1. Attachments are working again! Check out this thread for more details and to report any other bugs.

(Gen 2 Prius) Shorted rear wiper power and now I have no power to any electronics on the rear hatch

Discussion in 'Gen 2 Prius Care, Maintenance and Troubleshooting' started by Pd30242, Apr 26, 2024.

  1. Pd30242

    Pd30242 Junior Member

    Joined:
    Aug 8, 2022
    7
    1
    0
    Location:
    Chicago
    Vehicle:
    2007 Prius
    Model:
    II
    To make a long story short I tried to wire an aftermarket back up camera to my rear hatch and ended up shorting something and now I have no power to anything on the hatch.

    I tried splicing the ~13V wires from the rear wiper to connect to my backup camera. When I turned on the car, the camera did not send a signal. Suspecting a polarity issue, I switched the + and - wires going to the camera and restarted the car, which resulted in various dashboard warning lights and still no camera signal. I used a multimeter to check the power from the wires, but there was no voltage. Further, I noticed a complete lack of power to any other electrical systems in the hatch. Thinking a fuse might have blown, I checked for continuity in both the interior and exterior fuse blocks without finding any faults. Visually inspecting the fuses I thought might be involved also showed no issues. Finally, I disassembled the dashboard and examined the body control unit fuses on the driver’s side; neither the 30-amp nor the 40-amp fuses were blown.

    Does anyone have any ideas?
     
  2. Tombukt2

    Tombukt2 Senior Member

    Joined:
    Nov 29, 2020
    8,300
    1,443
    0
    Location:
    Durham NC
    Vehicle:
    2009 Prius
    Model:
    Base
    Have you disconnected the nonsense that you connected undone what you did? Might be a good start Don't know what wires you're using there's bunches of them back there You were trying to swipe something off the wipers I mean seriously that doesn't even make to me good sense I'm sure there's some logic here somewhere but certainly wouldn't think you'd want to tap into anything to do with the wipers there should be power back at the hatch and for all sorts of things and your car already had an existing camera correct? Seems like it wouldn't be too much of a hullabaloo but there are folks here way more electrically competent than I am who will be along and ask I guess the right questions photographs of what you tapped into might be good or at least the color wire description white with a black line. Red. Blue with the yellow line and so forth was a test light or anything used to determine what's hot and what's not at the given time you were looking at the wires ignition on ignition off etc maybe check the initial wires that your camera was plugged up to to begin with.
     
  3. PriusCamper

    PriusCamper Senior Member

    Joined:
    Mar 3, 2012
    10,956
    4,441
    0
    Location:
    Pacific Northwest, USA
    Vehicle:
    2007 Prius
    Model:
    Two
    Any chance some wires got damaged during the install? Or maybe the product you installed was defective and cause the damage?
     
  4. Pd30242

    Pd30242 Junior Member

    Joined:
    Aug 8, 2022
    7
    1
    0
    Location:
    Chicago
    Vehicle:
    2007 Prius
    Model:
    II
    I got my hands on the the wiring diagram for the car took a look at the hatch area. I noticed there were no fuses between my splice point and the body ECU, which leads me to believe I damaged the ECU. I tested all the electronic components in the hatch, from the hatch release motor to the lights, and everything appeared functional. I ordered a replacement body ECU so I'm hoping that fixes the issue.
     
  5. Pd30242

    Pd30242 Junior Member

    Joined:
    Aug 8, 2022
    7
    1
    0
    Location:
    Chicago
    Vehicle:
    2007 Prius
    Model:
    II
    1. Have disconnected the nonsense

    2. I needed 12v for the camera that would turn on when the car turned on and I deleted the rear wiper motor so it made sense. But moving forward I'm definitely going to just do accessories right with a relay, fusible links, and a distribution block that takes power straight from the battery. This was particular job was admittedly very poorly done by my standards.

    3. This is where I spliced:

    [​IMG]
    [​IMG]

    Link -

    This is what it would look like on the wiring diagram

    [​IMG]

    Link -
    [​IMG]

    Like I said earlier, both the relevant fuses were not blown. After looking at the schematics, I wonder if the J34 module is damaged. Here is everything that doesn't work on my car:

    [​IMG]
    [​IMG]

    Link -

    But its just a junction connection, I don't really see how that would cause my issues unless I accidentally unplugged it while I was working. Even then, that wouldn't explain the weirdness on the dash while shorting and the fact that I was getting power before I shorted and not after.

    Here's another image of the diagram

    [​IMG]

    Link -
    [​IMG]

    All roads seem to lead to the body ECU so I think I might've damaged that as well. I'll check the junction connection tomorrow and report back.
     
    #5 Pd30242, Apr 27, 2024
    Last edited: Apr 27, 2024
  6. Pd30242

    Pd30242 Junior Member

    Joined:
    Aug 8, 2022
    7
    1
    0
    Location:
    Chicago
    Vehicle:
    2007 Prius
    Model:
    II
    I couldn't wait and I went to check on the J34 plug and found it was unplugged. I plugged it back in and only my middle brake light came back on. Everything else on the hatch did not work. I'll have to look into it tomorrow.

