Master Warning, Hybrid System Warning, Brake Warning Lights

Discussion in 'Gen 2 Prius Care, Maintenance and Troubleshooting' started by t_o_m, Jun 6, 2017.

  1. t_o_m

    t_o_m New Member

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    6/6/2017

    About the car:
    2009 Toyota Prius
    Odometer: 83000 miles
    Recently (about 2 weeks ago) an Auto Service and Repair shop replaced the Coolant Control Valve then removed and replaced all equivalent coolant. They also replaced the PCV valve and Spark Plugs then performed an upper intake cleaning. The whole process went well and the car ran smoothly.

    Now, I ran into a scary situation today around 8:45 am and could use your help with what to do.

    I was on a 150-mile trip traveling on Highway 101 northbound headed toward San Jose, CA when the Master Warning, Hybrid System Warning and Brake Warning Lights turned on. I was about 50 miles into the trip and was going roughly 70 mph on the highway so when these lights came on it scared the you know what out of me but I was able to slow down and pull my car over without a problem. I kept the car on, pressed the parking button to put it into park and then depressed the parking brake (the parking brake was not depressed before I depressed it), which made the Brake Warning Light turn off. The Master Warning and Hybrid System Warning lights were still on. I then released the parking brake and the Brake Warning Light turned back on. I put the parking brake back on and walked outside to see if there was any smoke or fluid leaking from the vehicle and there was not. A police officer pulled over behind my car and suggested that I drive my car off of the highway shoulder and over to an exit’s shoulder. While I drove to the exit, going roughly 45 mph for about 1 mile, the Master Warning, Hybrid System Warning and Brake Warning Lights were all on but the car functioned totally normal. I was able to pull the car over without a problem. I pressed the parking button, depressed the parking brake and turned the car off. I then opened up the hood and saw that the brake fluid was at almost full capacity and that there was no smoke coming out of the engine or any damage to the engine. I waited for about 15 minutes then went back into the car and turned it on. The Master Warning, Hybrid System Warning lights were off and the Brake Warning light was still on. I released the parking brake and then the Brake Warning light turned off. It was as if nothing had happened to the car just a malfunction with the warning lights.

    I started to drive the car and noticed no strange noises coming from the engine or brakes. So, I jumped back on the highway, drove to my destination and back without a problem. The trip consisted of over 300 miles of driving on the highway and about 20 miles driving in an urban area and there were no problems.

    I’ll be doing a lot of driving this summer so I plan on taking it to a mechanic to make sure the car is safe. Please let me know what you all think and what I should do to ensure my car is good for the long run.

    Thanks,
    Tom
     
    #1 t_o_m, Jun 6, 2017
  2. Jmack111

    Jmack111 Member

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    I would check the coolent in all three spots top Middle And there's 2 next to the grill once under the black cover I had same thing happen not sure on the lights but coolent under tbe black cover Radiator was low

    Posted via the PriusChat mobile app.
     
    #2 Jmack111, Jun 6, 2017
  3. JC91006

    JC91006 Senior Member

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    Check and see if there's enough coolant in your radiator. Since you had that service, you should check that first
     
    #3 JC91006, Jun 6, 2017
  4. Patrick Wong

    Patrick Wong DIY Enthusiast

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    Check the inverter coolant reservoir for fluid turbulence when the Prius is READY. If you do not see this, the inverter coolant pump has failed and that is the root cause of your car's problems.
     
    #4 Patrick Wong, Jun 7, 2017
  5. t_o_m

    t_o_m New Member

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    I let the car sit overnight before checking all levels of coolant in the vehicle. What are the ideal levels for coolant in the radiator neck and overflow reservoir? The neck for the radiator is full with coolant and there is also coolant in the overflow reservoir that is at the lower indicated line on side of the overflow reservoir.

    The level of coolant in the inverter coolant reservoir is in between the indicated lines of low and high but is closer to the lower line. What is the ideal level of coolant in the inverter coolant reservoir? The coolant in the coolant reservoir was flowing when I put the car was in ready.

    Thanks again for all the help.
     
    #5 t_o_m, Jun 7, 2017
  6. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

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    anywhere between the lines, might as well top it up.

    i would have the trouble codes read, and see what they come up with.
     
    #6 bisco, Jun 7, 2017
  7. Jmack111

    Jmack111 Member

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    When you turn the car off do you hear The inverter pump it's located under the driver's side headlight

    Posted via the PriusChat mobile app.
     
