Warning lights & codes
Hybrid battery fault codes and hybrid warning lights
What the light or code actually means, what could cause it, what a proper diagnostic process checks, and — importantly — what not to do next. Toyota and Lexus in the most depth, plus Honda IMA, Hyundai, Kia, Ford and GM two-mode codes.
Read this first
Do not replace parts based on a code alone. A diagnostic trouble code tells you which circuit or system reported a problem — it does not identify which component failed. The same code can be set by several different faults, and clearing it without a diagnosis just hides the evidence. This page is educational; your vehicle needs its own inspection before any repair decision.
Find your code
Grouped by make. The code is what a scan tool shows you; the line beside it is what it means.
Toyota 11 codes
- P0A80The battery ECU says the pack is out of spec. It does not say which blocks, or why.
- P0A7FYour pack's measured capacity fell below what the computer accepts — on a Honda, old software can fake this.
- P3000A battery control fault that always carries a sub-code. The sub-code names the failure; P3000 alone names nothing.
- P3011–P3024One specific block in the pack has gone weak. The code number tells a technician exactly which one.
- P0AA6The high-voltage system may be leaking to the car's body. Treat this one with more caution than most.May need towing — check before you drive it
- P0A0FThe engine was told to start and did not. Often fuel, spark or compression rather than the battery.
- P0A93The inverter's cooling circuit is underperforming. In Arizona this looks exactly like a failing battery.
- C1259The brakes asked to charge the pack and the hybrid system refused. The brakes are the messenger.
- P0AFAPack voltage is reading low. Either the pack is weak, or the sensor reading it is.
- P0A94The DC/DC converter has stopped charging the 12V battery. It strands cars and looks like a flat battery.May need towing — check before you drive it
- P0A7DYour pack's charge fell under the system's minimum — most often on a hybrid that has been sitting unused.
Lexus 11 codes
- P0A80The battery ECU says the pack is out of spec. It does not say which blocks, or why.
- P0A7FYour pack's measured capacity fell below what the computer accepts — on a Honda, old software can fake this.
- P3000A battery control fault that always carries a sub-code. The sub-code names the failure; P3000 alone names nothing.
- P3011–P3024One specific block in the pack has gone weak. The code number tells a technician exactly which one.
- P0AA6The high-voltage system may be leaking to the car's body. Treat this one with more caution than most.May need towing — check before you drive it
- P0A0FThe engine was told to start and did not. Often fuel, spark or compression rather than the battery.
- P0A93The inverter's cooling circuit is underperforming. In Arizona this looks exactly like a failing battery.
- C1259The brakes asked to charge the pack and the hybrid system refused. The brakes are the messenger.
- P0AFAPack voltage is reading low. Either the pack is weak, or the sensor reading it is.
- P0A94The DC/DC converter has stopped charging the 12V battery. It strands cars and looks like a flat battery.May need towing — check before you drive it
- P0A7DYour pack's charge fell under the system's minimum — most often on a hybrid that has been sitting unused.
Honda 7 codes
- P0A80The battery ECU says the pack is out of spec. It does not say which blocks, or why.
- P0A7FYour pack's measured capacity fell below what the computer accepts — on a Honda, old software can fake this.
- P1570Specific modules inside your Honda IMA pack are reporting voltages the battery computer doesn't accept.
- P1446Your Honda IMA modules have drifted too far apart in voltage to work as one pack.
- P1449One Honda code, four meanings: module overheating, cell overheating, voltage deviation, or wear. The sub-code decides which.
- P1575The inverter side of your Honda's hybrid system is reporting a voltage problem, not the pack.
- P0A7DYour pack's charge fell under the system's minimum — most often on a hybrid that has been sitting unused.
Hyundai 3 codes
Kia 3 codes
Ford 3 codes
- P0A7DYour pack's charge fell under the system's minimum — most often on a hybrid that has been sitting unused.
- P0A1FFord's battery control module reports a pack performance fault. The 12V battery is on Ford's own cause list.
- P0A81Your hybrid battery's cooling fan circuit is open, so the pack is not being cooled properly.
Nissan 5 codes
- P0A80The battery ECU says the pack is out of spec. It does not say which blocks, or why.
- P0A7FYour pack's measured capacity fell below what the computer accepts — on a Honda, old software can fake this.
- P3011–P3024One specific block in the pack has gone weak. The code number tells a technician exactly which one.
- P33E6Your LEAF's strongest and weakest cells sit too far apart in voltage at rest.
- P33EDA sudden voltage jump inside one pack module — and on many LEAFs this one is covered by recall.May need towing — check before you drive it
Chevrolet 2 codes
Acura 2 codes
Mercury 2 codes
Lincoln 2 codes
Infiniti 1 code
Cadillac 2 codes
Jeep 2 codes
Chrysler 2 codes
Dashboard lights and messages
What you see on the dash, and what each one actually covers.
- Red triangleThe car has stored a fault and wants you to read the dashboard message. It does not mean the battery.
- Check Hybrid SystemThe hybrid system has a stored fault. Common, and not always the battery.
- Check engine lightAn emissions or powertrain fault. On a hybrid the powertrain includes the hybrid system, so it could be either.
- 12V battery / charging lightThe small 12-volt battery or its charger — not the high-voltage hybrid pack.
Got a code that isn't listed?
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