Hi I’m new to the forum as a member but I have been browsing for a long time now decided to make an account hoping I can get some help I’m having some issues with 2 cars both being 2010 Prius 5’s one is my sister’s and the other is mine so my sister’s car recently threw all types of lights on the dash including check pcs system/hybrid system but the car still started and drove went to autozone to get the check engine light scanned and got a code for P0A94 I tried doing some research and went to the dealer to get some information on the code also called around hybrid shops near me and they all suggested it being a bad inverter I also tried swapping out the 12v batteries opened up the hybrid battery and checked the voltage and all cells showing around 8.1 I ended up swapping out the inverter from my car to my sister’s car my car ran fine with no issues at all just to see if it’ll fix the issue I did the swap then once I did the inverter swap I went to go start the car made sure the orange safety plug was in and 12v battery hooked up I put my foot on the brake pedal and pressed power on button the dash lights up but car won’t go into ready mode nor will the engine start but it did before the swap tried disconnecting the 12v battery for a few minutes still didn’t work so I ended up putting the inverter back into my car now even my car won’t start and won’t go into ready mode and it’s showing all of the lights on the dash including check pcs system/check hybrid system what could be the issue? both of the cars down now and not running the only thing I feel like maybe the issue is I’m having trouble snapping in the 2 piece wire connector plug from the harness that goes into the left side of the inverter it goes in but won’t click and I can easily pull it out can that be the cause? I’d appreciate any help
that does sound like a problem, but not on both cars? did you perform the third step of sliding the orange safety lock?
Yes I have made sure to slide the orange safety lock on both cars still didn’t fix the issue And also yes both cars now have the same problem
I think you need to learn the inverter in to the car's network. You know all these inverters go out. Covered under recall.
I don't think the inverter needs any special introduction ritual. (The fact that the first swap worked with no such ritual seems to say enough about that.) I don't see that any trouble codes have been read or posted here yet. Generally, finding out what the car is saying, and then fixing that, will be a lot faster than guessing.
When my inverter went out I tried 2 different ones and it would not work. Found out it was under recall got it towed to Toyota. And I got both of them from a local junk yard out of wrecked cars....... (from above) (Jang) check engine light scanned and got a code for P0A94 P0A94 is a Inverter code...................................... one of several I had..................
Now I see the original post started out with a P0A94. That was why the original poster did the first inverter swap. I also thought on first reading that the OP's car ran fine after the first swap. But I see it might have meant only before the first swap. The codes that are missing are the ones from the sister's car when it wouldn't start after the swap, and also the codes from the OP's car now that it won't start, after the swap back. Reading those codes will reveal why the car doesn't want to start. P0A94 is indeed a code about the DC/DC converter (which is part of the inverter assembly) ... but it's also a code that has seventeen different subcodes and a wide range of possible causes. Here's an example just for the first subcode, 127: So even when somebody has a P0A94 code, there's a good bit of work involved to see if the problem is the same as somebody else with a P0A94 code.
Good re: having Techstream. It will show you the inf codes as well as the main codes. That narrows things down to a smaller (but still substantial) list of causes to check. If somebody else has a P0A94 and also has Techstream and also posts their inf code and it's the same one, then there's a smaller list of checks that have to be done to see if they're having the same problem.
I want to thank everyone for their replies I have ordered techstream J2534 and I should be getting it delivered tonight hopefully I can work the thing I tried hooking up the obd2 scanner to my car this morning to see if there’s any codes and there’s none what puzzles me is the fact that my car ran fine and had been running fine with no issues until I swapped out my car’s inverter to my sister’s car and then ended up putting the same inverter back to my car because my sister’s car wouldn’t start with my inverter and after I put my inverter back the same thing happened with my car not starting and showing check hybrid/check pcs
I hope so both of the cars are not covered under warranty for an inverter when I spoke to the dealer I was told in California they only cover up to 150,xxx my sister’s car is a little over 200,xxx and my car is at 154,xxx
Need to get your Sisters car to Toyota if you can't figure it out. It could very well be the recalled fix for the inverter. They charge for diagnostics but don't charge if it's the inverter. I know it happened to me. How many miles on her car? I personally wouldn't put my inverter in anybody's car..... to risky Also toyota is supposed to pay for towing if it's the inverter and a loaner car. obd2 scanner will do nothing......
I learned my lesson the hard way messing around with my car but I have posted the situation with warranty in the post above
It's 15 year unlimited warranty.... doubt if yours is covered now. Prius Hybrid problems are BIG Problems................way beyond the scope of most people. DO NOT tell the dealer what you did. Make sure the 12 volt battery is fully charged.