    #7 Jmack111, Jun 7, 2017
  8. t_o_m

    t_o_m New Member

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    Where will I be able to have the trouble codes read? OBD2 port?

    I didn't hear the inverter pump making any noises when I turned the car off.
     
    #8 t_o_m, Jun 7, 2017
  9. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

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    toyota dealer, unless you want to diy. then you would need mini vci and compatible laptop. yes the obd, you can try an auto parts store free reading, but generic readers don't always get specific enough on prius.
     
    #9 bisco, Jun 7, 2017
  10. ChapmanF

    ChapmanF Senior Member

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    +1 on having the codes read. If you are taking the car to a mechanic, make sure the mechanic reads them, and reports them to you, and make sure the mechanic is using a tool that can read all the relevant codes from a Prius. If there's any question about that, it might be better to have them read at the dealer (or use Techstream and a Mini VCI, VXDiag, etc., from the comfort of home).

    Those warning lights should be interpreted as "hey, we computers running the car have trouble codes we want to tell you about." There are way more possible issues the computers can detect than a lot of people realize; it's not like ignoring the codes means you just have to guess among two or three possibilities. Add about two zeros to that....

    -Chap
     
    #10 ChapmanF, Jun 7, 2017
  11. essaunders

    essaunders Member

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    I don't see any closure on Tom's issue in this thread, but as I've got a similar (same, maybe) on my 2007 prius (~150k miles) I thought I re-open the thread to see anyone had thoughts.
    I had both engine and inverter coolent changed a few weeks ago. we had loud 'bubbling sounds' until we took it back. the dealer claims they did nothing to fix it, but the sounds had appeared to stop.
    Yesterday we got the lights as tom described. I inadvertently cleared codes/lights with my ODBII reader before I could read them last night -- but the lights came back this AM on the way into work. I have no codes visible via my UltraGuage. it did alarm to a pending code while I was driving (not coincident with all the idiot lights re-illuminated) but didn't have anything when i stopped to look at the codes proper.
    12V battery is a ~4yr old optima AGM with resting 12.2V level (though I only saw ~5v at under-hood jump point...)

    I did (last night) check my inverter coolant level. it is above the min mark (just barely) and moves when the car is in ready.

    I haven't yet checked the engine coolant.

    Trying to get back to the dealer to get them to read the codes, but that may be days out still....

    any thoughts? what else should I check

    Erik
     
    #11 essaunders, Dec 6, 2017
  12. ChapmanF

    ChapmanF Senior Member

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    If any of the lights on are brake system lights, at least get the brake system codes right away and post here. You can do that yourself using the jumper wire and count light blinks method, widely discussed here on PC.

    -Chap
     
    #12 ChapmanF, Dec 6, 2017
  13. essaunders

    essaunders Member

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    Thanks. I'll get the codes from the dealer (who's agreed to see it promptly due to prior coolant issues).
    (for what it's worth - i'm attaching the idiot light display )
     

    Attached Files:

    #13 essaunders, Dec 6, 2017
  14. essaunders

    essaunders Member

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    To provide a little closure on my issue: got a code from the dealer (it was the same one that showed occasionally on my way in on my ultraguage). P0K80, if I remember correctly. supposedly bad hybrid battery. So, a couple of grand plus some labor and we'll have the car back in a day or so. btw - 12V battery was checked by them as well as me and works fine.
     
    #14 essaunders, Dec 7, 2017
  15. edthefox5

    edthefox5 Senior Member

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    Yep. Join the club on the hybrid battery.

    With winter upon us make sure the 12 volt battery is good. From what we see here dealers are incapable of checking that battery.
    '
    Simple fool proof test:

    First thing in the am before starting the car open the hood and check the DC voltage at the jump points With CAR OFF turn on the headlights. That puts a very nice load on the 12 volt battery and will show the true capability of the battery under load.

    Open fuse box under hood. Flip up the red cover revealing positive jump tab point and put positive lead of volt meter on the little vertical metal tab and negative test lead on the nut on the top of the strut housing right above the fuse box.

    With the headlights on and car OFF what is the DC at the jump points?

    Btw, our friends from Raymond, NH just bought a winter place next town over. They say its been super cold up there.
     
    #15 edthefox5, Dec 7, 2017
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