    [​IMG]

    [​IMG]
     
  7. ChapmanF

    ChapmanF Senior Member

    Joined:
    Mar 30, 2008
    23,421
    15,180
    0
    Location:
    Indiana, USA
    Vehicle:
    2010 Prius
    Model:
    IV
    Yeah, in everything you posted, I wasn't seeing any roads leading to the body ECU. I hope you find some equally simple explanation for what's still out.
     
  8. Tombukt2

    Tombukt2 Senior Member

    Joined:
    Nov 29, 2020
    8,300
    1,443
    0
    Location:
    Durham NC
    Vehicle:
    2009 Prius
    Model:
    Base
    So this car doesn't have a backup camera to begin with You're adding a backup camera to a vehicle that had no backup camera no place for it on the back hatch release or anything are you going to be able to take the plug out of the hatch release emblem in the back and mount the camera there and the factory location or what's going to happen You're just going to stick it up on the top of the hatch and aim it down or how's that going to work? I will assume the backup camera you got came with a wiring diagram does this unit use a shielded cable and all of that or is it just hot ground and what have you? Maybe the brand of the camera assembly or whatever might be of interest.
     
  9. Pd30242

    Pd30242 Junior Member

    Joined:
    Aug 8, 2022
    7
    1
    0
    Location:
    Chicago
    Vehicle:
    2007 Prius
    Model:
    II
    An update:

    [​IMG]

    Good news is I fixed the license place light. Only the left light is on but I'm just guessing the right one is burnt out. I'll check tomorrow.

    I was checking continuity today and my inspection lead me to the J31 junction box. This box supplies ~12v to the hatch electronics. I inspected it and tested it with my multimeter. I took off the cap and it looked like it wasn't broken so I put it back and I somehow got power back to my license plate lights and my rear wiper motor. Not sure how that happened but whatever.

    My hatch still doesn't open though.

    [​IMG]
    [​IMG]
    [​IMG]

    I checked my continuity here and I'll do more testing tomorrow

    * I seem to have some issues getting my images to display so I uploaded them below
     

    Attached Files:

  10. Tombukt2

    Tombukt2 Senior Member

    Joined:
    Nov 29, 2020
    8,300
    1,443
    0
    Location:
    Durham NC
    Vehicle:
    2009 Prius
    Model:
    Base
    What is the button that you're activating good I've run up on a lot of these generation twos where that button the rubber is all ruined The button doesn't feel like it depresses properly on and on and on Just last week I went to a car and changed exactly that switch the whole thing rubber and all of it right through the penetration into the car and plugged it up working fine this is really common with these cars when people I don't know what they do squirt silicone all over the button because the rubbers getting a little yucky and they touch it with their fingers and they're like what the heck and they take some black stuff like they put windshields in with and they try to goop that all under the button thinking they're doing something No not good get the new rubber piece get the new button whatever it takes plenty of cars out there where the stuff is good or you get a new one Don't try to clog it all up with urethane black or anything like that Do nothing if that's what you're going to do
     
  11. Pd30242

    Pd30242 Junior Member

    Joined:
    Aug 8, 2022
    7
    1
    0
    Location:
    Chicago
    Vehicle:
    2007 Prius
    Model:
    II
    Update - It was the relay between the luggage compartment courtesy switch (the switch that tells if your hatch is all the way closed or not) and the body ECU. Replaced it and now I have full functionality back.
     

    Attached Files:

    #11 Pd30242, Apr 28, 2024
    Last edited: Apr 28, 2024
    dolj likes this.
  12. Pd30242

    Pd30242 Junior Member

    Joined:
    Aug 8, 2022
    7
    1
    0
    Location:
    Chicago
    Vehicle:
    2007 Prius
    Model:
    II
    So I finished my project today and ended up doing it the right way. I have a relay with a fuse that supplies power to a screw terminal block when the car turns on. I’m gonna use this to power all my aftermarket accessories. I have some water temp dials along with heated seats I need to wire to.

    To anyone looking to do this sort of project, please do it right the first time and consult the wiring diagrams.
     

    Attached Files:

  13. Tombukt2

    Tombukt2 Senior Member

    Joined:
    Nov 29, 2020
    8,300
    1,443
    0
    Location:
    Durham NC
    Vehicle:
    2009 Prius
    Model:
    Base
    Well you've got a block for power addition now
    That's for sure that is one way to do it
     
  14. ChapmanF

    ChapmanF Senior Member

    Joined:
    Mar 30, 2008
    23,421
    15,180
    0
    Location:
    Indiana, USA
    Vehicle:
    2010 Prius
    Model:
    IV
    o_O What relay? The diagram you posted shows none. Can you post a pic of the 'relay' you replaced?