Check EV System warning message

[Blastphemy]

Related thread, Engine/Power Steering turned off in middle of the freeway

It seems like this problem is widespread and it would be useful to know how many Rav4 EVs have been affected by this (and how seriously). I have created a Google Docs form to survey forum users about this error. Anyone who fills out the form can see the results-- if you don't have a Rav4 or haven't had the error, then you won't be asked most of the questions.

Here is the survey link:

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1Ayjsmzm_IuMC76otWXNJpRDiGOt7WVKAyInYW_UUTog/viewform

Once you have filled out the survey, you can view the summarized results here:

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1Ayjsmzm_IuMC76otWXNJpRDiGOt7WVKAyInYW_UUTog/viewanalytics

And you can view the spreadsheet here:

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/ccc?key=0AmMr7EqcMdZWdGRRN1NtZ0NpaVFuTGNwVmhMRFdEYkE&usp=sharing

When we turned on the RAV4 EV this morning, the vehicle displayed the following warning: "Check EV System - Have your vehicle checked by a dealership immediately"

Has anyone else seen this message at some point?

We brought our RAV4 EV to our dealership and the message displayed during the entire drive. We parked at the dealership and turned off the engine. When the technician turned the car back on, the message did not show up. D'oh! (We had turned the car on and off several times this morning, but didn't drive it more than 10 feet, and the message remained.)

But they'll check for error codes and see if they can determine what caused the error.

I'll keep y'all informed of developments.

 

[palocat]

My car displayed the same message along with a few other bad ones last weekend at 169 miles. It stopped dead right after and I had to get it towed to the dealer. I do not have any good answers yet other than Tesla is working on it, and the diagnostic showed that several battery cells had failed or were operating improperly. I have not seen the paperwork so every thing is second or third hand at the moment. I will update when I know more. My VIN is 1412 in case your car came off the line around the time mine was produced.

 

[Blastphemy]

Toyota couldn't find anything wrong, unfortunately. My adviser at the dealership told me the Rav4 EV specialist ran tests on both the Toyota computer and Tesla computer, but didn't find any stored codes indicating a problem.

I'll pick up the car today and see if the error returns. We just installed the Toyota-recommended Leviton EVB40-5PT charger and have used it three days in a row now, so I wonder if that somehow threw the EV system into a tizzy? Guess we'll find out as time goes on!

 

[TonyWilliams]

Since the firmware update, my car has experienced several issues. The firmware update was done April 17, 2013 with a concurrent new motor replacement. On April 20, I had numerous issues starting the car, but after multiple attempts, if finally went to READY. Then, I had some crazy GOM issues, with a 207 mile range showing on a 100% charge. I reset the meter by disconnecting the negative lead of the 12 volt battery and it returned to something normal. BTW, I fully recommend an 8mm wing nut in place of the center 8mm hex head (12mm wrench) nut on the negative lead for ease in performing this.

Then, today, after driving 60 miles my car would not go to READY and showed the following screen. Trying to shift the car into a gear forced it into neutral. I called and got a case number from the Toyota Customer Care folks. Then, I disconnected the 12 volt to see if a reset might fix this, too. It worked for now but it's getting old. I'll take it to the dealer soon to see if there are any DTC codes.

 

[palocat]

Had a similar screen of death about 2 weeks ago at 169 total miles- The car basically shut down. I had it towed to Santa Monica Toyota. They spent two weeks talking with Tesla. I think that Tesla has decided to replace the whole battery pack and computer which I believe you just had redone. I think that Tesla knows something is not quite right with a few of these cars. I haven't talked directly with my service rep for a couple of days but her message said that everything is back ordered so I am expecting an extended delay. I hope that your latest problem does not prove as severe.

 

[cwerdna]

Had a similar screen of death about 2 weeks ago at 169 total miles- The car basically shut down. I had it towed to Santa Monica Toyota. They spent two weeks talking with Tesla. I think that Tesla has decided to replace the whole battery pack and computer which I believe you just had redone. I think that Tesla knows something is not quite right with a few of these cars. I haven't talked directly with my service rep for a couple of days but her message said that everything is back ordered so I am expecting an extended delay. I hope that your latest problem does not prove as severe.

Re: the bolded part, do you know for certain they're going to do that? Replacing the battery pack is obviously not cheap for Tesla/Toyota.

Tony, since you're disconnecting the 12 volt, do you know if that clears the DTCs? If so, that'd be a bummer in terms of diagnosing your situation. If so, you might end up having to leave it in the undrivable state and having it towed.

 

[jspearman]

I suggest you guys demand a performance model motor with full output, a small price for your trouble

 

[miimura]

I just signed up as an owner on Toyota.com and found that they had replaced the onboard charger at the dealer about a month before I bought it. I'm glad they figured it out before I got it.

 

[palocat]

Cwerdna- To answer your question on the battery pack, I do not know for certain. Most of my information has been third hand and the technology in the car is new for the service rep and the dealership. I will be able to provide a more accurate update when I get around to driving down there to look at the work order. The voicemail that I received Saturday said that they had ordered a new computer, a battery and a new 12 volt so we will see.

