1. Attachments are working again! Check out this thread for more details and to report any other bugs.

Total loss of power after 1 day?

Discussion in 'Gen 1 Prius Plug-in 2012-2015' started by asha, Jul 29, 2014.

  1. asha

    asha New Member

    Joined:
    Jun 9, 2014
    8
    1
    0
    Location:
    District of Columbia
    Vehicle:
    2014 Prius Plug-in
    Model:
    Plug-in Advanced
    There are many threads, but I can't find a definitive solution. I last drove my 2014 PiP Sunday evening. It's been in the garage plugged in since. This morning, I go outside to grab camera equipment from my trunk...I hit the unlock button on the trunk... nothing. I hit my unlock button on the key fob... nothing. Finally, I take the key out and open the driver side door. I hit 'Start' ...and... NOTHING.

    How could this be possible after less than 48 hours of being parked; especially since the car was plugged in? I didn't have time to troubleshoot this morning, but if anyway can tell me where to begin, I'd really appreciate the guidance. My car isn't even two months old. Thanks in advance.
     
  2. GregP507

    GregP507 Senior Member

    Joined:
    Apr 5, 2014
    3,002
    480
    0
    Vehicle:
    2012 Prius Plug-in
    Model:
    Plug-in Base
    This sounds familiar. My new car went dead in the water in less than 15 minutes on acc. It turned out to be a bad aux battery and it was replaced under warranty. I'd recommend having the dealer test it. I believed (along with most people apparently) that if the car was plugged in, the battery won't go dead. Not true.

    There are other possibilities of course. You may have a drain on the 12V system. A good mechanic should be able to trace the leak for you.
     
  3. Jon Hagen

    Jon Hagen Active Member

    Joined:
    Mar 6, 2011
    336
    136
    0
    Location:
    North Dakota
    Vehicle:
    Other Hybrid
    Model:
    N/A
    I suspect being plugged in will only charge the traction battery, not the 12V battery. If some 12V electrical load was left on (interior lights are a good suspect) The 12V battery will be totally drained in about 24 hours. Recharge that battery ASAP, as sulfation damage will destroy the battery fairly quickly.
     
  4. GregP507

    GregP507 Senior Member

    Joined:
    Apr 5, 2014
    3,002
    480
    0
    Vehicle:
    2012 Prius Plug-in
    Model:
    Plug-in Base
    It's been a controversy on here whether Toyota should have engineered a way to protect the 12V auxiliary battery from going dead, especially when there is abundant power available from the traction battery. Some claim such a system would endanger the traction battery, and others maintain it could be designed to protect both from over-discharge. For myself, it's less of a risk, knowing that the acc mode will time-out long before the aux battery will go dead, if it's in reasonably good condition. I'm not sure about interior lights, but I'd be surprised if they didn't time-out as well.
     
  5. mrbigh

    mrbigh Prius Absolutum Dominium

    Joined:
    Sep 6, 2005
    3,686
    699
    2
    Location:
    Long Island, NY
    Vehicle:
    Other Electric Vehicle
    Recharge the 12v aux battery, start-up the car after a few minutes. Then you will have to trickle charge the same aux battery for a couple of days until it stabilize itself.
    The surface charge to start up the vehicle will not be sufficient to render it fully usable in a long term; better yet, have it replaced under the vehicle warranty.
     
  6. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

    Joined:
    May 11, 2005
    107,571
    48,862
    0
    Location:
    boston
    Vehicle:
    2012 Prius Plug-in
    Model:
    Plug-in Base
    dealer proxy deep sixed it before selling it to you. they tend to do that when on the lot or in the showroom. it's a small fragile battery compared to what they are used to.
     
  7. GregP507

    GregP507 Senior Member

    Joined:
    Apr 5, 2014
    3,002
    480
    0
    Vehicle:
    2012 Prius Plug-in
    Model:
    Plug-in Base
    Toyota may be squandering their stellar reputation just a little. A dead 12V battery is easy to blame on the customer, justifying a visit to the service department, and the subsequent opportunity for up-selling other repairs.
     
  8. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

    Joined:
    May 11, 2005
    107,571
    48,862
    0
    Location:
    boston
    Vehicle:
    2012 Prius Plug-in
    Model:
    Plug-in Base
    nah, this has been going on for years.
     
  9. asha

    asha New Member

    Joined:
    Jun 9, 2014
    8
    1
    0
    Location:
    District of Columbia
    Vehicle:
    2014 Prius Plug-in
    Model:
    Plug-in Advanced
    Thanks. I'll try to find someone who can jump the battery when I get home. While I don't think I left any interior lights on, I can't definitely say no. However, I've been in the car with the radio on and maybe some interior lights and after a few minutes the car automatically shuts everything down and gives you a message that it doesn't want to drain the battery. I assumed that was a safeguard to prevent this sort of thing from happening... le sigh.
     
