Car doesn't start occasionally

Are you sure you're pressing the brake pedal hard enough when you power-on? If you're not pressing the pedal hard enough, the car will only go to accessory-on mode rather than full power-on.

Maybe a bad connection in the brake pedal position sensor - I remember seeing a toyota bulletin about that, but not sure if it is relevant for a Prius.

The dashboard directionals sound like possibly the alarm system arming or disarming.

Dave.

 

You might check this Knowledge Base post. It's happened to me a few times, usually when I'm in a hurry and hit the brake & Start button quickly.

 

Since you say it is at the dealer,I'm sure they are checking for any open recalls. There is one that may cause that no start symptom, 40L Brake Light Switch. Yes it controls the stop lights but the system also needs to see the pedal depressed to go ahead and start the car. But I don't think it is tied to the blinkers. That could be a different concern.

 

I had this same problem with mine on Friday. I am way outside the brake light recall, but even so, I called my wife from my cell phone who ran outside to verify that my brake lights were on.

It would NOT leave the IG-ON position! That is, it wouldn't cycle through! I tried it almost a dozen times, nothing. As soon as I let go of the brake, it went to off, then it went straight to IG-ON AGAIN! I confirmed that the vehicle wouldn't go from IG-ON to Ready or to OFF as long as I was holding the brake.

After letting go of the brake one more time, I could go to off, and then pressing the brake and then hitting the button caused it to go to Ready.

The dealer can find nothing wrong with it. Like I said, I can't make this happen, but it happenned twice, and WAS STUCK in IG-ON until I let go of the brake.

It's a software glitch, I tell you.

Nate

 

I got hang-on-Ig-On condition just a few minutes ago when I went to look for that green light around the ring some talked about in another thread.
By the way, I think that's the illumination. It will come on when you first get in the car, and sometimes light shows through the space between the ring and the button.

I put the car in Acc (green) then Ig-On (Amber) then hit the brake and pressed the button. Pressed a few times, would not go to ready.
By the way, you should be able to get the SOC in Ig-On mode. If it didn't show up, that might be why it won't go to ready. I'll make note of SOC display next time that happens. We may be getting somewhere!

The directionals might be your answer back. Did you hear beeps?