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2004 Through Early 2005 Model Year PRIUS Electronic Control Module Reprogramming (SSC 50P)

Publication date: 2005-10-01
Reference number: SSC 50P

2004 THROUGH EARLY 2005 MODEL YEAR PRIUS ELECTRONIC CONTROL MODULE REPROGRAMMING

2004 THROUGH EARLY 2005 MODEL YEAR PRIUS ELECTRONIC CONTROL MODULE REPROGRAMMING

SERVICE CAMPAIGN BULLETIN

Reference Number(s): SSC 50P, Date of Issue:  October, 2005
TOYOTA: 2004 through early 2005 model year Prius vehicles
SECTION: SPECIAL SERVICE CAMPAIGN
COPYRIGHT: © 2018 Toyota, USA License Agreement TMS1002

SUBJECT

Toyota will initiate a Special Service Campaign to reprogram the ECM System in certain 2004 through early 2005 model year Prius vehicles. In addition, in certain 2004 and some of the early 2005 model year vehicles, a special dielectric grease will be applied to a connector for the transaxle. 

On the involved vehicles, an issue with the program logic in the Electronic Control Module (ECM) system may cause some or all of the following warning lights to illuminate: Master, Hybrid System, Engine, Vehicle Stability Control, and Brake. If this occurs, the vehicle will enter a "fail-safe" mode which allows limited operation via the electric motor. However, the electrically-powered brake and steering operation will continue to function normally if this condition occurs. The electric motor will also provide enough power to allow the driver to pull the vehicle over and away from traffic. Once the vehicle is stopped, the driver may be able to restart the gasoline engine in the vehicle by pushing the start button.

The following vital information is provided to inform you and your staff of the owner notification phase of the campaign and your degree of involvement.

1. OWNER NOTIFICATION LETTER MAILING DATE

The owner notification will commence in mid-October, 2005.

Please note that not all vehicles in the VIN range are affected by this SSC. If a dealer is contacted by an owner of an involved vehicle, who has not yet received a notification, please instruct them to verify eligibility by confirming through Dealer Daily/TIS prior to performing repairs.  Dealers should perform the repairs as outlined in the attached Technical Instructions.

2. VEHICLES IN DEALER STOCK

Dealers are requested to perform campaign procedures on any vehicles in their stock prior to sale or lease. Vehicle SSC or LSC completion can be verified by inspecting for a campaign completion label in the location specified by the SSC or LSC. In addition, dealers should always verify eligibility by consulting Dealer Daily/TIS prior to performing repairs.

3. DEALER/OWNER LISTS

Affected vehicle VIN lists (VIN only due to changes in Privacy Laws) for the SSC 50P campaign have been distributed to each dealership's Service and Parts Managers. These lists are based upon the dealership's Primary Marketing Area (PMA) or selling dealership where applicable. Based upon our records, a dealership which does not have an affected vehicle in their PMA will receive a report indicating so.

4. NUMBER AND IDENTIFICATION OF INVOLVED VEHICLES

There are approximately 74,000 Prius vehicles involved. There are two levels of repair dependent upon the production date of the vehicle; Engine ECM and HV ECM reflash, and/or connector grease application.

NUMBER AND IDENTIFICATION OF INVOLVED VEHICLES

Model Year Engine ECM, HV ECM and Grease* Engine ECM and HV ECM ONLY 
2004 47,200 -
2005 6,600 19,900

Due to the different repairs applicable to this SSC based upon VIN and production date, to assist dealers in determining which repairs are necessary on each vehicle a website has been set up to look up the necessary repairs by VIN. Please go to http://50preflash.imagespm.info  (also linked through TIS), enter the VIN, and the applicable repairs will be displayed. The website is for general repair application reference only and will not order the dielectric grease nor will it confirm campaign completion status. In addition, repairs to vehicles conducted previously due to Warranty and/or TSB repairs are not reflected. 

AFFECTED VIN RANGE

MODEL YEAR VIN Range
VDS Range
Prius 2004 KB20U 0001009 - 0116870
KB22U 0001142 - 0116845
2005 KB20U 0116874 - 0133248
3000000 - 3029798
7003414 - 7006860
KB22U 0116872 - 0133240
3000008 - 3029797
7004342 - 7006863

Please note that not all vehicles in the VIN range are affected by this SSC. If a dealer is contacted by an owner of an involved vehicle, who has not yet received a notification, please instruct them to verify eligibility by confirming through Dealer Daily/TIS prior to performing repairs.  Dealers should perform the inspection and repair as outlined in the attached Technical Instructions.

