2005 Prius Will Not Start....Sometimes....

Discussion in 'Gen 2 Prius Technical Discussion' started by sunking989, Jun 1, 2011.

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  1. sunking989

    sunking989 New Member

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    Good afternoon,
    My first post here on PriusChat. Glad to have found you and happy to be here!

    I own a 2005 Prius that has about 120K miles on it. Never has given me a problem and I have been very happy with it. That was then....

    This is now...over the last two weeks, I have had a situation where we are able to use the FOB to get into the car (doors unlock, etc...) but we cannot get the car to start on some occasions.

    The details...when the situation occurs, we can get into the car using the FOB as normal but when we push the start button we get nothing. The KEY indicator on the dash does not light up when this happens. Let the car sit for a couple of hours and try again and we enter the car, we get the KEY indicator and the car starts just fine. If you insert the key in the slot you get no beeping to indicate that the key is inserted. If you let the key sit in the slot long enough (maybe hours), eventually we will see the KEY indicator light up on the dash and the beeping begins and the car can be started as normal.

    We have changed the battery in the FOB's to ensure that we don't have a problem with them.

    Any suggestions/ideas as to what might be happening here?
     
    #1 sunking989, Jun 1, 2011
  2. firepa63

    firepa63 Former Prius Owner

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    When did you last replace the 12v battery? If it's the original, replace it now. I'm talking about the 12v battery in the car ... nothing to do with the fob.
     
    #2 firepa63, Jun 1, 2011
  3. usbseawolf2000

    usbseawolf2000 HSD PhD

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    Yup, I also think the 12V lead acid battery is dying. Search the forum and find a way to find out the voltage of it on the MFD. If it is low, replace it.
     
    #3 usbseawolf2000, Jun 1, 2011
  4. Spcalan1

    Spcalan1 New Member

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    Is this possible? checking the 12v battery level using the MFD?
     
    #4 Spcalan1, Jun 1, 2011
  5. sunking989

    sunking989 New Member

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    Thanks for the feedback everyone. The 12V battery that you are referencing...is this the one in the front or the back of the vehicle?
     
    #5 sunking989, Jun 1, 2011
  6. usbseawolf2000

    usbseawolf2000 HSD PhD

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    #6 usbseawolf2000, Jun 1, 2011
  7. usbseawolf2000

    usbseawolf2000 HSD PhD

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    There is only one and it is in the back.
     
    #7 usbseawolf2000, Jun 1, 2011
  8. sunking989

    sunking989 New Member

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    Thanks again guys...oh, and the statement that there is only one and it is in the back...What is the battery in the engine compartment?
     
    #8 sunking989, Jun 1, 2011
  9. BAllanJ

    BAllanJ Active Member

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    There isn't one in the front, although there is a connection point in the front to boost the car from.

    There are two batteries in the car... a small 12v battery in the right rear of the car. And a big high voltage one behind the rear seat that stretches across the car. We're thinking your 12v battery is causing the problem... definitely worth changing if it's still the original since they rarely last 5 years.

    There are also tiny watch type button batteries in each key fob.
     
    #9 BAllanJ, Jun 1, 2011
  10. bigmike5

    bigmike5 New Member

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    No battery in the engine compartment, both are in back. There is a jump point in the engine compartment (to jump start your 12v "aux" battery).
     
    #10 bigmike5, Jun 1, 2011
  11. sunking989

    sunking989 New Member

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    Thank you all for the continued education. To prove the point of the 12V being an issue, could I jump start the car using conventional methods when this occurs next time?
     
    #11 sunking989, Jun 1, 2011
  12. bigmike5

    bigmike5 New Member

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    Jump starting is fairly easy (follow whats in the manual). Why not replace the Aux. battery instead constantly farting around with it?

    The Optima Yellow Top is a popular choice.
     
    #12 bigmike5, Jun 1, 2011
  13. sunking989

    sunking989 New Member

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    I am all over replacing the battery if that is the issue but if I am able to jump start when the problem occurs it will prove out the battery as the problem...at least in my thinking...is that correct?
     
    #13 sunking989, Jun 1, 2011
  14. firepa63

    firepa63 Former Prius Owner

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    If that 12v battery is the original, replace it now!!! Just a caution if you jump the battery, if you reverse the polarity you will do some very expensive damage.
     
    #14 firepa63, Jun 1, 2011
  15. David Beale

    David Beale Senior Member

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    Get yourself a volt meter. You can find them for as little as $10 at, for example, Radio Shack.

    After the car has been sitting for a few hours, open the hood but DO NOT start the car. You will see the fuse box on the left front of the car (on your right if you are facing the engine compartment).

    Release the catch at the front of the fuse box and remove the cover. You will see a small red flip-up plastic cover near the top of the fuse box (closer to the firewall) in amongst the fuses. Flip it up and measure the voltage at that terminal to ground. You can use a bolt on the fire wall just above the fuse box for ground.

    If you see 11.8 to 13 V with the car off try turning on the park lights and measure again. If it drops to 10V or so you need a new battery. It it stays at 11.5 to 13V your battery is fine.

    Much better/safer than "boosting" when it won't start! Boosting is for emergencies. You KNOW you have a problem so it's not an emergency!
     
    #15 David Beale, Jun 1, 2011
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  16. ahmeow

    ahmeow Prius Lover

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    Hello,
    I'm weird how come you drove your Prius for 120000miles for many yrs and don't know anything about the 12V battery and even don't know where it was. You are lucky for so many years. As the other advisers told, if it's the original battery, REPLACE IT NOW. You will be happy for another 100+K miles.
     
    #16 ahmeow, Jun 1, 2011
  17. seilerts

    seilerts Battery Curmudgeon

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    If you jump it with another, make sure that the other car is NOT running. The amount of current required is vastly smaller than a conventional car. No need to have the other car running; gunning the engine on the other car (or tow truck) can actually cause damage even if the polarity is correct. A portable jump pack with reverse polarity protection is best. Also, if you have a charger, you can try an overnight charge at 4 amps or less, but my guess is that by having this go on for weeks now the battery is sulfated toast.
     
    #17 seilerts, Jun 1, 2011
  18. sunking989

    sunking989 New Member

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    Wow...Snarky much :)

    I have driven the car happily for 120K miles without any issue (I guess I am lucky). I am not a mechanic but rather a computer guy that has never had need to work on any of the cars that I have owned since I was young. I am sure that there is something that you use everyday which you don't completely understand how it functions...that is the situation for me in this case.

    Let me know if you would like a brief explanation on how SRDF replication works between two EMC VMAX arrays over distance. Yep...that is my stuff.

    Thank you all for your continued help and suggestions. Sounds like the 12V battery is the issue. My local Toyota dealer has one in stock for $176. Will run over during the weekend to pick up and install. Will help me learn about how this things works :)

    All the best!
     
    #18 sunking989, Jun 1, 2011
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  19. stefano5777

    stefano5777 Member

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    as others have posted here before you should be able to get a Toyota oem battery for 134 dollars from dealership.
     
    #19 stefano5777, Jun 1, 2011
  20. ahmeow

    ahmeow Prius Lover

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    Well,Since the Op has no issue of his nice baby for so many years, which Toyoya should be proud of, he already saved lots of $$. So Let the dealer take care of the installation and our lucky member will be happy for another many years.

    BTW,did the OP do the oil change for these years??:mod:
     
    #20 ahmeow, Jun 1, 2011
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