Prius (Gen 1) :: Red Triangle Keeps Appearing With P1455, P0420, P3191
Jul 7, 2015
I have a 2003 with ~230,000 miles on it. We are the 4th owners, and have owned it for 7 years / 120,000 miles.
7 months ago, in December, I experienced my first red triangle of death. It happened on a warm start, but drove fine. Took it to O'Riley, they used an Innova 3120 to check the codes, and these are the 3 that came back (P1455, P0420, P3191). After starting the car the 4th time, the warnings went away, and all seemed well. It happened again about 3 months ago while on the highway, and again went away after 4 starts. At the time I was not too terribly worried about emissions codes, we live in an area that doesn't require testing, but the 3191 was the more ominous one.
The red triangle came on again two days ago, about 5 minutes after a cold start, and again today, about 5 minutes after a warm start. I do not know what the current codes are, but I will be taking it to a store tomorrow to get them checked. I had an oil change 4 days ago. I checked the intake manifold for any sign of liquid (I saw several posts in RE to the 3191 of that being a possibility), and it is as clean as our '05s. I checked my service history, and didn't have anything done the first two times this happened.
If the same codes persist, I'm assuming the problems could be cheap to almost what the car is worth (~$2,500).
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Is it safe to drive my '02 with the triangle on the dash? I've tried to get rid of it, throttle body cleaned, MAF cleaned, battery seems good (13v, no load). What else can I do to try and get rid of it? BTW, '02 Prius, 183K mi. It runs good, cycles on and off normally (motor to battery, etc.). The code clears it self after sitting about a week w/ occasional starts, then I drive it for about 50-70 miles and the light comes back on...
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Just this week the red warning triangle is appearing intermittently. I live over 200 miles from a dealer or Toyota certified shop- Light seems to come on only when I push the brakes moderately hard and is on for just a second then disappears- beeps when it comes on, too. I called the Toyota dealer and their answer is to "just bring it in"-- not able to "just bring it in" as it's again, 200+ miles away. One of the service reps said it might be low brake fluid- but the actual service tech said it was a failing ECU most probably - seems to be driving fine- should I be panicking about now?
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The red triangle light and the car with the ! Light went off and these are the codes the local shop has found:
- P0121
- P3190
- P3191
- C1259
- C1213
- P3101
The shop I went to in Little Rock would not touch it. Need to put these together and diagnose where to start?
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I took a one owner 2009 with 100,00 miles for a pre-inspection today. All came back in fairly good shape however the mechanic ( an independent shop ) found this error code P1455. I took the car back to the dealer & said I was interested in the car if they looked into whether the gas tank would need to be replaced. The parts manager gave my husband and I a long speech about how they checked the car before it was traded in and never found this code. He explained that the code has to appear twice for the " check engine light " to come on. He told us he would take the car for a test drive himself & put it thru another diagnostic test to see if he could get another error reading. He will be getting back to us tomorrow. The dealer also said we could discuss in writing a timeline for them to repair it if the check engine light come on & ultimately a repair is needed.
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2003 Prius. Situation as follows:
Malfunction Indicator Lamp lit on start-up during sub-freezing weather for failure to start (P3191 and P3101 codes loaded). Occurred twice (so far).
Dealer diagnosed as possible fuel pump problem, though fuel pressure nominal and held pressure after engine shut-off.
Independent mechanic (using EG011-03) diagnosed following:
Diagnosis codes: P3191 (engine does not start) and P3101 with information code 205.
Circuit opening relay was fine.
Fuel Pressure was normal (~45 psig) and held after engine shut off.
Coolant temperature - 9 deg C
Engine RPM - 1200
MG1 Torque value - 0
Installed ECU Part Number - 89661-47053, calibration # 14705301, 14705302
EG011-03 decision tree leads to replace Engine Control Module with newer part number.
Took back to dealer, who indicated still possible fuel pump problem (and reluctant to replace ECM).
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I leave my car for 2 weeks without driving, and when I start the power, I have check engine light on and I drive to the dealer right away. Mechanic performs diagnostic test for engine misfire no engine miss found. The error code is P0302/P3191. The mechanic told me that I always run the car in very low on fuel, and it causes the 2nd cylinder misfile or not running when the fuel is very low. They suggest me always pump the gas when the fuel indicator has 2 bars left.
My question is that: How come the car cannot run in low fuel, low fuel doesn't mean no fuel, and it can damage the engine/cylinder?
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My parents' Gen 1 2003 Prius, at 99,030 miles, wouldn't start, and I thought I'd share the problem description and the fix that worked for me, for others who see the same symptoms.
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I have a Prius 2010, 4 years old with 144.000 km.
The last 3 night we had temp. below freezing point. So every time I started my Prius up at the morning, the engine starts to shake violent, and then automatically shut off the engine with a message on the screen "Check Hybrid System". So after several times I restart the car, it runs normally, still with the message on. The temperature outside was -1 degree Celsius.
