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Did I drain my aux battery too low?

Discussion in 'Gen 3 Prius Care, Maintenance & Troubleshooting' started by Jonny Zero, Nov 7, 2012.

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  1. Jonny Zero

    Jonny Zero Giggidy

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    So I got a new phone today. I went into the garage and got it hooked up to the car. I was playing with Entune, and trying out the message notification feature. The car was in the garage, and I had to cycle the car on off a few times (foot off brakes), so the headlights came on (LEDs on auto).

    So I was in the car with the lights, and nav on for about 30 mins. Turned it off when I got done. An hour later I went to drive it, my foot was on the brakes, and I pushed the power button. All the warning lights came on but the READY light was not. I pushed the power button one more time, and the ready light came on. I drove to work (30 mins drive), and the car acted normal ever since.

    Is this failure to get READY on the first click, a symptom of running the aux battery too low? Did I get lucky there, could I have ended up needing a boost?
     
    #1 Jonny Zero, Nov 7, 2012
  2. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

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    doesn't sound like a 12v issue to me. maybe you didn't press the brake hard enough and it went into aux the first attempt? that would make sense since the ready lite came on the second push.
     
    #2 bisco, Nov 7, 2012
  3. El Dobro

    El Dobro A Member

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    If the 12v battery gets too low, while in acc., the car shuts off and a warning comes up on the information center.
     
    #3 El Dobro, Nov 8, 2012
  4. Jonny Zero

    Jonny Zero Giggidy

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    That's odd. I don't think I entered ACC mode on the first push, because I saw all the warning lights lit up.
     
    #4 Jonny Zero, Nov 8, 2012
  5. El Dobro

    El Dobro A Member

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    With the first push, there's no lights, but you can listen to the radio. The second push gives you everything, but the system itself. Naturally, that's all without stepping on the brake.
     
    #5 El Dobro, Nov 8, 2012
  6. WE0H

    WE0H Senior Member

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    Maybe you discovered a software bug? Try to duplicate the event. The car is not perfect and I have a feeling most people don't mentioned minor software issues as there are so many work arounds to get it functioning as you need it to. Example: Entune [​IMG]

    Mike
     
    #6 WE0H, Nov 10, 2012
  7. Jonny Zero

    Jonny Zero Giggidy

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    I tried; could not duplicate it. Oh well.
     
    #7 Jonny Zero, Nov 10, 2012
  8. WE0H

    WE0H Senior Member

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    That sounds like a service department comment :) Sorry your car is working fine, we could not duplicate it [​IMG]

    Mike
     
    #8 WE0H, Nov 10, 2012
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  9. Jonny Zero

    Jonny Zero Giggidy

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    Happened again today. I left the car in ON but not READY last night for 10 mins (resetting the TPMS). Blower was running. Probably drained the 12V down. Today it did the same thing. I was positive that my foot was on the brakes, one click, it went to ON (as if I pushed it twice with foot off the brakes), no READY. A second push got it to READY.

    Two occurrences, the only common factor is running the 12V low. Hmmm.
     
    #9 Jonny Zero, Dec 9, 2012
  10. WE0H

    WE0H Senior Member

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    Software bug. Too bad Toyota doesn't have a site to submit bugs :(

    Mike
     
    #10 WE0H, Dec 9, 2012
  11. F8L

    F8L Protecting Habitat & AG Lands

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    Don't continue to drain your 12v battery. Each time you do you will reduce its charge holding capacity. Reduce it too far and you may end up with glitches and/or reduced fuel economy.
     
    #11 F8L, Dec 9, 2012
  12. WE0H

    WE0H Senior Member

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    My battery is sitting at 13.82v on my maintainer until May :)

    Mike
     
    #12 WE0H, Dec 9, 2012
  13. Jonny Zero

    Jonny Zero Giggidy

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    The thing is that the battery did not "feel" low. Brake pump still pumped like normal, lights were not dimmed, when I pushed the button the first time the headlights came on normal because I was in the garage. It did not feel like a weak battery. It was just on the back of my mind that I probably ran it down the night before. This battery must be weak sauce.
     
    #13 Jonny Zero, Dec 9, 2012
  14. Jonny Zero

    Jonny Zero Giggidy

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    Is it disconnected from the car or you just clipped on the maintainer?
     
    #14 Jonny Zero, Dec 9, 2012
  15. David Beale

    David Beale Senior Member

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    My "Battery Tender" is connected to Pearl S' boost point under the hood. Pearl is now owned by a friend, and he has a cheap copy tender, connected the same way. It causes the Scangauge to go on and off randomly. We'll be starting the car next week to check the hybrid battery. We'll see if the cheap tender caused any problems at that time.

    Jonny, check that the brake lights come on when you are starting the car. Some brake switches are not properly adjusted and this will cause you to go to "ON" rather than "ready".
     
    #15 David Beale, Dec 10, 2012
  16. Jonny Zero

    Jonny Zero Giggidy

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    I am under the impression that for one power button push, brake depressed -> READY. brake not depressed -> ACC. So you are saying a poorly adjusted switch can cause it to go to an in between state?
     
    #16 Jonny Zero, Dec 10, 2012
  17. Jonny Zero

    Jonny Zero Giggidy

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    Found this bit from the manual. Maybe this has something to do with it?
    BattDisc.jpg
     
    #17 Jonny Zero, Dec 25, 2012
  18. WE0H

    WE0H Senior Member

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    Clipped on with the battery connected to the car.

    Mike

    Mobile on my SGH-i717
     
    #18 WE0H, Dec 25, 2012
  19. slawek

    slawek Junior Member

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    Exact same thing happened to me once after playing for a while with radio in acc mode. Looks like the car does not always start right away after it is in acc mode for some longer time [10-20 minutes] (and when it is turned off for some time after using acc mode).
     
    #19 slawek, Dec 29, 2012
  20. WE0H

    WE0H Senior Member

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    Prius should have a higher capacity battery as the car has a decent audio system and people will be listening to it. The old school tiny low cap 14v battery doesn't cut it with today's owners.

    Mike
     
    #20 WE0H, Dec 29, 2012
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