 

[SeaMonster]

Tony, I had a very similar thing happen a little over a month ago. I started the car and the GoM showed "Lo" (which I knew was wrong) and the "Check EV System" screen appeared. Rather quickly the GoM returned to a normal reading (almost full) but the "Check EV Screen" remained and the car would not go into gear. I turned it off and on again about 5 times and finally it started. I took it to the dealer the next morning. They kept it for over a week but couldn't find anything wrong. Apparently the Toyota computer recorded that it received an error message from the Tesla computer. But the Tesla computer said that it had no errors. Toyota and Tesla both sent techs to look at it and in the end they all gave up and told me to bring it back if it happens again. I have not had the issue return since. However, unknowns like this concern me a lot.

My issue was not related to the new firmware because that happened before they installed it.

 

[spkobay]

Tony.... So that you don't have to feel lonely in this club, I too am now a member. I got bitten yesterday morning. Got in to leave for work and got the error on startup. Power cycled hoping it was a passing error and it remained. Other than the error, the RAV was still drivable so I went ahead and dropped it at the dealer on my way to work. They sent me home with a 2011 Corolla - talk about downgrade. I've talked to my service rep a couple times today and the best he's been able to tell me is that they've got a regional Toyota guy at the dealer working with them and that Telsa is digging through things remotely. I'll be stopping by the dealer tonight, on the way home, to swap out for atleast a Prius.

If I didn't like the RAV I would accept this as the universe spitting in my eye (LOL), but the thing is, I really love it - almost 5,000 miles in two months.

Goodluck with yours Tony... My fingers are crossed for both of us.

 

[shikataganai]

This doesn't bode well for present- and potential-future out of state RAV4 EV owners.

 

[TonyWilliams]

Tony, since you're disconnecting the 12 volt, do you know if that clears the DTCs? If so, that'd be a bummer in terms of diagnosing your situation. If so, you might end up having to leave it in the undrivable state and having it towed.

No, it wouldn't clear DTC's.

 

[TonyWilliams]

I suggest you guys demand a performance model motor with full output, a small price for your trouble

Yes, absolutely, although I doubt I could hold on to the steering wheel while it darted from curb to curb under full tire smoking acceleration.

Maybe I should demand rear wheel drive, too?

 

[cwerdna]

^^^
LOL!

For the person who received a '11 Corolla loaner, that sucks! Maybe you should try for a better one?

Once I had to bring in my 06 Prius for warranty work (I think it was a squealing coolant heat storage (thermos) pump for which there was a TSB) and they had to keep it overnight to repro the problem (they succeeded).

So when I went back to the dealer, they loaned me a fully loaded 07 or 08 Camry Hybrid, which was quite nice. Not surprisingly, it was significantly faster than my Prius. The JBL stereo on it rocked! (Much better than the JBL "premium" stereo on my Prius.) It had nav and I think leather, sunroof and power seats (sunroof and power seats didn't exist on Priuses back then).

 

[TonyWilliams]

Tony.... So that you don't have to feel lonely in this club, I too am now a member. I got bitten yesterday morning. Got in to leave for work and got the error on startup. Power cycled hoping it was a passing error and it remained. Other than the error, the RAV was still drivable so I went ahead and dropped it at the dealer on my way to work. They sent me home with a 2011 Corolla - talk about downgrade. I've talked to my service rep a couple times today and the best he's been able to tell me is that they've got a regional Toyota guy at the dealer working with them and that Telsa is digging through things remotely. I'll be stopping by the dealer tonight, on the way home, to swap out for at least a Prius.

If I didn't like the RAV I would accept this as the universe spitting in my eye (LOL), but the thing is, I really love it - almost 5,000 miles in two months.

Interesting. Ya, I'm not too crazy about getting yet another loaner car to buy gasoline for. My car wouldn't go into gear, and of course it had rolled a bit out of its parking spot at the post office, so I could partially block the only exit. Awesome.

Love my car, too, with about 12,000 miles since Nov 4. That includes almost a month out of town, and several weeks total out of commission for the burnt J1772 pins and now motor replacement. I put 25,000 miles on my first LEAF in one year and 11,000 on the other in 5 months.

 

[TonyWilliams]

This doesn't bode well for present- and potential-future out of state RAV4 EV owners.

Stuff happens, and they seem to be able to keep 'em running. Make sure you have a certified Prius Plug-in dealer within range! If not, call Toyota Care for towing. Easy.

 

[cwerdna]

^^^
Kudos to you Tony and others for being early adopters and guinea pigs, esp. since Tony's racked up quite a few miles. Here's to wishful thinking of Toyota throwing you a bone since you paid full pop.

Perhaps Toyota should deploy a few as taxis, maybe w/a couple sharing a permit/medallion to rack up some miles and get the rest of the bugs out?

 

[spkobay]

@cwerdna... I dropped off the '11 Corolla on the way home from work and they gave me a '13 Prius C. Small, but at least moderately reasonable on gas and has electric locks/windows and cruise - I live on cruise.

Tomorrow will be a new day with, hopefully, answers. And Tony's right. Even with the best of anything, there will be a sampling that has a failure. That's the purpose of a warranty. ;-)

 

[cwerdna]

^^^
Eek, well, yeah, the Prius c is efficient but slow and small. At least they didn't give you a stripper model. Base model (One) doesn't come w/cruise.

Maybe they can upgrade you to a regular Prius, a HyCam or a PiP? Better yet, an Avalon or a Scion FR-S? FR-S seems very unlikely though.