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A few months ago, I purchased a 2006 Toyota Prius, and I must say, it has been a delightful experience. Having always driven older trucks that consume fuel at an alarming rate, it’s a refreshing change to glide by gas stations in this fuel-efficient hybrid. However, I’m still getting familiar with the maintenance and repairs involved in owning one. A couple of weeks ago, my once-reliable blue Prius suddenly became unusable, only able to shift into neutral or park—drive and reverse were out of the question. Thankfully, I managed to resolve the issue using a trickle charger and a paperclip.
I was a bit taken aback to discover that this was a commonly suggested solution on owner forums and Reddit, but apparently, it’s a well-known procedure. Many second-generation Prius models face this issue when the 12-volt battery runs low, with some users reporting similar symptoms when the hybrid battery fails. I began to worry it could be the latter, especially since I had just replaced the 12-volt battery the previous week. Nevertheless, I decided to start with the simpler solution and see if that would resolve the issue first.
I have a nearly two-year-old daughter who enjoys playing in the Prius. Perhaps she is drawn to its color or its size, but I couldn’t help but wonder if she had accidentally left a cabin light on. After connecting the 12-volt battery to a trickle charger for a few days, I believed my Prius was on the road to recovery, but it wasn’t quite there yet.
While the newly charged battery cleared the ominous red triangle warning from the dashboard, other warning lights remained illuminated. Although the check engine and tire pressure monitoring lights were on previously, the additional warnings—including VSC, ABS, MAINT REQD, and BRAKE—left me uncertain if the issue was resolved.
I decided to do some online research and stumbled upon a Reddit thread that linked to a YouTube video demonstrating how to enter the car’s diagnostic mode. This technique involved connecting two terminals on the OBD port with a paperclip. “No way,” I initially thought.
But yes way, as I soon discovered.
The trick was to insert one side of the paperclip into the fourth pin slot from the left on the top row and the fifth pin slot from the left on the bottom row. I set it up with the car off, and once I had the paperclip in place, I pressed the power button. Following the video instructions carefully, I pressed the brake pedal eight times, activating the Prius’s diagnostic mode and enabling me to clear the codes displayed on the touch screen.
After doing this, my car returned to normal operation, successfully shifting into drive and reverse, with the gas engine firing up shortly after. What a relief!
It seems that numerous Prius owners apply this technique to clear error codes and dashboard alerts. It is vital to understand that this will not rectify the root causes of those warning lights. For instance, had I not charged the 12-volt battery beforehand, the paperclip method would have been ineffective. My check engine and TPMS lights returned, indicating I still need to address those issues independently. This approach is not a substitute or a quick fix for ABS problems! If the warning light is illuminated, proper diagnostics and repairs are necessary.
So, there you have it. My beloved hybrid is back in action, efficient as ever, transporting me smoothly from Point A to Point B. What a fantastic little car.
Got a tip or question for the author? Contact them directly: caleb@thedrive.com
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