stop. It doesn't even seem driveable now. I looked to see if the orange thing was still in place on the hybrid battery and found it was, so I don't know what changed. Hope I can still get the car to Matt or he can come here.