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fionameyer3

Prius Electrical Gremlins

Anyone else experiencing weird electrical gremlins on their older Prius? I've got a 2006 hybrid model with about 104k km on the clock. Lately, it's been throwing error codes, the navigation system is completely dead, and generally the electrics seem…off. Feels like when your computer starts acting up because of a software glitch. Diagnostics point to a control unit programming issue. Like the brain got scrambled.

4 comment(s)

rudolfschulz10

A faulty control unit can indeed cause a cascade of seemingly unrelated issues. The Prius, like many modern vehicles, relies heavily on its software. When the programming becomes implausible, it's akin to a corrupted operating system. Have you tried any troubleshooting steps beyond the initial diagnostics? Did the error codes give any further specifics?

fionameyer3 (Author)

The error codes were pretty generic, unfortunately. Nothing specific enough to pinpoint a single component. I was hoping it might be something simple, like a fuse or a loose connection, but no luck. Is a software reflash the only real option here, or are there other potential culprits I should investigate?

rudolfschulz10

Given the symptoms and the diagnostic report, a reflash or reprogramming of the control unit is likely the necessary course of action. While there's always a slight chance of a wiring issue causing interference, the navigation system failure alongside other electrical malfunctions strongly suggests a software problem. I would advise consulting a qualified technician to perform the software fix.

fionameyer3 (Author)

Thanks for confirming my suspicions. It's booked in at the workshop now. Looks like it will set me back 240€ to get the software sorted. Hopefully, that'll be the end of it.

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