Big DanNew Member Hi This is my first post so bear with me. My Prius has been glitching for about 1 1/2 years. At first one of the hybrid warning lights came on, but car ran fine. The light stayed on with no adverse affect so I drove like normal. About 1000 miles later after getting gas a whole Christmas tree of warning lights lit up. The car wouldn't run or go into D. I had it towed to dealer. They couldn't get any codes that explained the issue and when they cleared the computer they could not get the warning lights to come back on. So they gave me the car back and basically shrugged. I drove the car fur thousands of miles before any issues again. This time I was highway driving from DC to DE when the Christmas tree lit up again ave the vehicle went into what I later learned was "limp mode". After sitting befuddled and hoping for a miracle, i "limped" about 4 miles to the nearest dealer in MD. It was after 5 so they could not check car until the AM. At around 9am I got a call at the motel from the dealer. They told me that when they went out to pull the car in to start diagnostic there were no warning lights and car ran normally, so they could not check anything else for me so I should come get car. They did not charge me. This was last spring and the start of the ongoing saga. I continued to drive the car as it ran beautifully. Over 200kmi and still getting over 40mpg. However, occasionally it would glitch into limp mode with various warning lights coming on. But I learned that if I pulled over and waited a few minutes, I could restart the car and it would run fine. Sometimes I would have to repeat this process once or twice down the road, but it would always work itself out. However, upon returning to functionality, 2 warning lights stay on. And, sometimes the cruiser control and power/eco buttons don't respond. But Sometimes they do! I do outside sales and deliver packages for Amazon in this car, so I do a lot of driving. This has continued since last summer with hundreds and sometimes thousands of miles between "glitches". However, this summer the glitches became more frequent and unmanageable, until the point I am at now where the drive time between glitches is only a few miles. So, the dealer has the car back and just called me. They claim the only codes they can pull calls for the transaxle and some related parts to be replaced. $5000! First of all, my symptoms don't seem to reflect transmission issues. When not glitching the car runs great. Second- there are multiple recalls for 2010-2014 Prius with my exact symptoms that are all related to inverter issues, not transmission issues. I'm looking for any advice how to handle this dilemma and/or any info from anyone whose had similar issues? Sorry for the long tale. I've included to pics of the dashboard lights. Updatenly code dealer gets is p0a90 which they say calls for transaxle replacement $5k
is there movement in the inverter fluid reservoir? you might wantto pick up techstream and read the codes yourself prius tranny is not your fathers transmission, p0a9o could be a short in the windings. you can get a salvage tranny for cheap
I believe so. But they are very random. By year then vin. I just wonder if it really is tranny would it randomly run fine then glitch into limp mode? No tranny noises at all. No driving issues. Just bam, limp mode. Then turn back on and drive normal?
Where is that reservoir? I just wonder if it really is tranny would it randomly run fine then glitch into limp mode? No tranny noises at all. No driving issues. Just bam, limp mode. Then turn back on and drive normal?
it's up against the firewall. i'm no expert on the tranny, but trouble codes and the trouble shooting tree in the service manual are the only way to find out.
I think this should be required reading for ALL new members of the forum: How old is your 12 V battery ? Before you do anything else, you need to have it tested and the main cable connections checked for tightness and corrosion. If it is much over 5 years old, you should consider just replacing it. And check the charging voltage. A weak 12 V battery can cause all kinds of intermittent problems that seem to make no sense.
Also Any thoughts on my symptoms so far as being am indicator that the transaxle should be replaced? Why would it run fine so often? But that's my brain thinking like it's "your father's transmission"