  10. PriusC_Commuter

    PriusC_Commuter Active Member

    Joined:
    Mar 21, 2013
    914
    307
    0
    Location:
    Los Angeles/ Orange County, CA
    Vehicle:
    2014 Prius Plug-in
    Model:
    Plug-in Base
    Can leaving the charger door opened but not plugged in cause significant drain on the 12V battery? I accidentally forgot to close it one night, and have been double checking ever since. I assume it's a small LED so it shouldn't be too much of an issue.
     
  11. GregP507

    GregP507 Senior Member

    Joined:
    Apr 5, 2014
    3,002
    480
    0
    Vehicle:
    2012 Prius Plug-in
    Model:
    Plug-in Base
    It's a safeguard that works with a reasonably good battery, but it fails if there are repeated draw cycles without recharging. Such was the case in the showroom of the dealership where I bought my Prius Plug-in. Apparently people were opening doors and leaving lights on all through the day, for day after day for 2 years. The battery was destroyed when I got it.
     
  12. GregP507

    GregP507 Senior Member

    Joined:
    Apr 5, 2014
    3,002
    480
    0
    Vehicle:
    2012 Prius Plug-in
    Model:
    Plug-in Base
    It's possible, if it never shuts off. The aux battery isn't very large, and if it's in poor condition, it may not take much to drain it.
     
  13. asha

    asha New Member

    Joined:
    Jun 9, 2014
    8
    1
    0
    Location:
    District of Columbia
    Vehicle:
    2014 Prius Plug-in
    Model:
    Plug-in Advanced
    Got it. Thanks again. I found a jump starter at Wal-Mart that I'm going to take home with me. Fingers crossed that it was simply user error and nothing more serious.

    Here is the jump starter just in case anyone else is interested:
    Schumacher Battery Jump Starter, Electric 750 Peak-Amp - Walmart.com
     
  14. PriusC_Commuter

    PriusC_Commuter Active Member

    Joined:
    Mar 21, 2013
    914
    307
    0
    Location:
    Los Angeles/ Orange County, CA
    Vehicle:
    2014 Prius Plug-in
    Model:
    Plug-in Base
    It doesn't turn off on it's own. I thought that was pretty stupid on behalf of Toyota's engineering.
     
  15. GregP507

    GregP507 Senior Member

    Joined:
    Apr 5, 2014
    3,002
    480
    0
    Vehicle:
    2012 Prius Plug-in
    Model:
    Plug-in Base
    Yes, stupid engineering, if your 12V battery has a slow drain on it indefinitely, when the door is open while the charger is plugged in.
     
  16. se-riously

    se-riously Active Member

    Joined:
    Nov 25, 2010
    263
    114
    0
    Location:
    SF Bay Area
    Vehicle:
    2014 Prius Plug-in
    Model:
    Plug-in Base
    Note that you don't need a lot of peak amps since the 12v battery isn't actually starting the engine. All the 12v battery is doing is booting up the hybrid system. Now if you own another vehicle that requires the amps, that's a different story.
     
  17. GregP507

    GregP507 Senior Member

    Joined:
    Apr 5, 2014
    3,002
    480
    0
    Vehicle:
    2012 Prius Plug-in
    Model:
    Plug-in Base
    That's on the plus side, but on the negative side, below a certain voltage, you can't turn the system on, rendering the car:
    Dead in the water.
     
  18. fuzzy1

    fuzzy1 Senior Member

    Joined:
    Feb 26, 2009
    17,039
    10,013
    90
    Location:
    Western Washington
    Vehicle:
    Other Hybrid
    Model:
    N/A
    Others point out that a complete shutdown and disconnection of the high voltage system is necessary for the safety of crash responders. Most of them won't touch a hybrid or EV without very strong assurance that they won't be electrocuted.
     
  19. GregP507

    GregP507 Senior Member

    Joined:
    Apr 5, 2014
    3,002
    480
    0
    Vehicle:
    2012 Prius Plug-in
    Model:
    Plug-in Base
    I have one of those, but here's the one I carry in the car:
    Stanley Tools Simple Start Battery Booster: Decor : Walmart.com

    But it's no good without one of these:
    http://keysandsigns.com/image/cache/data/caraccessories/poloi-500x500.JPG

    When the battery is dead, so is the 12V socket, therefore you have to go straight to the boosting terminal on the fusebox.
     
    SAronian likes this.
  20. fuzzy1

    fuzzy1 Senior Member

    Joined:
    Feb 26, 2009
    17,039
    10,013
    90
    Location:
    Western Washington
    Vehicle:
    Other Hybrid
    Model:
    N/A
    Very serious overkill, that peak capacity is meant to help turn the starter motor of a traditional nonhybrid.

    The Prius 12V battery should not be charged faster than about 4 amps, easily with the capacity of much smaller chargers. At actual startup, the power brake system may briefly pull 50-ish amps.