Key Stuck in Prius - won't turn on

The actual post on your car is missing. It goes above the bolt in the slot. No problem though, attach the plus (red) lead to the threaded bolt part, and the black (ground) to a bolt on the strut tower.

 

Thanks for the reply but I doubt I will have any chance getting a new battery for free. I bet they will do a battery test, the weak battery will pass the test, and they will show me the door.

 

This means that at least 4,500 miles have elapsed since the MAINT REQD odometer timer was last reset. The light will appear solid after 5,000 miles have elapsed, and this means that you need to change the engine oil and oil filter. The light has nothing to do with the 12V battery.

Try measuring the 12V battery voltage again tomorrow morning, before you make the car READY. The idea is to see what the voltage is after the surface charge has dissipated.

 

There are ways of stressing the 12V battery, since it is relatively puny to start with, this is not difficult! Now on a battery that has already given you problems it is even easier. Should you happen to be in the Toyota waiting line and have car in standby ( accesory mode ) the 12V charging system is not working. Should you turn on every possible drain you can think of, with any luck you will be able to not start the car and Toyota will have to drag thier charger out, so they can move your car aside, out of the line. Some people may think this is sneaky and unfair. I would like to point out that on a normal car with a substantial starting battery one can easily do this sort of procedure for at least 30 min without the battery running empty. And if Toyota properly addressed this issue you would not be in line to start with. After visibly proving that the battery has a fault to the service writer, mechanic one should be able to present clear cogent reasons why Toyota should provide a new free battery.(this: on a relatively new car, 1-2 years old ) Always be polite, diplomatic and soft talking.

 

12.1V is not very good, as that means the battery is 30-40% charged. You had charged the battery for 30 minutes after jumpstarting. I think the battery needs to be charged for 8 hours or more if you want the charge level to approach 100%.

If you have a battery charger, then I suggest you hook that up and let the battery charger work overnight. Otherwise I suggest that you plan a long driving trip or at least leave the car READY for most of a day (the car does not have to be driven.)

 

I agree with Pat, your readings are questionable. But, keep working on it. In the meantime you may want to make plans for purchasing a replacement. Afterall, one day you may urgently need one.

 

You can go to the dealer at any time, either in service or parts and they will be glad to answer any and all questions. No appt necessary. They will not get suspicious. They will not note your Lic plate # This is not China or Russia. In fact if you are really paranoid about this, go test drive a 2010 and then ask the salesman about your concerns. The Gen II and Gen III are quite similar.
:cheer2:

 

If still needed here is what my fuse box looks like:



Good luck!

 

I have had the same problem with my 2005 Prius. This has occurred three times in the last two months under various weather conditions. The entire panel lights up, auxiliaries work, radio, lights, etc. There is a warning message reading: The transmission lock is abnormal. Park in a flat place and apply brake. This doesn't make sense as I am parked in a flat place and couldn't move as the engine won't engage. I have had AAA jump the battery and the car still would not start, but minutes after AAA left the car started seemingly of its own volition. I have taken it to the dealer twice and when they put it through their diagnostics, they found nothing and said the battery was okay. Any suggestions??

 

It's a waste of time to have the dealer check your 12V battery. Especially if the 12V battery is original equipment or more than 4 years old, replace the 12V battery now.

 

Why do you say it's a waste of time??

 

Probably because a lot of people have had similar problems that were only resolved after the 12V battery was replaced. The test that their dealers ran on their battery said the battery was OK, but it really wasn't.

 

Dealers often use pass/fail testers whose thresholds are not appropriate for a Prius battery. Prius computers are more sensitive to low voltage than is the starter motor in a conventional car.

Most likely the battery is dying (that would also be just about the cheapest possible cause to fix). Check the battery yourself with a voltmeter, or use the built-in test procedure here:
http://priuschat.com/forums/newbie-forum/73400-weird-stuff-happening-mpgs-dropping-test-battery.html