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Car won't start..? 12 volt battery perhaps??

Discussion in 'Gen 2 Prius Main Forum' started by desertrider2215, Feb 28, 2010.

  1. desertrider2215

    desertrider2215 Member

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    So i unlocked my car the other night, got in and the car would not start. the check engine sign appeared while everything was dimming and flickering, going on and off, and the power button was lit up orange..kind of strange.

    is this a 12 volt battery issue? the car eventually started up and worked fine for a few days but now its back to not giving me any response again. no one seems to carry the battery but toyota either.

    so my question is should I go ahead and have a new battery put in? or is this another issue?

    thanks!
     
    #1 desertrider2215, Feb 28, 2010
  2. dpcarroll

    dpcarroll New Member

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    2005 Prius
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    I have a 2005 Prius, dead battery again, tailgate was not closed tightly. Can I use a charger that plugs into the dash to charge or will i need to call triple a?
     
    #2 dpcarroll, Feb 28, 2010
  3. Rokeby

    Rokeby Member

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    2008 Prius
    Both you guys are suffering classic 12V battery failure symptoms.

    The battery is quite small as on starting all it has to do is boot the
    various CPUs/ECUs. So, it is pretty much a Prius specific item, ~$140-
    $160. +~90 for installation, all of a 15 minute job.

    That said, there are alternates:
    * There is a Miata battery that fits/works with some fiddling.
    * These folks who have a very good reputation for fast, friendly service
    have two replacements, the preferred being the Optima Yellow Top.
    Well worth the additional $30.

    Prius parts

    (Be very careful buying a Yellow Top at you local auto parts store.
    There are some that look like they'd work, but simply put, they wont.)

    dpcarrol,

    The 12V socket under the dash is turned of with the car. There is an
    after-market mod to make it hot 24/7, but that won't help now. The
    easiest way to jump the car is using charging points in the engine bay.
    Read up on them in your Owners Manual.

    Be especially careful not to switch the +/- leads as doing so can lead to
    damage to CPUs resulting in ~$4K in repairs.
     
    #3 Rokeby, Feb 28, 2010
  4. richard schumacher

    richard schumacher shortbus driver

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    Test the battery using the no-tools procedure given here:
    http://priuschat.com/forums/newbie-forum/73400-weird-stuff-happening-mpgs-dropping-test-battery.html

    There is no known direct drop-in replacement for the Prius battery. All non-Toyota batteries will require some fiddling to make them fit. If for some reason you hate buying another Toyota battery get the Optima Yellowtop with installation kit and excellent instructions from eLearnaid:
    12 Volt (12v) Toyota Prius Auxilary Battery for 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009 and 2010 with installation kit
    Installation will take a leisurely 2 hours or so. All listed tools are required, and a bench vise may be helpful if you don't have an apishly-strong grip. It will cost about the same as a Toyota battery but it may be more durable. Unlike some sellers (even some Toyota dealers) there are no reports of eLearnaid failing to fully charge all batteries immediately before shipment.
     
    #4 richard schumacher, Feb 28, 2010
    1 person likes this.
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