So I used my OBD to pick up the codes, which says P3191 - Unknown Error.
What does this error mean at what could cause this problem?
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Something in my Gen II 2006 Prius is causing a type of overheating condition in the hybrid system. The fault/error codes coming up are P3190 and P3191. If I turn the car off for 30 minutes and restart it, it runs fine for a period of time (but usually not more than a week).
I first noticed the problem a couple of months ago during my 45 mile (mostly highway) commute. While driving on the highway, I noticed that the Prius wouldn't accelerate when I stepped on the gas pedal. A couple of minutes later, my dash warning lights come on and the car started slowing down (no response to the gas pedal at this point). For a minute or so, I was able to change gears (reverse or drive) and move a little in either direction but the transmission stops responding altogether very quickly.
Dash lights that light up
Hybrid system error symbol lit up and I noticed that the hybrid battery charge level was at one purple bar.
The first time it happened, I had my car towed to the nearest Toyota dealership. The flatbed tow truck driver (to my surprise) was able to start the Prius and back it into a spot at the dealership. Some of the dash lights were no longer lit.
The dealer couldn't find anything wrong with the car except for the fact that my water pump was leaking. They replaced the water pump, cleared the error codes and drove the car around for about 45 minutes but couldn't reproduce the problem. I drove my car home.
note: this dealership replaced my hybrid battery and 'computer' (I'm sure it has a specific part name - I don't have the info) right before my warranty ran out over a year ago. I didn't have any warning lights lit up on the dash at the time but I told the master mechanic working on my car that it didn't have much power going to the wheels when I put it in reverse (I couldn't back into my driveway). After the hybrid battery and computer were replaced, I had no issues with backing into my driveway.
The same issue happened a week later. I turned the car off for 20-30 minutes, started the car and noticed that the bulk of the dash warning lights turned off so I drove it home. I took it to my local mechanic the following day. He cleaned the intake manifold, changed the spark plugs, cleared the P3190 and P3191 codes indicating that they were generic codes indicating a misfire and said that it was now running fine.
A week later the same thing happened. I did some research and brought the car back to my local mechanic and asked him to change the transmission fluid & to use the Toyota ATF WS fluid. He changed the transmission fluid (and noted that it was dirty), cleared the codes and I brought the car home. I unfortunately didn't get a sample.
We had a power failure that night so I plugged my pond aerator into the cigarette lighter to keep my koi alive and less than 2 hours later I came out to find the pondmaster ap-20 (20 watt) air pump (blows bubbles through 1/2" tubing) wasn't running and my car had shut off with the dash warning lights illuminated. I have run this little aerator for 4 days on a single tank of gas without issues in the past.
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Looking at a 2003 Prius with 77K miles. Turn the key, the engine starts, runs smooth for about 5-7 seconds. After that it starts to run rough and rattle, then shuts off. The only code I pulled was P3191. I pulled off the air cleaner to clean the throttle body, and noticed a small pool of oil in the bottom of the intake manifold. Is that normal, or could that be causing the code issue? BTW, I cleaned the MAF and throttle body, and the engine still does the same thing.
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I'm just wondering if two recent events are related ..
On my 2006 Prius (w/ 198,000 miles), the oil cap worked its way off on a recent road trip. It probably ran like that for 30 minutes or so before I smelt the oil and pulled over.
When I checked it, the oil cap was on top of the engine and the engine and inside of the engine compartment was covered in oil spray.
I replaced the oil cap and wiped down the threading on the engine and snuggled it down. The engine itself was about 1/2 quart low (this engine has a preexisting problem where it consumes 1 quart every 800 miles or so I had just added 2 quarts that day for whatever reason).
I'm now seeing spotting on the floor of the garage. The engine itself looks "wet". I'd wiped it down as best I could, but am concerned for oil now appearing beneath the car.
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I used an ELM327 to read codes with my BMW so when the check engine light came on my 2009 Prius I wanted to see what may be going on. It came back as a P0441. Going back to my BMW, it had a similar issue and changing the gas cap removed the code. So now I have a new cap on but the code remains.
I have a PCV on hand and plan on replacing that in the coming week.
I do not see where the PCV valve or spark plugs for that matter have been changed up to this point.
What I should be looking at with the P0441 code?
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I have a 2002 primus and got the p3006 code.
Engine would Rev and got all the lights. I figured it was the battery and decided to get a Dorman replacement. I replaced the battery but turning it on I would get the p3006 code after a few seconds. No lights at that point. I would drive about 10 miles and would get all the lights and a second p3006 code. I would clear the code and it would get rid of lights and car would operate normally.
Sometimes the lights would come on and the brake light would also come on and the engine would rev. sometimes when that happened I would get code p3012.
could the battery be OK and it be some other problem? I thought p3006 was the bad battery code.
