2016 Prius C "Check Hybrid System",Dr. Prius app not working, and a possible inverter coolant proble

Discussion in 'Prius c Care, Maintenance and Troubleshooting' started by kylekyle, Mar 16, 2025.

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  1. kylekyle

    kylekyle New Member

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    So I'm having some problems with my battery and I wanted to opinions from this awesome community.

    Context: I live on a small developing pacific island that is year round 90-100f. I bought this prius from a nice elderly couple that only used it to get groceries and go to the doctor, so it only has 36,000 miles on it.

    Problems: After about a year of driving the car I noticed that I only get about 42mpg. I figured it was because most of my driving is at less than 30mph and only for a couple of miles and in the heat, all of which I was told are kind of the worst conditions for the car. However after about a year the aircon went out. It was gonna cost a grand to fix so I just started with the windows down. After three months of that I got the dreaded "check hybrid system" and an OBD reading of P0A80.

    Unfortunately because of the remote location a replacement battery is like 10k so I figured **** it I'll just keep clearing the error and see how long the car keeps going. However at this point I also noticed that the inverter coolant had just gotten to the low marking so I filled that up. The first time it took about 2 weeks to come back. The second time however it took 2 months to come back. But I also noticed after clearing the second time, my Aircon also randomly started working perfectly again.

    Now I finally got the Dr. Prius app and I'm having problems getting any info out of it. The attahced screen shot is of the app. When i try to do the Full Battery Test, it never gets past 82% even when getting up to 45mph and stopping quickly (however it does say that it passes the IR, battery temp and upper voltage tests, with bottom voltage saying "in progress"). For the Life Expectantcy test, it fails after 2 minutes, quits out and says the inverter is too hot and try again after driving some. This sign made me think about how my coolant was low when I first started getting the signs and now I'm wondering if that is part of the problem. When letting the car sit in "ready" i don't see any water movement in the coolant chamber.

    Questions: So in the end my questions are 1. do you think its the battery or the inverter. 2. Considering how expensive the battery is to replace can I just keep driving the car? 3. What happens if I do keep driving the car with this error?

    Thank you!
     

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    #1 kylekyle, Mar 16, 2025
  2. Leadfoot J. McCoalroller

    Leadfoot J. McCoalroller Senior Member

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    I can't tell you anything about that app, but it is completely normal for a Prius to lock out the air conditioning when the inverter is overheating.

    If the inverter has been overheating for a while, it probably hasn't been kind to the battery. At the very least it means the battery has not been facing the normal charge/discharge cycles that make it last longest.

    Have you been cleaning the battery cooling fan and ductwork?

    It sounds like you have a cooling system problem that is affecting your inverter. It may have created a condition that prematurely killed your hybrid battery, but it's too early to say.

    I think you're on the right track getting some diagnostics done, but I've never used that app, can't offer any specific guidance there. I recently adopted the Autel AP200 and AP2500 systems, learning those now.
     
    #2 Leadfoot J. McCoalroller, Mar 16, 2025
  3. Brian1954

    Brian1954 Senior Member

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    The data in the Dr Prius screenshot shows that the hybrid battery is not in very good condition. You could also have a cooling problem with the inverter. Unless you are DIY and want to take the time and headache of diagnosing the problem yourself, it is time to buy a replacement standard gas car (not a hybrid).
     
    #3 Brian1954, Mar 16, 2025
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  4. MAX2

    MAX2 Senior Member

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    This topic does a good job of describing your high voltage battery problems and how to solve them.
    P0A80 What's It All Mean?? | PriusChat

    The second problem may be related to a clogged radiator. On the outside, fluff, dust and dirt with the remains of flying insects stick to it. Inside the radiator channels, blockages from peeling rubber may occur. All this is easy to check and clean. And of course, check the pump for the inverter system. It should work so that there is no overheating. You can monitor the temperature using the Hybrid Assistant program, installed for free on your phone and the OBDII adapter inserted into the OBDII slot under the steering column.
    Hybrid Assistant
     
    #4 MAX2, Mar 17, 2025
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