Start issue

In ready mode Can you get the word ready to display on your dash? Two if ready mode is displayed is the amber check engine light on or any of the red and amber lights on take a picture just because you're not reading any codes you're scanner may not be capable of communicating on the can bus of the Prius and the 21 or so computers in the car so there's always that many people coming here do not have a capable scanner for the Prius It's one of the first things they need to look into or a shop that has one and pay for diagnostics there are a few scanners there's a whole list and a thread here all about that scanners for these models of car It is not like your dad's Chevrolet or Buick.

 

Check the AM2 fuse in the fuse box that is in the front under the hood.

 

Sometimes, when the inverter cooling water pump fails, it blows the AM2 fuse, which will kill the car and dash. It's one of the blue 15 amp fuses on the driver side of the underhood fuse box. If this fuse is blown, do not replace it with the spare (also in the underhood fuse box) until you disconnect the inverter cooling water pump from the circuit. The pump is located directly behind the driver headlight. You can unplug it at the pump, or if you look just above and to the passenger side of the underhood fusebox, you will see a single wire plug. Disconnect this plug and it removes the current path for the pump from the circuit. Either method works. Then replace the AM2 fuse. You can drive the car without the pump for reasonable distances, if you stay below highway speed. I've gone >20 miles with a failed pump, staying below 40.

 

The test light should only light when you touch positive If you have the test light connected to the negative terminal and you touch sheet metal and any other part of the car the light should not come on If it does we have a problem but connected correctly with the black lead and the clip connected to negative you touch the positive and the test light lights but how do you know what that means The test light might light up with as little as 9 volts your Prius won't accept the 9 volts so use a test meter with a scale in the DC volts mode You're looking for 12 solid. Not 11.7 or 9 12 volts means 12 volts.

 

Just land the clamp of the test light on a bolt fender bolt whatever now take the cover off the fuse box and go to the AM2 fuse and touch one side and then the other side You got a light both touches then energy is moving across the fuse done or you could just pull the fuse out hold it up to the light and look at it either way if you've got everything happening on the AM2 fuse generally you're good to go If a.m. to blows and you're out in the middle of nowhere you need to unplug the black plug above the fuse box which actually goes to the inverter pump where you can't reach your hand and get the plug unless you have your long needle nose with you that will unplug what goes on the AM2 fuse now put a new AM2 fuse in or replacement fuse in the AM2 slot start the car and go about your business if it's fall where you are you'll be able to drive just like normal and you'll never know it but you want to get the inverter pump circuit straightened out directly

 

Wonderful so the fuse is not blown now when the car is in the ready mode if it'll do that do you feel the inverter pump running it's just barely buzzing? I'm not sure what why you can't get started and what's going on here.

 

Are there any warning lights on the dash?

Check all the fuses in the car.

The only other thing that I can think to try is disconnecting the 12v battery for 5 to 10 minutes. Connect the battery again, then try starting the car.

 

So if you sit in the car reach in the window with the key in the slot and push the button twice without the break Don't all the dash lights come on?