A Question About Towing...

canuckican · 03-21-2005, 11:06 AM

I have a question concerning moving or towing a "dead" Prius. In the building where I live, I park in a very low underground parking structure with very little room on any side. Let's assume I park nose-in in my parking spot. I then have a large pillar on my driver's side, a wall in front of me, another car on my passenger's side, and a pillar on the other side of that. I have tried to include an attachment map which details this layout.

Assume that the Prius "died" such that I could not get the computer or MFD to turn on - as some people have reported here. If I cannot turn the car on, I cannot shift it into neutral, correct? If I cannot shift it into neutral, how are they going to move the Prius in this configuration (note the front wheels are not available to be lifted by a tow truck due to the wall)? Would the car have to be dragged backward out of its spot to get it to a point where the front end could be lifted? Would that not be very traumatic on the car?

I am seriously wondering what would happen in this situation. Does anyone have any experience or ides on this?

DanMan32 · 03-21-2005, 11:18 AM

You could lift the front of the car from the side and put the wheels under a dolly. Getting access to the lift point would be tricky.
Otherwise, your only option is to try and boost the car into Ig-On, or else you'll have to drag it a few feet to get to the front of the car.

I would have suggested manually applying power to the parking pawl motor (properly called the shift control actuator), but it is a 3 phase 12V motor.

Preventative solution would be to back the car in.

canuckican · 03-21-2005, 11:22 AM

Here is my attempt to attach a jpg map of the parking situation.

**efusco** · 03-21-2005, 11:23 AM

I agree with Dan,
I think it depends upon how "dead" you are. If you are completely electrically 'dead' and it won't go into IG-ON mode to allow you to go into neutral even with a battery boost then you're probably going to have to drag it out. I think the risk to the system are small, but certainly aren't zero.

If, OTOH, you just have a dead 12v there are plenty of battery boosters and jumper cables long enough, to allow a jump start. Even if it won't turn over get it into Ig-On and put it in neutral before dragging.

jayman · 03-21-2005, 11:45 AM

Whether I'm parked at my condo underground parking or at the underground parking at work, I always like to back into the stall. Just a habit I've always had.

canuckican · 03-21-2005, 01:49 PM

There were some excellent ideas presented here, and of course, the solution would depend upon what has caused the "dead" Prius. BTW, I always back into my spot...so the question was really more a hypothetical. But it could happen to someone else.

03-21-2005, 11:06 AM	#1
canuckican Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: Windsor, Ontario, Canada Posts: 75 My Car: Model: Package: Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts Friends: 0	A Question About Towing... I have a question concerning moving or towing a "dead" Prius. In the building where I live, I park in a very low underground parking structure with very little room on any side. Let's assume I park nose-in in my parking spot. I then have a large pillar on my driver's side, a wall in front of me, another car on my passenger's side, and a pillar on the other side of that. I have tried to include an attachment map which details this layout. Assume that the Prius "died" such that I could not get the computer or MFD to turn on - as some people have reported here. If I cannot turn the car on, I cannot shift it into neutral, correct? If I cannot shift it into neutral, how are they going to move the Prius in this configuration (note the front wheels are not available to be lifted by a tow truck due to the wall)? Would the car have to be dragged backward out of its spot to get it to a point where the front end could be lifted? Would that not be very traumatic on the car? I am seriously wondering what would happen in this situation. Does anyone have any experience or ides on this?

03-21-2005, 11:22 AM	#3
canuckican Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: Windsor, Ontario, Canada Posts: 75 My Car: Model: Package: Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts Friends: 0	Re: A Question About Towing... Here is my attempt to attach a jpg map of the parking situation.

03-21-2005, 11:23 AM	#4
efusco Troll Slayer Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: Nixa, MO Posts: 17,231 My Car: 2004 Prius Model: Package: #9 Thanks: 49 Thanked 249 Times in 148 Posts Friends: 37	I agree with Dan, I think it depends upon how "dead" you are. If you are completely electrically 'dead' and it won't go into IG-ON mode to allow you to go into neutral even with a battery boost then you're probably going to have to drag it out. I think the risk to the system are small, but certainly aren't zero. If, OTOH, you just have a dead 12v there are plenty of battery boosters and jumper cables long enough, to allow a jump start. Even if it won't turn over get it into Ig-On and put it in neutral before dragging. __________________ Evan E. Fusco, MD "It's a damn poor mind that can only think of one way to spell a word." -Andrew Jackson

03-21-2005, 11:45 AM	#5
jayman Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Winnipeg Manitoba Posts: 11,562 My Car: 2004 Prius Model: Package: B Thanks: 35 Thanked 185 Times in 168 Posts Friends: 12	Re: A Question About Towing... Whether I'm parked at my condo underground parking or at the underground parking at work, I always like to back into the stall. Just a habit I've always had.

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03-21-2005, 11:18 AM	#2
DanMan32 Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: Tampa Bay, FL Posts: 3,775 My Car: Model: Package: Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts Friends: 0	You could lift the front of the car from the side and put the wheels under a dolly. Getting access to the lift point would be tricky. Otherwise, your only option is to try and boost the car into Ig-On, or else you'll have to drag it a few feet to get to the front of the car. I would have suggested manually applying power to the parking pawl motor (properly called the shift control actuator), but it is a 3 phase 12V motor. Preventative solution would be to back the car in.

03-21-2005, 01:49 PM	#6
canuckican Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: Windsor, Ontario, Canada Posts: 75 My Car: Model: Package: Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts Friends: 0	There were some excellent ideas presented here, and of course, the solution would depend upon what has caused the "dead" Prius. BTW, I always back into my spot...so the question was really more a hypothetical. But it could happen to someone else.