Testing gen 2 battery with multimeter and don't know how to use it

why are you testing the hybrid battery, does one of those codes apply?

i would set it to volts and check the 12 volt battery with the car off, and then again after the headlights have been on for 5 minutes.

 

Have you written a will?

There's not one of those codes that has anything to do with the traction battery, raising the question what you are doing in there at all.

That would be a question even if you knew what you were doing with a multimeter.

 

Holy smokes, I get that anybody can hang out a shingle as a "hybrid mechanic", but rarely have I heard of one saying something that flagrantly bogus before.

You can be 100% sure that it's either the traction battery or one of the couple hundred other things that can light that light. That's why there are trouble codes to read and a repair manual (more info, presumably a "hybrid mechanic" has already heard of it) to look up what they mean.

 

Step away from that meter - you don't know what you are doing and are going to blow it up, blow your car up, or blow yourself up.

There should be a manual for that meter. It will tell you what the various modes are. For most car work you are going to be using only the DC voltage (probably the V with bar over three dots, but verify in manual, and in a range which measures up to say 20V), and resistance (what you have it set to now.) "0L" generally means it is reading below the minimum value supported for that range. For resistance those are typically marked as 10, 100,1000, 10K, 100K, and so forth with the ohm mark (capital Greek omega). Looks like it might be set on yours by pressing the range button. You are unlikely to be making a current measurement, to do that you must put the meter in series with the part of the circuit being tested.

Now here's the thing, in general measuring DC voltage is pretty safe as long as you don't short anything out with the probe. If you screw up at worst you will get a 12V shock which is very minor. HOWEVER, this is not true for the high voltage leads around the battery. The voltage there can kill you, and if you don't understand already everything written above you have absolutely no business poking around in or near the traction battery.

 

I am glad you lived. Some don't. Sad to say, but a few on Priuschat and youtube encourage people to tear apart hybrid batteries as if it was common sense we were born with. Even dealer Toyota mechanics have to be specially certified to work on a hybrid battery. Even then they may replace bad parts and cells with new, not used.

To start you need to have some basics of electrical theory under your belt. Try this guy, particularly pages 13-26. Then read your meter manual.

https://lost-contact.mit.edu/afs/adrake.org/usr/rkh/Books/books/electronics/Mims.-.Getting.Started.In.Electronics.(1994).pdf

 

i hope they aren't replacing cells at dealers

 

Those codes (DTCs) are all over the place, which OBD2 code scanner are you using?

Best to use a toyota hybrid compatible OBD2 scanner, or a mini-vci cable and 'techstream' (dealer technician diagnostic software).

Setting aside the "FUD", and given the local operating environment, you may have a high voltage ground leak (DTC P0AA6, aka P3009).

If so, and assuming you want to keep this vehicle for any length of time, it's always best to go with a "new" HV battery replacement. Some of the NEW options are; new OEM from the dealer (OTC if possible), new aftermarket NiMH, or a new 'bleeding edge' Lithium pack.