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Until about a week ago, when I turned my headlights on, the icon (light bulb) appeared on the dash. Out of the blue, it doesn't. Any clue why? (High beam icon still appears).
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Back in July of last year, I installed the OEM foglight kit and replaced the lightbulbs with a pair of yellow Luminics JDM 55w H11 bulbs.
A few months later when it would rain or snow, condensation began appearing on the inside of the foglight lens on both sides. It would burn off when I left the foglights on for a while, but would reappear shortly thereafter. The driver's side would generally stay clear most of the time but the passenger side would always have moisture on the inside.
Then, a few months ago, the driver's side bulb seemed to burn out. Today, when I took them apart to reinstall the clear lightbulbs, it turns out that fluid (it actually looked like windshield washer fluid) had gotten inside the connector and shorted it out, actually melting some of the plastic to the contact. It took a while, but I was able to scrape off enough of the plastic from the contact to get it to work with the JDM bulb again.
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I have a 2007 Prius/70,000 miles and live in NY. The Malfunction Indicator Lamp (Check Engine Light) came on back in May when I was visiting Texas and I stopped to have the code read and got a P0420 code - possible emission problem. As I was far from home I took a day to think about what I should do and by the next evening the light had shut off. Driving back to NY the following week the light came on again about 150 miles from home. Once again within a few days it had shut off. End of June I had the same thing happen - this time I took it to a Auto Part store and had them read the codes again. The guy there told me the only thing that showed up was some kind of emission error. Again within a few days the light went off. Just yesterday (August now) the light came on again. I've resisted taking it to the dealer because I know they will charge me $100+ just to plug it in and tell me what I partly already know. I've been reading up the P0420 code online however still have a few questions.
A. Is it normal for this code to go on and off repeatedly without me really doing anything?
B. Is there any way to figure out what the specific issue is without taking it to Toyota?
C. If it is the catalytic converter would I be covered under the Federal Emission Warranty? - which from what I've read is 8 years/80,000 miles?
The following is what the initial code printout read:
Troubleshooting P0420
OEM Brand: Domestic
Definition
Catalyst efficiency low-bank 1
Explanation
The oxygen sensors monitor the Catalytic Converters ability to store oxygen.
Probable cause
1. Catalytic converter defective (failure possibly due to # 2, 3, or 4)
2. Engine misfire or running condition
3. large vacuum leak
4. Engine oil leakage into exhaust-valve guide seals, piston rings
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I recently (about 2 months ago) purchased a '04 Prius with 122k miles on it and it now had 124k. The only problem that it seems to have it a sporadic P0420 cel that come on and off every once in a while (even while on the same tank of gas); I always make sure the gas cap is on tight. On my last fill-up I got about 50mpg, so nothing seems out of the ordinary.
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Looked around and could not find info on 2 codes. 2004 Prius : P0420 and U0293. One I believe is lost communication with hybrid system. Are these serious?
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Just picked up a 2005 with 146k and full Toyota service history, although seems a steering recall was not done. Will run it to the dealer today to check. I need to decide a.s.a.p. if I am keeping the car or not (I know the seller, he will take it back)
Anyway to cut a long story short, two questions.
1) Car had P3190 and P0420 when I got it. Seller reset, drove home and within 5 minutes on the road the CEL was back on. Checked the codes at home and see only a P0420. Much to worry about? Seems this might be big (Cat) or small (O2). Car getting great mileage - 60mpg at 60mph and it seems to be running great. Should I worry or forget about it? Note I am in Florida with no inspections.
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The power button didn't work for a while: For about two hours, the power button (and other stuff) on my 2007 Prius didn't work. But, after a couple of hours, the button worked again and I was able to power down my car (this after many, many pushes both soft and hard). I've now turned it on and off a few times and the car seems to be OK and it's behaving as if it's smiling at me and saying, "What?"
My questions: Does this happen a "lot"? Would the car have turned off if I turned off the smart function (as described on page 34 of the manual)? Is this issue as serious as it seems? Should I dump the car?
This is the first time in 138K miles that the below issues have manifested separately or together.
Other issues that happened at the same time (this morning when the car didn't turn off) were that the:
Instrument cluster was completely dark except for the check engine light (the dark instrument cluster was what first tipped me off that something was wrong)
Backup camera didn't turn on when I shifted into reverse gear
Phone didn't automatically go to speed dial when I was in motion
Fifth door unlock didn't work; the four doors locked/unlocked using the lock/unlock button on the door, but the hatchback didn't unlock.
A day or so ago, the check engine light came on and is throwing a "P0420" code (I posted about this separately yesterday).
By the way, I found out that if you hold down the power button for a while, the car goes into a different state of being where the ICE isn't running and the battery shows as completely empty.
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