Where Is The 12V Battery On A Gen5 HEV?

Discussion in 'Gen 5 Prius Main Forum' started by VelvetFoot, Sep 24, 2025 at 7:18 AM.

  1. Gokhan

    Gokhan Senior Member

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    Oh, the XLE pic above is an XLE AWD pic then, and I see the screw hole now, thanks.
     
  2. RandyPete

    RandyPete Active Member

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    Which maintainer brand. How many amps is it rated for ? How long do you leave the car sit before starting it ?
     
  3. Gokhan

    Gokhan Senior Member

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    You are worrying unnecessarily, as neither Gen 4 nor Gen 5 has any real 12-V battery issues. Every now and then, a few people have isolated problems arising from such as the new car sitting in the dealer lot for too long before purchased, car not being driven frequently or long enough, using third-party accessories, using the accessory mode, unauthorized modifications, etc.

    Occasionally using a battery maintainer is a good idea. You don't need to permanently install it. Using it every few months is typically enough, also of course, always using it when the car is not regularly driven. Any Noco Genius will do. The 12-V-battery-management system doesn’t like to fully charge the 12-V battery; therefore, occasionally fully charging it using a battery maintainer will extend its life and/or reduce the chances of a low-charge battery.
     
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  4. KCWhitney

    KCWhitney Active Member

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    I believe it is called BatteryTender. I told my dealer I wanted to maintain the battery, now that the car will be getting much less usage. and this is what they sold me. I don't know the rating off-hand. I have let it sit for at least four months, maybe longer, expecting the tender to do it's job. I have it wrapped, and it is a pain to unwrap it, just to charge the battery, which should be done through the device that was built to do just that.
     
  5. Gokhan

    Gokhan Senior Member

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    Get the Noco Genius. You can get the cheapest, 1-ampere one. It safely charges the Gen 4/Gen 5 12-V battery for about two days about twice a week, repeating the charge/standby cycle indefinitely according to the battery voltage, when plugged in.
     
  6. Paul Gregory

    Paul Gregory Senior Member

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    My mechanic says they won't even tell you where a fuse is located,
    because they want you to pay the dealer to change it.
     
  7. VelvetFoot

    VelvetFoot Junior Member

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    Oy. But do they have an espresso machine in the customer waiting area like my MINI (BMW) dealer?
     
  8. Paul Gregory

    Paul Gregory Senior Member

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    My dealer has a soda machine with no prices indicated. You have to use your card to find out that you just paid $5 for a can of Coke.

    This is in keeping with the predatory attitude I've experienced there since day one.
     
    #48 Paul Gregory, Sep 27, 2025 at 10:26 AM
    Last edited: Sep 27, 2025 at 11:36 AM
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  9. KMO

    KMO Senior Member

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  10. ChapmanF

    ChapmanF Senior Member

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    Good to know—I won't spoil the plot twist on p. 452.
     
  11. KCWhitney

    KCWhitney Active Member

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    Thanks. I have bought the genius 5, per Paul's suggestion. I am attracted to the feature that allows a full recharge to a dead battery without breaking out my big charger. I'm not excited about installing it my self, though. Maybe I'll find a service shop that will do it for me.
     
  12. KCWhitney

    KCWhitney Active Member

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    by the way, can this be installed without losing all of the settings when the battery is disconnected?
     
  13. Gokhan

    Gokhan Senior Member

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    Any charger will charge a dead battery. The problem is that you never want the battery to go dead, as it results in degradation and capacity loss. No charger can fully correct that even using the repair mode.

    You normally don't install the Noco Genius permanently. You don't need to disconnect the battery unless you are using the repair mode. All you do is that you connect the red and black cables correctly to the battery or service terminals and plug it in to an outlet. Don't forget to select the correct mode unless the default mode suits your battery (flooded cell for the OEM battery, which should be the first mode light).
     
  14. VelvetFoot

    VelvetFoot Junior Member

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    The 2 amp NOCO I referenced above is a direct mount:

    upload_2025-9-28_10-0-50.png

    Also, I just recently brought back from the dead a two year old lawn tractor battery, with an old 1.5 Amp 'Solar' charger. It used to reside under the hood in an old truck that I didn't use that much. I usually plug the tractor in. I did a lot of stop/starts and didn't plug it in-that lawn tractor battery is tiny.

    upload_2025-9-28_10-8-5.png

    I also have a 1.5 Amp charger under the hood of my Deere subcompact tractor, and keep it plugged in. I only really use it for snow removal.

    upload_2025-9-28_10-11-40.png
     
    #55 VelvetFoot, Sep 28, 2025 at 10:00 AM
    Last edited: Sep 28, 2025 at 10:12 AM
  15. Paul Gregory

    Paul Gregory Senior Member

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    It comes with a mounting strap that mounts to any surface with 2 screws. I didn't trust the alligator clips, so I removed them, and used the ring terminals instead. There is a 10 mm nut on a stud in the fusebox that is live to the battery, which I connected to.
     
  16. KCWhitney

    KCWhitney Active Member

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    I want to use it to maintain the charge on a rarely used car. Of course I want to connect it perrmanently.
     
  17. KCWhitney

    KCWhitney Active Member

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    Thanks, I'll look for that stud.
     
  18. Mendel Leisk

    Mendel Leisk MMX GEN III

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    This is gen 3, but might be similar:

     
  19. VelvetFoot

    VelvetFoot Junior Member

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    Your battery is under the hood, right? That'd be the place to tie in a permanent mount battery I would think.

    The new cars have the battery in the back with a + terminal on top of the fuse box for jumping the car. Paul has found a live bolt to attach the maintainer. If it was me, maybe, I might keep the cord inside rather than route it to the grille: it would protect the plug and I'd leave the hood up overnight (in the garage) so I wouldn't forget to unplug it in the morning.

    upload_2025-9-28_10-55-38.png

    I don't think they kick off much heat, so I wonder if it wouldn't be safe to mount a little one next to the battery in its compartment, if there was room? But, again...the 120v connection. Probably wouldn't want to leave the hatch open overnight.