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Dead 2010

Discussion in 'Gen 3 Prius Care, Maintenance & Troubleshooting' started by THRIUS, Apr 4, 2017.

  1. THRIUS

    THRIUS Junior Member

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    Our 3rd Prius...maybe our last. Sunday, the Prius was completely dead, and locked. Figured, 7 years old....12V battery. So, I took the funny Frankenstein key from the remote...went to the cargo hatchback door, looking for the key slot to open the door, to get at the battery.....no key slot....what the he**...? Opened the driver door, to crawl into the cargo area to get at the cargo door latch....gotta be an inside latch to open the hatch back....NOT. Called the dealer....sorry, must do the battery checking, removal, whatever, through the back seat. Been doing Yoga for the past day to limber up before I contort to get the battery out. Gonna go look at a Ford Hybrid....this scenario really pissed me off.....disappointed in Toyota....why no inside hatchback latch...under a panel or something ?
     
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  2. JC91006

    JC91006 Senior Member

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    There is a latch under the hatch cover, this is the cover that hides the spare tire. Once you remove the cover, there's a small lever there.

    Another way to do it is to get a 12v source and jump start from the engine area. Once you apply power for the jump start, your hatch will have power to open
     
  3. Mendel Leisk

    Mendel Leisk Senior Member

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    It's there. You need to pivot up the hinged portion at rear of hatch floor. Down an inch or two on the rear wall of the sub-floor well, directly below the latch, is a little pop-out panel:

    IMG_6560.JPG

    Pry that off, and inside is a little metal latch you push:

    IMG_6559.JPG
     
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  4. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

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    you have an owners manual. good luck with ford.
     
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  5. Mendel Leisk

    Mendel Leisk Senior Member

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    Took a bit of digging but yeah, page 73: put a bookmark on that page:

    upload_2017-4-4_7-40-22.png
    The one thing it doesn't clarify, is that all this is under the hatch floor.
     
  6. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

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    best to familiarize yourself with these things before you need them. someone posted about opening the fuse box and learning how to flip back the red cover on the jump post, before you had to do it on a cold rainy night. you wouldn't believe how many sarcastic replies he got.
     
  7. THRIUS

    THRIUS Junior Member

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    Thanx all for the replies. Did find the small, silvery lever, once I took the box out. Guess I'd better contact the technician at the dealership....and clue him in. I'll probably look at a new Prius after all.....My anger was due in part to working with a recently acquired "trigger thumb"....man....miserable.
    Dealer has batteries in stock $230.....yikes. Is an Optima battery...Auto Zone...worth the $180...?
    Thanks again.....Charlie
     
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  8. Mendel Leisk

    Mendel Leisk Senior Member

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    What's motivating you to trade, high mileage, it's just time?
     
  9. Raytheeagle

    Raytheeagle Senior Member

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    Glad you talked yourself down(y).

    At least the knee jerk reaction avoided the Fix Or Repair Daily (isn't Ford an acronym?) automobile;).
     
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  10. NutzAboutBolts

    NutzAboutBolts Senior Member

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    Go buy the battery at CostCo, they're cheaper and better. As for buying a FORD, GL in their hybrid department lol... I only trust Toyota with hybrids since they're in their 4th generation Prius, they know what they're doing. Plus, didn't ford sold their hybrid blue print to Toyota back in the days because they didn't believe in hybrid or that they didn't know how to work it? Not sure if the story is true or not, but I wouldn't trust FORD or Chevy with their hyrbid cars.
     
  11. DonDNH

    DonDNH Senior Member

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    I believe Ford licensed Toyota's hybrid technology (Gen-2) but since has gone its own way.
     
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  12. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

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    optima, or any other aftermarket is fine, make sure it is charged before installing. hope your finger is better!
     
  13. slewinson

    slewinson Junior Member

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    I thought it was Found On Rubbish Dumps....
     
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  14. slewinson

    slewinson Junior Member

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    What about opening the hood and jumping it with the terminal in the fuse box. Then you can upen the hatch and work in a civilized manner.

    Simon
     
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  15. eman08

    eman08 Active Member

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    My 09 aux battery died back in July as its the factory battery never been changed. It lasted a good 7 years. I couldn't even start the thing. I just went and gotten one of those power packs to get enough juice just get the hatch door open and dropped in a new Duracell battery and back on the road in 20 mins. Good luck with Ford esp GM that are notorious for electrical problems. Toyota has mastered the electronics department as you rarely hear about a Toyota having electrical issues. Fiat, BMW and Mercedes are the worst lol.

    XT1058 using PriusChat mobile app
     
  16. Mendel Leisk

    Mendel Leisk Senior Member

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    Addressed by @JC91006 , but doesn't hurt to pile on. :)

    Dead 2010 | PriusChat

    (post #2)
     
  17. trentofdestiny

    trentofdestiny Master Finagler

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    You can get the Optima correct for Prius (has skinny top terminals) for around $150 from Amazon and free 2-day shipping if you have Prime. And also no core charge.


    iPhone ?
     
  18. The Electric Me

    The Electric Me Go Speed Go!

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    Really, all this could of been avoided if you don't wait 7 years and until your battery is totally dead, to begin to understand how to get to it.
    I'm surprised the OP didn't have some of the Gremlin like symptoms many report as their 12 volt moves toward failure.
    Seems most Prius owner replace BEFORE they are forced to unlock the door with the manual key and "Indiana Jones" their way to the battery.
    None of this angst is really The Prius's fault.
    My advice would be to replace the battery, step away from the ledge, and in the future maybe not wait 7 years to replace or at least check the 12 volt.
    Really, if you got 7 years life out of your OEM 12 volt....you should be singing the praises of Toyota and Prius. That's a pretty good run.
     
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  19. NutzAboutBolts

    NutzAboutBolts Senior Member

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    Yup, my battery last only 4 years lol, and that's putting 20k miles a year on the car.
     
  20. trentofdestiny

    trentofdestiny Master Finagler

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    My 2012 still has the original battery at 95k miles and I've never had any issues. I wonder if the PiP charges the 12V when you plug it in


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