Last updated on July 5th, 2023 at 08:46 am

If your Prius won’t turn off and you’re looking for how to turn off a Prius when it refuses to go off, then I will show you how to.

Toyota Prius is ranked among hybrid and electric car classes. It has a good safety score, good interior, many features, and great fuel economy,

Toyota Prius has long been a better choice for hybrid car shoppers, and it is still a better option today. It has a hatchback that provides plenty of accommodations for front and back-seat occupants.

This unique brand of car is quite comfortable to drive, and it has a hybrid system that returns an exceptional 54 mpg when you combined city/highway driving. Another good thing is that it has an all-wheel drive. Related Article: Toyota VSC light reset |VSC Light Toyota Highlander

Why Prius Won’t Turn Off In Some Instance

Whenever you notice your Prius won’t shut off in some instance, the most common trigger for a Prius won’t turn off issue is a BAD or faulty combination meter. The combination meter happens to be the gauge with green LEDs that’s behind the steering wheel and when it goes bad, it can make your Prius not to turn off.

The combination meter has the speedometer, shift selector, and fuel gauge as well as a few other things. Whenever this component fails, you’ll notice a few symptoms which include:

The speedometer becoming blank
The rear hatch won’t open
The car not turning off

When this happens, I mean that you have an issue with your electrical system. Note that a bad underground connection can cause all kinds of electrical issues. It can prevent a better voltage from getting to the components that require it most.

What To Do If Prius Won’t Turn Off

There are many fixes available, but one of the fixes you can try is to turn off your Prius and try holding down its power button for about 30 seconds. You can then release the power button after you hear the engine turning off. You must be sure that a bad underground connection isn’t the source of your Prius symptoms.

One of the best fixes is to repair or replace the combination meter. This is what stores the odometer data, and ensures that the current mileage is programmed into the new unit. The inclination meter is also inside the combination meter, which is needed to get an accurate fuel level calculation. So what do you do if Prius won’t turn off? Here’s what to do if Prius won’t turn off.

v Put a new combination meter

You need to put a new combination meter. You can order to buy a new combination meter from a car spar part shop near you. But don’t buy a combination meter with the wrong mileage. Once you buy it, consult and arrange an appointment with a certified mechanic and fix your Prius in a single day.

Your car’s dashboard will be removed and disassembled for the replacement of the combination meter. Sometimes, the vent trim parts will break while working. To succeed, find a mechanic that’s good at pulling and prying and who has the right force. However, even with the right knowledge, the vent might still break. So take note of this.

After installing the new meter, the mechanic should calibrate the inclination sensor so that the fuel gauge will stay accurate.

v Repair the combination meter

If you don’t want to put a new combination meter, you can decide to repair it. Please note that repairing the combination meter can be done in a day. Just contact a certified mechanic to get the repair done for you.

Why Is The Prius Dashboard Completely Off And The Engine Does Not Shut Down?

This happens sometimes when there are issues. Your dashboard lights being off and the vehicle engine not shutting down could be related to a charging system problem. Note that it is very common for this to happen with no alternator output, but here are a few things you can do.

Press the start button of your car without stepping on the brake
Next press and hold the info button as you turn the headlights on and off 3 times.
Whenever the diagnostic screen comes on the console, and without stepping on the brake just press the start button.
Wait for the display to come on, once it’s on, you can now turn the car off. Then start it normally with a display.

Causes Of Prius Shut Off While Driving And Won’t Start Again

Some things make Prius shut off while driving and won’t start again, they include:

v A Clogged fuel filter

Prius fuel filter doesn’t wear out like other mechanical parts in your car, but it sometimes gets clogged by particles and dirt and clogs in the long run. For you to a sure of the extent of this doesn’t matter, however, once the fuel filter becomes too dirty, your engine won’t perform well again and in some instances, it might not start at all. You just need to change the filter, because cleaning is not possible.

v A Failed Fuel pump

In case you noticed your Prius’ fuel pump has failed, then the engine won’t start. This pump normally makes sure that the needed amount of fuel goes through from the tank to the engine injection system with enough pressure.

But before your fuel pump stops working, you would have seen some signs. These signs are: the car’s engine breaking down from time to time, having difficulty in starting, jerking engine, or low engine performance. When this happens, you should have your pump checked.

Sometimes pump contamination or wear can be the reason for this. Once your pump is leaking, the power contacts will be broken, or a line is broken, then the fuel pump should be noticeable before failing. Make sure you have the defective fuel pump replaced in your workshop.

v A Blown fuse

Sometimes, a blown fuse can be the issue of the Prius breakdown. Examine all fuses you see in the fuse box that is vital for starting the engine. However, you need to be careful when putting your hand inside the fuse box. Fuse boxes contain the power, so repairs or tests must be done in a workshop.

v Bad spark plugs

When you don’t have functioning spark plugs, your engine will not start. These spark plugs can be affected by a defect. Plug connections on your ignition system can be loose. But in case only one plug is lost, fixing the problem yourself won’t be difficult. Once you notice that a spark plug has failed, it should be replaced in the workshop.

v Rodent damage

Another reason why your Prius won’t start is due to rodent damage. Sometimes rats can crawl under the vehicle and bite off cables and wires. When this happens, it can affect all the vehicle systems like the oil supply, fuel supply, or power supply.

You can see this rodent damage by looking into your engine compartment. These damages caused due to rodent bites can be repaired in the workshop. But you should be prepared for relatively high costs.

v Complete Engine failure

This is sometimes very rare, but this can be the cause of the breakdown of your Prius. When the engine fails, it means nothing will work anymore. What can cause this may include incorrect fueling, broken timing chain, insufficient oil, engine overheating, hydrolock, or when you drive in an excessive speed range.

What To Do When Prius Won’t Turn Off While Driving

Whenever you turn off your car key, it is expected for the car to stop. But it can be very frustrating whenever this doesn’t happen. So in case the engine continues running like before you turned it off and the ignition and fuel system isn’t shutting down, then there’s a problem. Here’s what to do:

Put your key into the key slot via the dashboard. This can be seen on the right of the steering wheel, under the Power button.
Then press and hold the power button.
Now remove the key from the slot.

How To Turn Off A Prius Yourself If It Refuses To Go Off

Here are the steps on how to turn off a Prius if it won’t go off:

Step 1: Your car should be stopped in the space where it is to be parked. Then shift the column lever to the Park position.
Step 2: Now open the trunk, and check for the fuel pump switch. This is located under the carpeting. Now press the switch to its Off position to end the fuel distribution to the engine and shut it off.
Step 3: Wear protective eyewear. Note that running an engine can increase debris that is harmful to the eyes.
Step 4: Now the hood latch should be released whether inside the cabin or behind the grill. Then lift the hood.

Lose the terminal bolt of its battery cable position using an adjustable wrench. Now lift the cable terminal from the battery terminal post. Your car engine will go off after some seconds. Now release the latches you’ll see under the sides of the seat and then pull it upward to get access to the battery.

Conclusion

A lot of reasons could make your Prius not start and in some instances, the Prius won’t turn off. Whenever you want to check for the reason it’s not starting, I advise you to use the known principle first which is checking the battery and if the Prius won’t turn off, and then take look at your car combination meter and then you can follow the steps I showed to you above on how to turn off a Prius.

However, it’s advisable to consult a breakdown service provider or a workshop when this happens. This service provider can directly initiate a repair.

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