Prius won't start

[tommyrhoads]

When I tried to open the door the horn started "meep"-ing, pressed the power button and the car failed to power up. Doors won't lock or unlock, seems like a weak battery. What's up?

[richard schumacher]

Most likely a weakened battery :_> Figure out which light was left on, or which door or hatch was left open and don't do it again.

[TonyPSchaefer]

Yeah. Sounds like the 12v battery is having problems. Something might have drained it.

[YoDaddyAlex]

This is the 3rd time that has happened to my 07 Prius. Tonight after work it did this exact thing. And twice in the past 2 weeks since taking it in for its 5k service it has done almost that it in the morning but would start even though it had all the blinking lights. I read something about the FOB being too close to the car when parked at night can drain the battery, would that happen if where I place the FOB at night is close to the wall of where my car parks? What is the distance? I didn't see them list a distance in the manual.

Thank you,

Alex

[brokerdelete]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(YodaddyAlex @ Nov 9 2007, 10:32 PM) [snapback]537568[/snapback]</div>

This is the 3rd time that has happened to my 07 Prius. Tonight after work it did this exact thing. And twice in the past 2 weeks since taking it in for its 5k service it has done almost that it in the morning but would start even though it had all the blinking lights. I read something about the FOB being too close to the car when parked at night can drain the battery, would that happen if where I place the FOB at night is close to the wall of where my car parks? What is the distance? I didn't see them list a distance in the manual.

Thank you,

Alex
[/b]

I've not experienced this with my 2004. My wife's 2007 has never done this either. However, she keeps the key FOB on the fireplace mantel which is at least 50 feet from the car.

Try moving your FOB to a new location further from the car (yes it goes through house walls) and -OR- follow instructions in the owners manual to disable the smart-key system and see how things go after having shut down the cars repeated FOB scan.

Lastly, just throwing this out there, I myself have been confused about not "starting", or power windows not working, when pressing the start button while having poor timing depressing the brake pedal. It can fool with your mind and appear to be "on". See the manual about how pressing the "start" button 1, 2, 3, 4 times puts the car in various modes. And if you don't do it just right, or are in one of these modes, sometimes even pressing the brake pedal + start correctly does NOT "start" the car (put into "READY" mode).

Hope this helps in some way. After testing the FOB relo and smart-key disable tricks, if you are still experiencing what you described simply take your car to the dealership and get it corrected under warranty.

Best of luck!

[YoDaddyAlex]

Thanks for the tips. I am taking my car into service this morning, hopefully they have an answer. I know for sure it isnt an issue with not pressing on the brake hard enough, last night the display did crazy things with the lights, flashing all the shifting positions at once, all the emergency display lights lit up, no MPH reading, no ready light, etc. And the car would not lock. The battery was just plain dead. I will take it in to service today but also move the key away, right now it is only about 20 feet from the car at night.

[firepa63]

The fob at 20 feet away should not be a problem. My spare hangs on a wall less than 10 feet from the car and I have never had a problem with my 04. The most likely cause for the depletion of the 12 volt battery is leaving lights on (interior or exterior). Several posters have found that the rear hatch was not closed tight and therefore the cargo area light was left on. To be sure you don't have a door open, try locking the car after you exit it. It won't lock if a door is not closed properly.

[YoDaddyAlex]

always lock my car, although sometimes when i first get in it in the morning it beeps at me when i open the door and sit inside. at first i thought it was the lights but i made sure that wasnt it

[SteveSherman]

I have a 2007 Prius and it wont start either.
The ready light comes on briefly and then several lights stay on.
The red brake light, and the yellow brake light ABS lithe and VSC light
no radio or other accessaraies work.
The dealer says tow it in.
How to move it???
The car is in park and in the garage!!!

[richard schumacher]

Try jump starting it. If it won't start have it towed on a flatbed or dolly. It's under warranty, right? I would have expected the dealer to just send a truck.