Prius (2004-09) :: Warning Lights In Cold Weather - Car Seems To Run (mostly) Ok?
Jan 22, 2016
It has been cold recently (out of the past week, highs in 20's or lower). This hasn't been as much of an issue before, but in the past week I have had the red triangle of death, brake warning light, check engine light, and VSC light all come on at the same time, three separate times. Also, the display screen shows a red outline of a car with "!" through it. Each time this has happened, the lights didn't come on as soon as the car was "Ready" but only after the gas engine was running for a minute or two.
The first time the lights came on, I was driving back from class, but after I got back to my house I did some internet research and saw it may be a low oil indicator. Checked the oil, it was almost at the bottom mark on the dipstick, and it had been over 10,000 miles since the last one (oops! we don't normally do that). After reading some stories online, I took it in to get an oil change, and the lights went off for a couple days. Second time the lights came on, I checked the oil level, it was definitely over-filled, so I took it back to Walmart and had them redo the oil so that it was at the right level. I checked the oil level before leaving the parking lot that time and it was at the top mark on the dipstick. Again, all the lights were off for a couple days.
Today, I drove my car for about an hour in the morning (temperature was around upper teens, wind chill below 10) and had no problems. Then, this evening I turn the car on and start driving out of the parking lot when the car beeps at me and flashes all of the warning lights again. I drove back to my house and it is now sitting in the driveway. I am not planning on driving it until I can have a car mechanic friend take a look at it on Tuesday, but he doesn't know anything about the hybrid system/battery.
My wife and I have also noticed that since the weather has been colder, the hybrid battery (shown on the "Energy" screen when driving) seems to be charging and discharging much faster than normal. I haven't seen it at only 1 bar or full of green bars more than a couple times in the 2.5ish years we have owned the car, but in the past two weeks it has happened 5-10 times (estimated). I am not sure if this is due to the weather, or if it could indicate a problem with the (hybrid?) battery. For obvious reasons, this makes us nervous :/
As a side note, I changed the transmission fluid sometime in December, so I was wondering if possibly I didn't put enough fluid back in. I have checked the diagnostic screen and found some codes, but most of them seem to relate to the audio, which doesn't concern me as much as the code that seems to indicate the transmission, which is why I mention the change I did a while back. I just don't know why it wouldn't have shown up until now. I'll attach some pictures I took tonight of the codes and lights.
Also, the battery is a couple years old, but after sitting for a couple hours the battery was reading 12.1 V according to the diagnostic screen, so I don't think that is the issue. We haven't had any trouble getting the car to start, and once it is running it still seems to drive normally with the warning lights on. What these codes mean, and a possible cause for the warning lights?
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I've seen several posts regarding the warning lights, mine is a bit different. My Warning Light, Maint Reqd, ((!)), and engine light are all on. I've driven it a few times since and notice that after driving for 10 minutes or so, the VSC light also comes on. In one instance the brake light also came on. At that point my AC seems to also stop blowing COLD air. The motor blower motor still runs, but the air is no longer cold. Battery checks out. Coolant levels are good. Code indicated "something with the inverter cooling" according to local garage. Suggested I take it to the dealer. Scheduled for a trip to dealer tomorrow but wondering if there's anything I can/should do in the meantime.
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I have a 2005 Prius that financed from a small dealer last year. Currently has over 140k miles on it. When I bought it it had the Red Triangle and it worked fine until recently (about 2 months ago). Recently I've been having some problems. When I go at higher speeds I get the following sings come on:
1. Red Triangle
3. Orange check engine light
2. Orange (Symbol)CHECK - Malfunction Indicator Lamp
3. Orange (!) - Brake Warning Light
4. Orange VSC - Vehicle Stability Control Warning Light
When these lights are on, my AC stops blowing cold air. Sometimes when all these lights are on, the car will slow down and will not let me go past 37 MPH I have to then pull over turn the car off and then on, then the lights turn off and I can drive normal, on short trips that is.
Recently on a longer trip over 50 miles or so all the lights I mentioned came on plus the red break light on the left turned on with a continuous beep. We pulled off the HWY and turned the car off then on and the lights disappeared except for the big red Triangle that one is always on. We continued driving it but it kept doing it so we had to let it rest for over 30 minutes. We had to take it really slow and we finally got to our destination.
Codes P08A3 and P0A37 Prius 2005....
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"Vehicle with smart key system: The indicator light flashes after the "POWER" switch has been turned OFF to indicate that the system is operating." I have noticed that my immobilizer light will not blink when it has the no start issue. usually when the key is out the light blinks but when it won't blink.... it won't start.
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I think this happened last year. Whenever it happened, I know it's happened before. It only happens when it's cold outside. Yesterday, it was 18ºF which, Priapus was happy to show me, equates to -6ºC.
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I have an 05 Prius with 108k miles I bought about 2 months ago. My commute to work each morning is 1.5 miles with speeds of 25mph or less.
Usually the car has acted the same way each day. The ice spins consistently as I creep along to work. But last night the temps dropped to -10f and this morning when I left for work it was about 3 above. I turned on the car and instead of the few seconds after ready it takes for the ice to turn on it turned on right away today. I let it warm for about 3 minutes then set off. Right away I noticed the ice start to Rev up.
And as I slowly approached 25 MPH it was revving abnormally high. It was showing energy from the ice to the wheels and to the mg and charging the battery which was at the normal state of charge. All blue, right before green. When I stopped at a light about 1 mile in the ice turned off as normal, and started right away as normal. But it seemed the ice was still revving as if it was working very hard to pick up a slow increase in speed.
