Got the dreaded hybrid system error message last night. Went into the default safe mode where I couldn't accelerate beyond about 35mph, but got me home just fine. Had AAA come by to check battery this morning. He said the 12V battery doesn't have a lot of cranking power, but is testing near 12V otherwise. I forgot his exact terms, but apparently there's a little battery in back, and that's the one he thinks needs replacing, not the mega-pricey one (thank God). Just went to AutoZone for free OBD2 scan. It's got a lot of codes: P0A94 with secondary OTCs: P0A7A, P0A1A, P0A94, C1259 and C1310 I don't have an appointment w/ my mechanic until tomorrow morning, but I'm curious today. Thank you in advance for any input on this.
I bought it used 5-6 years ago. I've never had it replaced during my ownership, but before that, I don't know.
The trouble codes are for the inverter assembly. Do NOT clear the trouble codes!! Take the car to a Toyota dealership. The inverter is covered by an extended warranty, and the repair will not cost you anything. Call your local dealership and give them the codes that you have. Posted via the PriusChat mobile app.
I've tried doing that. They won't take auto zone's codes (even though the dealer mechanic uses a similar or identical device to get the codes, I'd bet). They say they need to inspect the car themselves -- and they want $ up front for the inspection. One wants $195 up front, another wants $150. They say that money goes towards the cost of repairs, but if the repairs are free, do you suppose they'd waive the cost? Also, is this something my mechanic can do? Or can this only be done at a dealer mechanic? And thank you!
Yes, the dealership will need to do their own diagnostics. That why I said to NOT clear the trouble codes. If the problem that they discover is covered by the inverter extended warranty, you will not be charged the diagnostics fee. You will get the repair for free. An independent mechanic could also fix the inverter, but you would need to pay them, which could be thousands of dollars. Just take the car to a dealership for the diagnostics. If the is covered by the warranty, it is free. If the problem is not covered by the warranty, you will need to make a decision about what to do next.
Dealer mechanic tells me it IS, in fact, the inverter. It's covered under warranty (once corporate "approves" it, which I was told is all but guaranteed). And they'll waive the inspection fee. Thanks to all for the info!