My RAV4 Prime won’t start and throws a bunch of warnings… any ideas?

Toyota Truck, SUV and Vans Forum Toyota RAV4
1

Couple days ago I got a message saying “Hybrid System Malfunction, visit your dealer.” I called the dealer and they said it’s fine to keep driving it unless the check engine light comes on.

Fast forward to this morning… I tried to start the car and it wouldn’t start. Dash lit up with three different warnings:

  • Hybrid system malfunction
  • Pre-collision system malfunction
  • Brake power low

Now it won’t start at all. I’ve seen people mention that a weak 12V battery might cause these types of warnings. Does that sound right for all three? Should I try charging it or jump it? Or should I just replace the battery?

Appreciate any help, thanks.

EDIT - 8/17/2023: Thanks for the replies. I hooked up a charger to the 12V and will see how it goes. It’s the original battery from 2021 so maybe it’s just had enough.

EDIT 2 - 8/21/2023: Charging didn’t help. I had it towed to the local dealer. They said it’s caused by corrosion in the wiring harness. Total cost was quoted at $10k. They said the service bulletin only applies to the regular Hybrid, not the Prime.

EDIT 3 - 8/23/2023: Dealer contacted their Toyota rep and are trying to find a better solution.

EDIT 4 - 8/25/2023: Dealer got back to me and said Toyota will cover the repair as a “goodwill fix”. The bad news is that they won’t have the part for another week.

EDIT 5 - 9/5/2023: Still waiting on the part.

EDIT 6 - 9/7/2023: Called the dealer and they said the part arrived and they’ve started working on it. They said the repair is harder on the Prime model — lots of stuff has to come out, including the battery and gas tank. They also mentioned they’re using the same part as the one that failed, not the updated one used in regular Hybrids.

EDIT 7 - 9/12/2023: Got the car back after 26 days. Toyota paid for the repair, which was almost $8k on the invoice. No loaner car from the dealer, so I was without wheels the whole time. But hey, they did inspect the driver’s floor mat for me. Good luck to anyone else going through this.

2

When you get random electronic errors like that, it usually means your 12V battery is dying.

3

ChrisBunnet said:
When you get random electronic errors like that, it usually means your 12V battery is dying.

Yep. @MrBlandings do you have anything plugged in that draws power while the car is off? Stuff like a dash cam or insurance device can drain the battery fast on Toyota hybrids.

4

@Dorian
Nope, nothing like that plugged in. But it is the original battery from 2021, so maybe it’s just getting old?

5

Devin said:
@Dorian
Nope, nothing like that plugged in. But it is the original battery from 2021, so maybe it’s just getting old?

That could definitely be it. Worth getting it tested at least. These little 12V batteries can die out of nowhere.

6

Devin said:
@Dorian
Nope, nothing like that plugged in. But it is the original battery from 2021, so maybe it’s just getting old?

You don’t have any interior lights stuck on or anything like that, right?

7

Try charging the 12V battery first and see if that gets it going.

8

I had the same issue and it ended up being a problem with the high voltage cable. The car wouldn’t run at all. I had to get it towed to Toyota.

There’s a service bulletin in the US that covers this part under the 8-year warranty — bulletin number is 22TE09. The repair without that coverage is like $4k.

Edit: My car wouldn’t even move. It started and threw a bunch of warnings, but once I tried to shift into gear it shut down. Also tried charging the 12V and it was already fully charged. My car is also a 2021 with under 25k miles.

Edit 2: One other thing — check your AM radio. When this high voltage cable fails, it can cause a lot of static on that frequency too.

9

If the battery isn’t the issue, definitely take it in. This is how my Prius acted when its hybrid system quit.

10

Try charging the 12V and then get it to the dealer so they can check it out.

11

Fane said:
Try charging the 12V and then get it to the dealer so they can check it out.

Did you read the post? The dealer seems to be helping already.

12

Fane said:
Try charging the 12V and then get it to the dealer so they can check it out.

Which part of my post are you saying yes to?

13

Devin said:

Fane said:
Try charging the 12V and then get it to the dealer so they can check it out.

Which part of my post are you saying yes to?

Meant to say yes to charging the battery and then taking it in.

14

You said the dealer told you it’s fine unless the check engine light came on… did they mean just until your appointment? Warnings are there for a reason haha.

15

About Edit #4 — did they say whether the repair is covered by the 8-year warranty on the cable or just the regular 3-year one?

Would be helpful to know, thanks and sorry you’re going through all this.

16

@Dev
They didn’t say exactly. From what I understood, the service bulletin only applies to the regular hybrid. Toyota just agreed to fix mine as a “goodwill thing” since it’s the same part.

17

Devin said:
@Dev
They didn’t say exactly. From what I understood, the service bulletin only applies to the regular hybrid. Toyota just agreed to fix mine as a “goodwill thing” since it’s the same part.

What year’s your Prime?

18

@Zeke
It’s a 2021.