Prius Wont Start without a Jump

badab1ng · 07-12-2005, 03:15 PM

Hi All,
I just purchased a used 2004 (salvaged) which I had repaired. It was in an accident involving a rear impact.
Here is my problem. I cannot get her started without a jump.
I purchased a new battery from Toyota. Same thing.
After the jump. I can drive it. It will sit Idle in READY and continue to operate. I let it sit Idle for about 45 min after taking it around the block a few times. Soon as I power off. It requires another jump to power on again.
Any suggestions would be most appreciated.

**efusco** · 07-12-2005, 03:23 PM

Are you getting any juice from the battery at all? What happens when you get in and try to power up? Does ACC mode or Ig On mode work and it just won't go into ready or do you get nothing at all?

It may just be that you've got a bad fuse or a short b/w the battery and engine compartment. It sounds, to a non-mechanic like me, like a very minor problem that should be pretty easy to sort out.

badab1ng · 07-12-2005, 03:42 PM

I get no Juice at all. Checked every fuse under the dash. Theyre all ok. Checked fuse on rear battery connector.
I just noticed that when I jump it. I have to mount the Negative current to the chassis. IT wont kick in if I mount to positive and negative on the Battery itself. Maybe that is a clue?

kirbinster · 07-12-2005, 03:58 PM

You say it sits and idles for 45 minutes - do you really mean idle? The engine should not idle like that, if it does it may mean the main battery is dead and the little 12v is being depleted by the computer and other small drain.

**efusco** · 07-12-2005, 04:33 PM

Ok, once it's running, do all the usual 12v dependent things work? Headlights, radio, windows, etc?

badab1ng · 07-12-2005, 04:57 PM

I'm sorry. I meant idle as in running on battery power. Yes. All the features like lights and ac/windows and radio all work fine.

Paul R. Haller · 07-12-2005, 05:01 PM

I'm guessing you have a bad negative battery connection or a short in the 12 volt system somewhere. Check carefully the battery terminals and cables for poor connections and clean them all. Next, try dissconecting the + terminal at the battery and connect an amp meter between the battery and the terminal. With everything off it should read around 100-300 milli amps. If it reads higher then that , say 5 amps, you have a short. Start by pulling fuses until you find the circuit that has the short. Fix the short, and take a reading again.
It's also helpful to take a voltage reading across the battery when it won't start. If the battery voltage reads under 12.6 volts you have a short. If you read 12.6 volts track down your bad connection.
-Paul R. Haller-

badab1ng · 07-12-2005, 05:05 PM

Thanks. Ill try that. Have a friend coming over with a voltage meter. I'll post back with the results.

richard schumacher · 07-12-2005, 05:29 PM

Much of Prius' functioning is inside it's multiple computers. Stuff can be wrong which you'll never figure out without computer diagnostics. If it was not originally repaired by a Prius certified Toyota dealer, save yourself some grief and take it to one.

DaveG · 07-12-2005, 07:11 PM

Well, if it starts from a jump start, i'd guess that it's relatively minor (a bad terminal connection or a damaged wire). All that the jump terminal does is provide power on the same circuit that the 12v battery is connected to.

That should pretty-much rule out computer problems.

Dave

07-12-2005, 03:15 PM	#1
badab1ng Join Date: Jul 2005 Posts: 5 My Car: Model: Package: Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts Friends: 0	Prius Wont Start without a Jump Hi All, I just purchased a used 2004 (salvaged) which I had repaired. It was in an accident involving a rear impact. Here is my problem. I cannot get her started without a jump. I purchased a new battery from Toyota. Same thing. After the jump. I can drive it. It will sit Idle in READY and continue to operate. I let it sit Idle for about 45 min after taking it around the block a few times. Soon as I power off. It requires another jump to power on again. Any suggestions would be most appreciated.

07-12-2005, 03:42 PM	#3
badab1ng Join Date: Jul 2005 Posts: 5 My Car: Model: Package: Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts Friends: 0	Re: Prius Wont Start without a Jump I get no Juice at all. Checked every fuse under the dash. Theyre all ok. Checked fuse on rear battery connector. I just noticed that when I jump it. I have to mount the Negative current to the chassis. IT wont kick in if I mount to positive and negative on the Battery itself. Maybe that is a clue?

07-12-2005, 04:57 PM	#6
badab1ng Join Date: Jul 2005 Posts: 5 My Car: Model: Package: Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts Friends: 0	Re: Prius Wont Start without a Jump I'm sorry. I meant idle as in running on battery power. Yes. All the features like lights and ac/windows and radio all work fine.

07-12-2005, 05:01 PM	#7
Paul R. Haller Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2005 Posts: 223 My Car: Model: Package: Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts Friends: 1	Re: Prius Wont Start without a Jump I'm guessing you have a bad negative battery connection or a short in the 12 volt system somewhere. Check carefully the battery terminals and cables for poor connections and clean them all. Next, try dissconecting the + terminal at the battery and connect an amp meter between the battery and the terminal. With everything off it should read around 100-300 milli amps. If it reads higher then that , say 5 amps, you have a short. Start by pulling fuses until you find the circuit that has the short. Fix the short, and take a reading again. It's also helpful to take a voltage reading across the battery when it won't start. If the battery voltage reads under 12.6 volts you have a short. If you read 12.6 volts track down your bad connection. -Paul R. Haller-

07-12-2005, 05:05 PM	#8
badab1ng Join Date: Jul 2005 Posts: 5 My Car: Model: Package: Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts Friends: 0	Re: Prius Wont Start without a Jump Thanks. Ill try that. Have a friend coming over with a voltage meter. I'll post back with the results.

07-12-2005, 03:23 PM	#2
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	Are you getting any juice from the battery at all? What happens when you get in and try to power up? Does ACC mode or Ig On mode work and it just won't go into ready or do you get nothing at all? It may just be that you've got a bad fuse or a short b/w the battery and engine compartment. It sounds, to a non-mechanic like me, like a very minor problem that should be pretty easy to sort out.

07-12-2005, 03:58 PM	#4
kirbinster Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Morris County - New Jersey Posts: 575 My Car: Model: Package: Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts Friends: 0	You say it sits and idles for 45 minutes - do you really mean idle? The engine should not idle like that, if it does it may mean the main battery is dead and the little 12v is being depleted by the computer and other small drain.

07-12-2005, 04:33 PM	#5
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	Ok, once it's running, do all the usual 12v dependent things work? Headlights, radio, windows, etc?

07-12-2005, 05:29 PM	#9
richard schumacher Destination: Eschaton Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: United States Posts: 5,510 My Car: 2004 Prius Model: N/A Package: #6 Thanks: 99 Thanked 93 Times in 66 Posts Friends: 0	Much of Prius' functioning is inside it's multiple computers. Stuff can be wrong which you'll never figure out without computer diagnostics. If it was not originally repaired by a Prius certified Toyota dealer, save yourself some grief and take it to one.

07-12-2005, 07:11 PM	#10
DaveG Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Vancouver, BC Posts: 807 My Car: 2004 Prius Model: Package: C Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts Friends: 0	Well, if it starts from a jump start, i'd guess that it's relatively minor (a bad terminal connection or a damaged wire). All that the jump terminal does is provide power on the same circuit that the 12v battery is connected to. That should pretty-much rule out computer problems. Dave

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