I pulled into my parking spot, battery showing green state of charge now, and the motor stopped as usual. I do not run the heat on this trip and it takes usually 5 minutes, so I just tough it out.
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I've got a 2008 Prius which I bought used last summer. It works quite well except for one behavior: In cold weather, sometimes, the car either does not start at all, or starts without the dashboard gauges lighting up.
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My 2005 Prius shifts into Neutral, "N", when I put it either into Drive, "D", or Reverse, "R", during Cold weather, mid 20's and below. It will only stay in "B" to drive, and I have to hold the shifter in "R" to back up or "D" to drive. After the car warms up while driving 15-20 minutes in "B", I can shift it into "D" and it will stay there. I normally start the car and let it warm up in the morning for 10-15 minutes on cold days, below 25F but still I'm only able to drive it in "B" until it's ready. I just moved to Montana after driving this car in normal Southern California driving conditions. It happened while vacationing in Montana during the winter of 2007 a few times but it didn't bother me since I wasn't living there. I reported to Toyota but they couldn't do anything since the weather wouldn't co-operate. This car is still under 70,000 miles.
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On some cold winter mornings, my dashboard stays dark. Later, sometimes hours later, it lights up normally.
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My wife's 2007 Prius Dash lights stop working in extreme cold weather. We have asked the dealer 3 times about it but to no avail! I don't even know where to start with this one?
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This is the second year I've owned my 2007 Prius, and it seems to be getting worse.
In the summer, the hatch will open with ease! The handle recognizes my hand there and unlocks the hatch and whammo bammo we're in business. In the winter, especially the really really cold weather like we're having now (down to about 10 over night) the hatch refuses to open.
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When it is cold (below 30 degrees) and above about 30mph, there is a loud high pitched squeal (rather like the pitch of a squealing hearing aide)that seems to come form the front drivers side. The colder it is, the louder it is.
When I am able to take it in it is too warm to hear it. What might be causing the noise and will they be able to figure it out if it isn't making the sound?
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With the temps at a all time low in the U.S. this week, my TPMS warning light has come on in my 2012 RX350. It will stay very cold for most of the week, so is it ok to drive with my warning light on.
I don't want to check my psi in the tires with a tire gauge because I was told a valve stem can freeze open in extreme cold letting the tire to go completely flat.
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I had just picked my kid up from school, as I turn out of the parking lot my A/C stops blowing cool air, I check the A/C screen and it still says it's set on High with temp at 68. However, it is blowing very low with warm air. Seconds later the dash lights up with numerous warning lights. I'm on the highway and I'm able to gather speed, but each time I do I hear the engine revving like crazy. We only live a few miles from the school so I am able to make it home. Once home, I turn off the car and turn it back on. The only warning lights displayed now are the red triangle and the yellow check engine light. I turn the car off, pop the hood, I check the belt and it was fine. I checked the oil and it seemed fine. I check the coolant overflow and it was empty.
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Its not super cold but in Tampa ever since I installed my headers and its 60 or below i've gotten the VSC and ABS lights on in the dash after driving a little bit. Typically this is a cold morning type thing.
I reset the lights and it went away for a few days (it also got 30 degrees warmer) once it got down to 55 the lights came back on. Parked the car went in to work and when I drove home the lights were off (without re-setting the lights).
I know the codes can mean different things. The car is driving the same as always too- I have PPE headers, Ingen Intake, and a muffler delete.
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I have an 06 Dodge Durango. When the weather is cold, say 30 or below, and the engine is still cold, my lights, inside and out, will turn off and then back on quickly. Also, under the same circumstances, my windshield wipers will come on, back and forth 3 times. Never can tell when these things will happen exactly, just that it happens whe it is cold outside and the car is still cold. Took it to a garage, but they couldn't find a problem.
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95 1.9L 5 speed. 142K Runs like a champ but over the last few colder mornings, low 40's high 30's, the starter is slow to get turning. This morning it was really slow, as I held the switch to the crank position for a good 10-15 seconds before it started. To the point that the dash lights dimmed, like a larger load was on the battery. Once it starts its fine. Later in the day it starts just like it should. Just wondering if I may have a starter about to go south on me.
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When I turned my Prius on today, the following warning lights remained on:
red "BRAKE"
yellow "ABS"
yellow "VSC"
yellow exclamation mark inside a circle inside parentheses.
It drives fine. After driving it a bit I tried turning the car off and back on a few times. The lights still remain on.
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Mine did. I was driving on the highway and pretty much every warning light went off. It was like the space shuttle crashing back to Earth. Freaked me out. Cruise control stopped working also. But I was able to get home safely.
So first, I tried AAA just to see if the guy would know something, but it was way over his head. He did notice my aux battery was failing, but not much else. Then I found a service online that comes to your place to do the work, and they sent a guy out on a Saturday and he read the codes, and did a full visual inspection, and yes, something was up with the cooling system. He suggested I have the dealer look at it because flushing the system is VERY important apparently. Should be done every 50,000 miles.
I was so worried it was the hybrid battery; we all know what that means! So I had the car towed to the dealer (don't drive if your Master/Hybrid light comes on!) and they said, indeed, the pump was gone. And, of course, they found a number of other things included the dying aux battery. It took them 4 days to get the damn part in stock. At least they covered the car rental for me.
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The other night, went to start the prius and nothing happened except all the warning lights came on! So took the foot off the brake pedal and sat there for a minute trying to figure out. What the heck happened?? Tried a couple more times and then suddenly it was fine and it started! Now I have to mention that the outside temp was around 16*,,, not sure if that could have caused this strange reaction?
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I bought a toyota prius 2008 few weeks back. ave done only 2500 km. Today I received few warning lights on the dash of my car.
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