Ran out of Gas and Now the Battery is Dead

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(jrod81 @ Sep 7 2007, 11:56 AM) [snapback]508675[/snapback]</div>

Hey Jared,

The fact that the battery is dead today is probably NOT related to running out of gas last week. It's probably dead because you left a light on (rear hatch not closed, door not closed, etc). I also don't think leaving the power button on inadvertently will run down the 12V battery, because the ICE (gas engine) would come on automatically as necessary to charge the batteries. Of course, if the ICE runs out of fuel with the power on, both batteries will go dead eventually. When you push the power switch, you should always check to see that the power is off.

 

Not directed at you personally, (after all you seem to be just one of thousands) but why do so many Priusites run out of gas? You would think that a car that gets 50 or so mpgs, would give you plenty of time to find gas between fillups. I don't get it.

 

I agree with derk, in that you running out of gas and your battery being dead are probably unrelated. By battery, I am assuming that you are referring to the 12v battery. I've got a few thoughts on the battery issue.

1. You're in a 2005, so it's likely that the small 12v battery was at it's end.
2. When you leaned over to hit the power button, you did in fact turn off the car. However, if you had your lights on, when you got out of the driver door (with the car still on), they remained on. When you turned the car off through the passenger door, the lights would still be on. They only go off when you open the driver's door, which you had done with the car on.
3. It's possible that the hatch was not closed properly, thus draining the battery.
4. Just bad luck.

You should be able to jump it, and be fine. Keep in mind that because the 12v battery is so small, draining it completely will weaken it. So you might want to get a new one in the near future.

 

I think the simple explanation for the dead battery is you entered and turned off the car from the passenger side. If you don't open the drivers door after turning off the car the headlamps stay on. They -will- drain the battery.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(David Beale @ Sep 7 2007, 03:39 PM) [snapback]508703[/snapback]</div>

Recharge the battery by a jump start and a 30 min drive or so. The inverter will recharge the battery. You can also recharge the battery using a very small motorcycle battery charger. Do not use any charger that is greater than 2 amps or you will do permanent damage to the 12v battery. One of the small adapter looking chargers that put out 12-14 volts and 3/4 of an amp will do exactly what you want it to do. The AGM 12V battery need a trickle charge to keep from destroying it. Check all of your interior lights to make sure they are not turned ON vs. door or off. If you lock your car using the black button on the handles or trunk it will beep once as long as there is no doors ajar or any other problem.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(D Rock @ Sep 8 2007, 03:32 PM) [snapback]509166[/snapback]</div>

If you use a modern multi-step smart charger, you can use one of any amperage as long as you configure it properly for AGM.

Tom

 

I'm pretty sure the 12V battery is NOT AGM. It's just a standard liquid electrolyte lead-acid battery, with a vent tube fitting. A motorcycle battery. I wonder if it's a standard size motorcycle battery used in a motorcycle. Will have to check. Jay in Winnipeg confirmed this by noting it sloshes when tipped when he had his out.

At any rate, get a "battery tender" if you want to charge it from time to time. Mine is mounted on the garage wall, beside the car. Just in case. Access from under the hood, on the "boost terminal" in the fuse box.

Oh, and I was thinking of dead batteries when I was out at the coast last week (I re-enabled the interior lights with the door opening). I have my "Prius booster cable" that I made, in the car. Then I realized, I keep it in the storage area under the hatch floor. It would be very difficult to get at under there (hatch will not be easy - if even possible - to open with a dead 12V battery). So yesterday I moved it to the "secret storage bin".

 

In Prius_Technical_Stuff, members have found both kinds in identical cases. My 03 Prius has AGM.

Bob Wilson

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(David Beale @ Sep 8 2007, 05:27 PM) [snapback]509212[/snapback]</div>

Yep, there is free liquid in there. I have seen AGM batteries and have never noticed free liquid

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(subarutoo @ Sep 7 2007, 12:26 PM) [snapback]508692[/snapback]</div>

I did this too recently, and I'll share why it happened to me. I've always heard people talking about the "guess gauge" in the Prius, but I'd never seen it myself. Every time the blinking light came on and I filled up, It would only take 9.5 gallons or so. Which means there was a good two gallons left. Given the mileage I get, in theory I should be able to go nearly 80 miles before running out. But I never push it that far, usually only 30 - 35 more miles at most. When I ran out, I thought I had only gone maybe 15 miles into the blinking light. Either I got struck by the "guess gauge", or I just forgot how long ago the light came on. Got complacent I guess. Needless to say, now I always top off as soon as possible after it starts blinking.

P.S. I even ran the electric dry trying to stretch it to a nearby gas station, but have suffered no ill effects thus far.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Mr. Zorg @ Sep 9 2007, 04:03 PM) [snapback]509692[/snapback]</div>

No, it means that the fuel bladder was feeling small that day. There were not two gallons left in the tank.
[...]
Draining the traction battery shortens its life.

 

I know it's an old thread but I came across it recently and would like to weigh in. I've run out gas several times and this issue has happened to me at least once, maybe twice. The car ran out of gas (gauge wasn't functioning correctly and had switched to 1 blinking bar only a few minutes earlier) and I tried to turn the car back on hoping to eek out a mile or two towards a nearby gas station (I didn't realize the potential repercussions of that for the car) or at least better place to park. AAA guy came and added about 2 gallons of gas, which didn't appear to be enough for the car to recognize it wasn't empty, then got towed to a gas station where I filled up, but still no luck: the car would only go from park into neutral and would not go into drive or reverse. I got on the internet there and was reading on this and other forums that I would have to bring it in to a dealer to have the computer reset, which would have been $500+ proposition before the repair itself based on where I was.

A few posts I came across insisted that all I likely had to do was 'reset' the rear 12V battery and that no visit to dealer was necessary. I did that and it worked. All I did was turn the car off, remove the key, remove the negative lead from the rear battery terminal (don't try to reach in because it's very tight space and easy to drop the nut; remove the lower cargo basket and plastic housing around the battery), wait about 10 minutes (10 seconds might have been enough, who knows) then reattach and tighten the lead. I turned the car on and it worked normally (the ! in triangle warning light came on, but didn't appear again the next time I started the car), drove on for 1-2 hours while it recharged, and it's worked normally ever since.

 

Fluctuating fuel capacity/range. Never really knowing exactly how much you have/have left.