Make sure you practice opening the jumper port in the fuse box

We have 2010 just like yours if your profile is correct.

 

Are you talking about the air filter? You do not need a screw driver for that either.

 

You have really got my curiosity up, what 2nd door were you opening if not the jump point door to connect a battery tender ?

 

I thought you were talking about another door that opens in the engine compartment. This is turning into a puzzle. You say there is another door in the fuse box that requires two screw drivers to open. I have no idea what that would be.

Here is a pic of my fuse box. Can you describe were it is at? Example “It is below the 2 30A green fuses that are next to each other. The box is a transparent red”

 

You are a person of very few words. Please explain why you had to use two screw drivers to try to open this?

 

Why did you have to open it?? These are the fuses that could blow. The rest of the modules are relays.

 

Call me if this ever gets resolved...

 

still not sure which door has the prize behind it.

 

This morning was the second time that I needed to jump my prius. Because it was cold, I was tired (and a little bit sick), and a slight negative design interaction between the jump point and my charger cables, it took quite a while to succeed.

If you have a GEN III, it's probably not a bad idea to practice opening the fuse box and jump point at least once. Once you know how to do it, it is very easy. The first time I did this was at LaGuardia, after returning from a business trip on the west coast. It was my fault that I accidentally left the map light on for a few days, and returned to a dead 12v battery. All went well - I was able to find a helpful person with jumper cables, and the spot next to my car was vacant. Cables connected, car started, and home I returned.

This morning, I had the good fortune of having my wife's car next to me, so I thought it would be an equally easy and quick process. I was wrong.

Here's what went wrong for me: (1) Lets take a look at the jump point. Notice how behind the metal jump point (in the shape of a plate) there is a black plastic support. Note that plastic is an insulator and does not conduct electricity. (2) Notice how the wire on my jump cable goes to the top copper connector. (And that the bottom copper connector is not in any way electrically connected to the top copper connector.) "Why is it copper, then?" now comes to my mind. The only reason I can think is so it looks like the other one.

So, if one were to attach the jumper cable such that the bottom copper connector made contact with the plate and the top copper connector made contact with the black plastic support - it wouldn't work.

Of course - I realize that there's no one really to blame for this set of circumstances but myself. However: If Toyota provided a round jump point (like my jumper cable was designed to connect with) OR my jumper cables used a plastic connector on the bottom (instead of copper through which no current ever flows) - I might have been quicker to recognize what was going on.

So, as I mentioned above - this was my second jump - and it took about an hour of dis-and reconnecting before I recognized what was going on. As a mechanical engineer and patent attorney, I should probably be very ashamed. It was dumb luck that my first jump went so successfully.

Hopefully my foolishness can save someone else the same situation and/or panic.

Best of luck,
Eric

 

did you find the filler hole for the blinker fluid too?

 

I do not understand this thread at all. I must own a completely different Gen III Prius than others.

 

You do.

There is none. Blinkers are activated by either relays or thermal-activated bimetallic contacts. No fluid is needed.

 

I find no need to use this "jump" point.

I'll just remove the coveres in the hatch area behind the wheel well and jump the battery directly.

 

Hi Mike,

Good suggestion. Do note that for the GEN III Liftback (I don't know about prius V) - the liftgate is electrically operated. So, opening the liftgate when the battery is dead isn't necessarily as easy as opening the hood. You'd have to first open the doors, put down the seat, crawl into the cargo area, and then figure out how to open the rear hatch - (or just remove the covers and fish the jumper through the interior of the car). I think that (for the liftback) this could be a real chore - but admittedly I have not given it a try yet.

Perhaps for the V, it might be a bit easier with some additional head-room.

The whole point for this thread (and I've experienced it twice, now) is that with the Prius, jumping the battery is a bit different than a regular car - and a little bit of practice beforehand might reduce some frustration in the moment.

 

The title of this thread is “Make sure you practice opening the jumper port in the fuse box”. I did not understand what that meant so I created this video of how you open it.

You can see in the video it is not complex.

Connecting a jumper cable to the plate under the red tab and another side to a metal part of the car is not complex either. I am on vacation until Feb 21st enjoying time on the beach. When I get back I will make another short video of connecting jumper cables to the two points. You will see how easy it is.

I am using a standard jumper cables you buy at Wal-Mart. Not something made to jump start a dump truck.