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Please help me figure out what went wrong...

Discussion in 'Gen 2 Prius Care, Maintenance and Troubleshooting' started by doogster, Nov 1, 2012.

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  1. doogster

    doogster Junior Member

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    Something happened to my wife in her 2008 Prius last night... I wasn't there - so I don't have a ton of details. All I have is what she told me. I don't know what is accurate vs what was seen/done out of hysteria.

    First off, I'm at the Jersey shore in a town hit hard by Hurricane Sandy and the traffic around here is brutal!!! She spent most of the day sitting in traffic (maybe contributing factor #1?)

    She went out to the local McDonalds to try and get WiFi signal for her phone because our house power is out.

    I don't know how long she sat there using the WiFi, but at some point she tried to push the button and come home... at which time she got a big master warning on the dash and the car would "not start".

    She tried to get it to go for almost 2 hours but it wouldn't... then, she says another prius pulled up along side and she asked the owner if they could help.

    The owner of this prius said "your battery is dead" - and used his prius to start mine... (presumably with jumper cables???)

    What ever he did, she was able to drive it home.

    This is all the info I have... I want to know what happened so I can try to keep it from happening again...

    Any thoughts?
     
    #1 doogster, Nov 1, 2012
  2. Patrick Wong

    Patrick Wong DIY Enthusiast

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    Glad to hear that a Good Samaritan driving a Prius and equipped with jumper cables was able to help your wife.

    My thought is the obvious one: replace the 12V battery now.

    Good luck recovering from the storm!
     
    #2 Patrick Wong, Nov 1, 2012
  3. JimboPalmer

    JimboPalmer Tsar of all the Rushers

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    #3 JimboPalmer, Nov 1, 2012
  4. doogster

    doogster Junior Member

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    OK... is the 12V battery something I can order online and install myself like a typical car battery?
     
    #4 doogster, Nov 1, 2012
  5. JimboPalmer

    JimboPalmer Tsar of all the Rushers

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    #5 JimboPalmer, Nov 1, 2012
  6. doogster

    doogster Junior Member

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    I'm not a mechanic - but I do understand neg and pos... is this easy to do?
     
    #6 doogster, Nov 1, 2012
  7. stevemcelroy

    stevemcelroy Active Member

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    It is really quite easy, just take it slow and be methodical. Schedule yourself about an hour, but you should be done sooner - I replaced mine about a year ago and I think that I spent about 40 minutes all told.

    There are a ton of videos on youtube that walk you through the process - I found it very helpful to watch them, both to help me get an idea of how to do it, but also to help boost my confidence.

     
    #7 stevemcelroy, Nov 1, 2012
  8. doogster

    doogster Junior Member

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    thanx... order placed.
     
    #8 doogster, Nov 1, 2012
  9. JimboPalmer

    JimboPalmer Tsar of all the Rushers

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    I have not owned a Prius long enough to need to, but those who change it say there is one part that takes some muscle and the rest is following the instructions.

     
    #9 JimboPalmer, Nov 1, 2012
  10. Joe 26

    Joe 26 Member

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    Where are you at in NJ? I am a Certified Master Auto Technician and own 2 Prii inToms River. Message me if you have any concerns.​
     
    #10 Joe 26, Nov 1, 2012
  11. JimN

    JimN Let the games begin!

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    When you get the new battery you'll want to make sure it is fully charged before installing. Hope your power is back on line soon.
     
    #11 JimN, Nov 1, 2012
  12. doogster

    doogster Junior Member

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    I'm right down the road from you in Bayville.... the battery came yesterday and I'm gonna give it a shot... unless you are offering your services...
     
    #12 doogster, Nov 4, 2012
  13. doogster

    doogster Junior Member

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    I have no way to charge the battery... what happens if its not fully charged?
     
    #13 doogster, Nov 4, 2012
  14. JimboPalmer

    JimboPalmer Tsar of all the Rushers

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    Leave the car READY for 8 hours, it will charge.
     
    #14 JimboPalmer, Nov 4, 2012
  15. doogster

    doogster Junior Member

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    so... you are saying... remove the old battery.... install the new one but don't drive? Leave the card in ready for 8 hrs and then drive it?

    The battery I got yesterday MAY have been delivered charged, yes?
     
    #15 doogster, Nov 4, 2012
  16. JimboPalmer

    JimboPalmer Tsar of all the Rushers

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    You can drive it as well, so long as you leave it in ready.
     
    #16 JimboPalmer, Nov 4, 2012
  17. doogster

    doogster Junior Member

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    what exactly charges the battery when in ready mode... is it a trickle charge from the main battery?
     
    #17 doogster, Nov 4, 2012
  18. Mendel Leisk

    Mendel Leisk Senior Member

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    I'm not sure, maybe there's something unique about Prius, but I've never had to undertake any special treatment with a new battery just installed, just drove it. My understanding is they've got a decent charge level, and normal usage will bring it up the rest of the way.

    A couple of worthwhile items to acquire, once things are back to normal:

    1. A modest amperage "intelligent" charger. Something you can hook up periodically for maintenance charging, and it can also pull a battery back from near death, with overnight session or two.

    2. A digital multimeter (decent quality, doesn't have to be high end). An in-the-pink battery will be over 12.6 volts or higher, up to 12.8. That's with the car off. If the battery's been recently charged it will read unrealistically high; it's best to drive it for a few days before checking.
     
    #18 Mendel Leisk, Nov 4, 2012
  19. JimboPalmer

    JimboPalmer Tsar of all the Rushers

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    The main Battery powers the Inverter, which charges the 12 volt battery at about 13.8 volts in my Gen 2.

    (My new v charges at 14.4 volts, so I would expect it to take much less time)
     
    #19 JimboPalmer, Nov 4, 2012
  20. doogster

    doogster Junior Member

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    OK... new problem --- just went out to try and replace the battery.... can't get into the car!!! The battery is SO dead that the door won't unlock. I used the key to get into the driver's door... but none of the other doors will open... now what? I can't get to the back where the battery is!!!!
     
    #20 doogster, Nov 4, 2012
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