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2007 going completely dead

Discussion in 'Gen 2 Prius Care, Maintenance and Troubleshooting' started by Norrrah, Jan 9, 2020.

  1. Norrrah

    Norrrah Junior Member

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    I know I will need to take it to the dealer, but I would love and welcome any thoughts. I’m an older woman without a lot of money to spend and hate not knowing what could be happening. I’m good at understanding mechanics, cause and effect, and troubleshooting but can’t work on my Prius -(

    2007 2nd owner Prius 95,000 miles. Previous problems only with front, rear lights going out a few years ago. Seemed solved by replacing rear lighting setup. Never any other problems, and maintained by dealer. Twice last year battery drained by interior lights left on, door left ajar by grandchild. More recently, twice, I locked with wheels turned, then trying to start again drained battery. It Starts up right away with jump and seems to run fine. First time it happened had the battery tested and it was reading 12.5.
    These last 2 weeks, 3 episodes: I park it, shut it off while waiting for husband in doctors office, start it in order to open window and shut it off again. Wheels are straight, no lights on, nothing powered. Push power and no dash lights come on, no power. . The anti theft light is still working at that point. Push power again and it is dead as a doornail. No anti theft etc. always have foot on brake to start.

    Other points. About 6 mo ago the gas gauge started misreading. Not all the time.
    With the Last jump the warning of parking gear bad, move to flat surface came on, put it in reverse a few feet and it was fine. I’ve been driving with lights off, key fob in ignition. Key fob still flashes when pushed. Car ran fine for at least 1-2 week after jump between episodes.
     
    #1 Norrrah, Jan 9, 2020
  2. Priuslover09

    Priuslover09 Member

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    It sounds like your 12v and hybrid battery. What dealership did you go to?
     
    #2 Priuslover09, Jan 9, 2020
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  3. pasadena_commut

    pasadena_commut Senior Member

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    When you say it is "dead" and "no power" does that mean the car will not move or just no lights? There is a known problem with a component in the dash which once it fails results in the entire display going off, but the car will still drive like that. If that is what you are experiencing you may find that the car will not turn off after it is driven. To force it to shut down, once completely stopped, push and hold the power button. (Just like on a computer.)
     
    #3 pasadena_commut, Jan 9, 2020
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  4. edthefox5

    edthefox5 Senior Member

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    You killed the 12 volt battery the first time it went dead. It was perfectly discharged and most likely stone dead that's a guaranteed sulphation of that battery. It will never hold a proper charge again.

    You need a new 12 volt battery.

    And the reason your grandchild killed it the first time is you never lock the car with the fob. If you did it would not allow you to arm the alarm with a door ajar. It will alert you to door ajar and lights on. Plus arming the car keeps varmints out.

    I would say the majority of people on here with a dead 12 volt battery is because they don't arm the alarm every single time they get out of it especially when put to bed at night. I usually peek in the garage with the garage lights off before i go to bed just to see if there's any lights left on inside the car or in the garage.

    This simple system has worked good. I have never killed my 12 volt battery in 12+ years.
     
    #4 edthefox5, Jan 9, 2020
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  5. Jmack111

    Jmack111 Member

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    if it just the dash light out and you can dive the car with no light. may have bad cap's on the board behind the dash
    try removing the - cable from the battery a few minutes to reset the computer for no dash light

    Posted via the PriusChat mobile app.
     
    #5 Jmack111, Jan 9, 2020
  6. SFO

    SFO Senior Member

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    Welcome to PriusChat!!

    The vehicles mileage is fairly low, has the 12v battery been replaced before?

    Approximately how many hours per week is the vehicle driven?
     
    #6 SFO, Jan 9, 2020
  7. Norrrah

    Norrrah Junior Member

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    #7 Norrrah, Jan 9, 2020
  8. sam spade 2

    sam spade 2 Senior Member

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    This....most likely.
    If it will make you feel any better, have the battery tested again, with a load tester several times in a row a few minutes apart.
    BUT if you are reasonably sure that it has the original battery, just replace it.
     
    #8 sam spade 2, Jan 9, 2020
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  9. Norrrah

    Norrrah Junior Member

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    Thanks, I will get the 12V checked first, hopefully replacing it will solve the problem. It still seems strange though that it has been spaced out when it decides to quit, runs fine for 1-2 weeks, then just decides to not start, with no obvious reason. Both recent times, after driving fine highway for at least 45 minutes. But hopefully you are right and the problem is straightforward.

    Yes, I don’t lock my car at night. Good tip for avoiding trouble. Low mileage neighborhood driving generally, errands, but I have gone back and forth from NC to NY many times and I love my little car.
    I appreciate your response.
     
    #9 Norrrah, Jan 9, 2020
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  10. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

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    welcome!

    12v
     
    #10 bisco, Jan 9, 2020
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  11. Priuslover09

    Priuslover09 Member

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    Try taking it to the dealership
     
    #11 Priuslover09, Jan 9, 2020
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  12. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

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    good idea. if it won't start, maybe they'll come get it.
     
    #12 bisco, Jan 9, 2020
  13. Norrrah

    Norrrah Junior Member

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    High Point NC dealership. I used to like them better.
     
    #13 Norrrah, Jan 10, 2020
  14. Norrrah

    Norrrah Junior Member

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    Thank you, thank you all. I will get a jump and bring it to the dealer. I hope it’s just the 12V. Because it’s been running fine between episodes it has seemed strange to me, but will let y’all know!
     
    #14 Norrrah, Jan 10, 2020
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  15. edthefox5

    edthefox5 Senior Member

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    Hope your using the front jump points and not messing around with the battery in the hatch. Toyota has provided a convenient jump point under the hood.

    Hatch jump is very dangerous to a prius and your wallet. You reverse jump it by mistake could be very expensive.

    Use front jump points and make sure the donor car engine is off to limit the current.

    We have seen so many Prius blown up from bad jump starts gives me the willies seeing someone repeatedly jumping it.. I personally would never ever jump start my Prius. It would get towed home.

    The 12 volt buss on this car does not appreciate huge current inrush like what you will see jumping a stone dead battery from a high current source like a AAA tow truck. That tow truck has killed many a Prius.
     
    #15 edthefox5, Jan 10, 2020
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  16. Priuslover09

    Priuslover09 Member

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    Did you get car fixed?
     
    #16 Priuslover09, Jan 15, 2020
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