5. PARTS ORDERING

The ECM System reprogramming will not require any parts. However, certain 2004 and some of the early 2005 model year Prius vehicles will require a special dielectric grease to be applied to a connector for the transaxle. 

The dielectric grease can be ordered through the dealer's facing PDC. Please refer to the table below and the Technical Instructions for part number information.

PART NUMBER INFORMATION

Part Number Part Description Qty.
08887-82106(1) Dielectric Grease 1(1)
(1) Please note that one tube of connector grease is sufficient to service approximately 10 to 15 vehicles. Therefore, the dielectric grease and recalibration label should be claimed as a sublet type "OF" at a rate of $1.50 per vehicle.

The necessary tube of Dielectric Grease can be ordered through the parts system on Dealer Daily. Please refer to the Technical Instructions for part number information, and the Dealer Letter for ordering guidelines.

Please note that initially the Dielectric Grease will be placed on Manual Allocation Control (MAC). This will assure an adequate and balanced parts inventory. 

A UIO (for all repairs) by state matrix is listed below to inform dealers of the number of vehicles in their area.

LIST OF UIO BY STATE

STATE UIO
AK 129
AL 334
AR 220
AZ 1,584
CA 22,855
CO 1,837
CT 854
DC 324
DE 189
FL 2,883
GA 852
IA 358
ID 327
IL 2,440
IN 900
KS 347
KY 397
LA 319
MA 2,412
MD 2,548
ME 522
MI 1,184
MN 1,108
MO 686
MS 141
MT 239
NC 1,325
ND 52
NE 161
NH 550
NJ 1,673
NM 645
NV 708
NY 2,827
OH 1,567
OK 288
OR 2,100
PA 2,327
RI 345
SC 310
SD 74
TN 602
TX 2,444
UT 540
VA 4,024
VT 320
WA 3,192
WI 1,282
WV 250
WY 144

6. REPAIR PROCEDURES

Refer to TECHNICAL INSTRUCTIONS .

7. REIMBURSEMENT PROCEDURES

Submit Special Service Campaign claims following the procedures described in the Toyota Warranty Policy and Procedures Manual.

The operation codes to be used for this campaign are: 

REIMBURSEMENT INFORMATIONS

SSC # Op. Code Description Flat Rate Hour
50P 5611J1 Reflash HV ECU only(1) 1.1 Hr/Veh
5611J2 Reflash Engine & HV ECU only 2.1 Hr/Veh
5611J3 Reflash Engine & HV ECU, Install connector grease 2.5 Hr/Veh
(1) This operation code has been provided in case the engine ECU has been previously updated via a TSB.
NOTE: The above flat rate times include 0.1 hour in each campaign for administrative cost per unit for the dealership.

Please review this entire package with your Service and Parts staff to familiarize them with the proper step-by-step procedures required to implement this Special Service Campaign.

Thank you for your cooperation.

TOYOTA MOTOR SALES, U.S.A., INC.

SSC 50P - ELECTRONIC CONTROL MODULE REPROGRAMMING Q&A 

Certain 2004 Through Early 2005 Model Year Prius 

Q1: What is the condition? 

A1: On the involved vehicles, an issue with the program logic in the Electronic Control Module (ECM) system may cause some or all of the following warning lights to illuminate: Master, Hybrid System, Engine, Vehicle Stability Control, and Brake. If this occurs, the vehicle will enter a "fail-safe" mode which allows limited operation via the electric motor. However, the electrically-powered brake and steering operation will continue to function normally if this condition occurs. The electric motor will also provide enough power to allow the driver to pull the vehicle over and away from traffic. Once the vehicle is stopped, the driver may be able to restart the gasoline engine in the vehicle by pushing the start button.

Q2: What is the cause of this condition? 

A2: This condition is caused by a problem with the program logic in the Electronic Control Module (ECM) System.

Q3: Are there any warnings that this condition exists? 

A3: Yes, a chime will sound and the Master Warning, Hybrid System Warning, Engine Warning, VSC Warning and/or Brake Warning will illuminate.

Q4: Which and how many vehicles are involved? 

A4: There are approximately 75,000 vehicles involved in the U.S.

Q5: What is the production period of the affected vehicles? 

