I have a 2008 T Spirit 3 with 100k on the clock which runs perfectly fine apart from one niggly issue.
Sometimes when I brake and the speed is below 7mph it feels like the brakes have failed momentarily and the vsc light will flash and then the brakes will clamp on again.
It happens at least 20% of the time when I brake. Why this is?
I have a 2007 with 95K, never had brake pads...at 90K they said it was fine. Lately on wet road when I brake it will momentarily flash the dashboard traction warning. Is this a sign I'm finally needing a brake job or maybe a suspension shock strut/issue. It's usually accompanied by a very brief feel of acceleration, but more like a "slippage" in the engine braking than true tire slippage.
View 7 RepliesI just moved to Colorado with my 2009 Prius and on the fifth day here the check engine light went on and the dealership said my catalytic converter failed. Luckily I was still under warranty. Is this related to the altitude or just a coincidence?
View 3 RepliesBought my Prius about 14 months second hand . Despite 112 checks or whatever, within a few months the brakes were grinding. I took it to a local garage and they said the pads were worn to near nothing and replaced them all. They said I had scoring on the rear brake discs, so I replaced them too.
I got really back noise with the front brakes every time I used them after a few weeks. Took it back. Was told that the front discs needed replaced (and off course the front pads again). It was soon back to noisy and they replaced the front pads for nothing. The problem went away for a few days, then returned, but only a very low speed braking (or when putting the final squeeze.)
That garage tried a few things, then said it was my heaving braking glazing the pads, so they roughed them up. Problem hadn't gone. Add to this that the non-moving parts are really rusty looking, it looks naff.
Well, I took it to Kwik Fit having had some time to save some money for a proper fix. They would be happy to replace all discs and pads, but it'd cost abit. Called Toyota, they cost about the same. I left my car with Toyota yesterday pointing out the problem and a few other things I wanted fixing. I made it clear I felt the brake discs and pads were 'crap' and not Toyota and wanted them replaced. They said they'd inspect and do what was necessary.
Well, I've new windscreen wipers, they sorted out a separate problem and cleaned out the front brakes. According to Toyota there is nothing to stop those parts of the brake disc that aren't moving from rusting. They also said the discs and front pads were fine. Well, that squeaky noise is still there.
Why, after practically begging, did they not just replace everything? Is there any other possible explanation for the low braking speed squeak? Why don't brake discs not come with those parts not in contact with the brake pads painted so they won't rust?
My 2008 Prius has approximately 116,000 miles on it, about 8,000 miles ago, I put on a Mobil 1 Extended Performance filter and 5W 30 Mobil 1 Extended Performance Full Synthetic Oil. Over the past week, My "Exclamation Point Triangle Light" (Not sure what it's called) has flashed a couple of times when coming to a sudden stop and the car would emit a "beep".
My first assumption was low brake fluid, but today when I got home and checked the fluids, I found the oil to be approximately 1.5 quarts low... I have not noticed any leaks under the car (I park in the same spot at work daily), and haven't noticed any smoke coming from the rear...
What the problem might be? Is it possible I might have damaged the engine by driving on such low oil for an unknown period of time (guessing a couple of weeks or so)? I used to religiously check the oil in all my vehicles, but have gotten out of the habit on later model vehicles...
Why my 2010 Prius has 3 times now failed to stop when brakes were applied on a steep downhill in slight rain? Happened a year apart with no slick road and with tires both new and old. I pull up to a stop sign on a grade, apply brakes, the car slows, then there are metallic noises and the car glides 3-4 feet before stopping. I'm lucky no car or person was in front of me. Honestly not a skid at all. Service tells me I don't know about anti-lock brakes but I've driven with them on cars for many years with nothing like this.
View 2 RepliesMKIV 1.8T. Basically the engine turns itself off for 2-5 seconds while driving (quite dangerous!!), then immediately starts back up. For that 2-5 seconds the car is coasting and slowing down. Gas pedal does nothing, but the once the engine comes back on it was as if nothing happened. No CELs or anything else to indicate something is wrong.
The problem appears to happen like most others, with gas 1/4 tank or less (sometime 1/3 tank or less), cruising between 60-75 mph. I've already replaced all spark plugs, new plug wires, air filter, fuel filter, and the Crank Position sensor. I haven't yet changed or cleaned the fuel pump, gas tank or MAF ...
2005 Yesterday the ABS, VSC and (!) lights came on when I accelerated hard out of a right turn and momentarily lost traction from the back tires. In addition, the parking brake light came on and won't go out whether or not the parking brake is engaged. I had the car towed to the dealership, and I"m waiting for them to look at it.