A5: The affected Toyota vehicles were produced from August 4, 2003 through February 10, 2005.

Q6: Are there any other Toyota or Lexus vehicles involved? 

A6: No, this specific condition only affects certain 2004 through early 2005 model year Prius vehicles.

Q7: How many incidents of this condition have been reported? 

A7: There have been 68 cases of this condition reported to Toyota by the NHTSA.

Q8: Have there been any accidents reported? 

A8: There have been no reported cases of accidents in the affected vehicles which may relate to this condition.

Q9. Have there been any injuries related to the alleged accidents? 

A9: There have been no reported cases of injuries related to this condition reported in the affected vehicles.

Q10: What is Toyota going to do? 

A10: Toyota will reprogram the ECM System and in the 2004 and some of the early 2005 model year vehicles, a special dielectric grease will be applied to a connector for the transaxle to prevent water intrusion. Any Toyota dealer will conduct this service at NO CHARGE. 

Q11: How long will the repair take? 

A11: The repairs will take approximately 2 hours. However, depending upon the dealer's work schedule, it may be necessary to make the vehicle available for a longer period of time.

Q12: What should an owner do if they experience the condition or have immediate concerns about the current safety of their vehicle? 

A12: Owners are requested to contact their local Toyota dealer for diagnosis and repair.

Special Service Campaign 50P 

2004 Through Early 2005 Model Year Prius 

Electronic Control Module Reprogramming 

Dear Prius Customer:

We at Toyota are dedicated to you the driver, as well as the environment that we all share. The Toyota Prius is a balance of those commitments, offering a vehicle which drives much like any other sedan while being highly fuel efficient and emitting fewer air pollutants. To accomplish this task, the vehicle itself is balanced with a special gasoline engine and electric motor working together, controlled by a sophisticated network (Electronic Control Module System) consisting of several computers.

As part of our continuing efforts to provide superior customer satisfaction, Toyota is announcing a Special Service Campaign, which includes your Prius vehicle.

What is the problem? 

In recent months, Toyota has received reports that some customers may experience a "stalling" condition with the gasoline engine. We sincerely regret and apologize if you are one of these customers.

Toyota has investigated these concerns and discovered an issue with the program logic in the Electronic Control Module (ECM) System. In this case, the warning lights (Master Warning, Hybrid System Warning, Engine Warning, VSC Warning and/or Brake Warning) will illuminate and the vehicle will enter a "fail-safe" mode which allows limited operation via the electric motor. However, the electrically-powered brake and steering operation will continue to function normally if this condition occurs.

If these Warning Lights illuminate, please stop your vehicle in a safe place immediately and contact your Toyota dealer. Even if the hybrid system warning light comes on, in most cases, you can temporarily increase the vehicle speed by depressing the accelerator pedal. If the vehicle completely stops, you may be able to restart your vehicle by depressing the "Start" button. In some instances, it may be necessary to wait approximately 25 seconds before restarting.

What will Toyota do? 

Before you are inconvenienced by this condition, Toyota would like to reprogram the ECM System in your vehicle. Any Toyota dealer will conduct this service at NO CHARGE  to you. Also, in the 2004 and some of the early 2005 model year vehicles, a special dielectric grease will be applied to a connector for the transaxle to prevent water intrusion, which may cause a similar condition.

What should you do? 

Please contact your authorized Toyota dealer to make an appointment as soon as possible. The labor time necessary to conduct the repair is approximately two hours. However, depending upon the dealer's work schedule, it may be necessary to make your vehicle available for a longer period of time. The Toyota dealer will make every effort to assure your utmost convenience during this service.

Please present this notice to the Toyota Dealer when you bring the vehicle in for your service appointment. 

If you no longer own the vehicle, please indicate so on the enclosed postage paid form, providing us with the name and address of the new owner.

What if you have other questions? 

Your local Toyota dealer will be more than happy to answer any of your questions and set up an appointment to perform the update.  If you require further assistance, you may contact the Toyota Customer Experience Center at 1-888-270-9371 Monday through Friday, 5:00 am to 9:30 pm, Saturday and Sunday 7:00 am through 3:00 pm Pacific Standard Time.

We have sent this notice in the interest of your continued satisfaction with our products, and we sincerely regret any inconvenience this condition may have caused you.

Thank you for driving the Toyota Prius.

Sincerely,

TOYOTA MOTOR SALES, U.S.A., INC.

TECHNICAL INSTRUCTIONS

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