View 2 RepliesI started noticing that the brakes would pulsate, or grab momentarily when almost stopped. I figured that the rotors might be warped, and as I was planning on putting on new green stuff pads and rotors I was waiting for a convenient time to change them.
Now I have noticed some type of fluid, I'm guessing grease, on the side of one spoke of one of the wheels. I recently replaced the steel wheels with SE 16" wheels. I didn't see any leaks then but I guess I wasn't looking like I should have been.
I'm trying to decide what I should be looking for. CV boot leak? Front wheel bearing seal? Brake fluid?
When I rev the engine it momentarily goes down to below normal idling speed (sometimes it completely shuts off)then goes up to normal idle. I have found that if I press the throttle too hard before it recovers it always shuts off.
View 1 RepliesI've got a 2005 with almost 300,000 miles and just recently the A/C blower has intermittently failed to start up. However, if I give the console a smack on the driver's side of the nav screen the unit usually starts up.
Now, I am assuming it is the start of an electric motor failure in the A/C Blower unit, however, the blower is apparently located under the passenger side glove box. So I am wondering if that is whee the blower is why does smaking the driver side of the nav screen start up the motor?
The dealer told me my actuator and solenoid failed. I have a 2009 and less than 60,000 miles. I believe there is something wrong with those parts and they shouldn't fail at two years old. What do you all know about this?
View 19 RepliesOk so this is a one owner with 100000 miles it runs the tops but when I try to use the AC it will run for say a little while the light on the AC button will flash and then NO AC ! Ive had it at an AC repair shop they could not find anything wrong then took it to the local Toyota Dealer they charged me 190 dollars and could not figure it out either !
View 4 RepliesMy 2005 Prius (86 K mi.) has a warning light on - brakes. Put on the scanner and came up with code P1116 coolant temp. sensor circuit stack for coolant heat storage system. Also C1378 - capacitor communication circuit malfunction. I'm just a shade tree mechanic but can usually fix stuff if I know where to start.
View 4 RepliesI devloped a noise in the right front wheel. I thought it was a tire going bad so I rotated the tires & still had the noise. I was told by shop it is a wheel bearing. If that is the problem is that a DIY repair ?
View 5 RepliesI had to have my 2009 Prius towed 2 days ago. It has just over 73000 miles. I was on the highway and suddenly experienced a lack of power. Eventually, the dashboard lit up: check engine light, big red exclamation point, and my favourite: it said "problem" on the center display. I pulled over and let it sit for a few minutes and tried starting it.
All the same warning lights came on. The battery level was at 1 bar. The gasoline engine would start for maybe 10 seconds and shut off. I could move the car on battery power only, but I had several miles to go before the next exit, uphill, so I figured I needed to be towed.
Long story short, my dealer said all this is due to a failed mass air flow sensor, and is going to replace it. Does that make sense? I thought a faulty sensor might make the car run roughly or whatever, but not actually prevent the engine from running.
My headlights are like a dying flashlight. I recently attempted to plug in LED lights and tapped into the parking light directly above the high beams. This caused my pass HID to not work, which then I put both stock bulbs in. Both headlights are on now but at a super low brightness. Any clues on what I should check? There are no warning lights on . All lights function as should just not enough power going to the headlights.
View 16 RepliesWe seem to be getting reports of failed inverter coolant pumps here on just about a daily basis. I'm wondering if they're all just failing now or if this is something of a "backlog" of failures that started in Winter but are only really being detected now.
View 14 RepliesSeveral tries at power button failed. Icon on dashboard (small car image) flashing whether nor not I was in the car. Lights worked and emergency flashers worked. After many tries, called AAA. The AAA driver got in the car and it started right up and has worked ever since. Called dealer. Never heard of such a thing. What happened.
View 1 RepliesThe door lock light will flash constantly when are locked, it don't matter how i lock the doors e.g., key fob, front doors or rear door. i have verified that all doors are locked and the car beeps once when i lock the doors. how can i turn the door lock light off, permanently if need be.
View 2 RepliesMy 04 GTI 1.8T got the infamous codes P0300, P0303 and P0301 yesterday morning. The check-engine light flash when I drive it. It is a little rough when the check-engine light flashes, but it is drivable and nothing major. When the car idle or when it come to a complete stop for 15 seconds or so, the check-engine light goes away and it comes back after 15 seconds or so after took off from stop.
I cleaned the MAF last night, but the check-engine light still acts the same way as yesterday on the way work this morning. The codes refer to miss-fire. This is my first VW.
Since I can easily get sparkplug from Checkers, I'll try it first. Checkers carries Autolite, ACDelco, NGK and Champions. Which brand do you prefer for VW engine? I hope that it is not the coil pack. It is expensive for $30 each at ECS Tuning.