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New 12V battery installed - Easy (almost)

Discussion in 'Prius v Care, Maintenance and Troubleshooting' started by RAM v, Apr 27, 2020.

  1. RAM v

    RAM v Junior Member

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    After finding my 5 1/2 year old battery a little low I started a hunt for a new 12v battery. As luck would have it what appears in my inbox but a coupon for Advance Auto for 25% OFF and purchase. Their Autocraft Platinum AGM battery was $150 after coupon, reviews were favorable and it has a 3 year free replacement warranty, so I ordered one.
    Taking the old one out was easy, just like the YouTube videos described. I took the old battery out to take in so I wouldn't have to run the old one back to Advance Auto to get my core credit. Unfortunately my brain wasn't working faster than my hands and as soon as I closed the rear hatch (so my garage door couldn't accidentally hit it) my 'DUH - smack your forehead moment' hit. I'll need 12V to open the hatch. So the re-install was made harder than it should have been because I had to crawl into the back end with new battery in tow so I could hook up the cables so I could then finish the easy reinstall after opening the rear hatch.
    Lesson learned. Next time I'll just move the car in far enough so I don't have to worry about the garage door hitting it. Luckily I didn't lose my radio presets.
     
  2. Mendel Leisk

    Mendel Leisk Senior Member

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    If you have a jump pack, hook it up at the front jump point, I think you'll be able to open the hatch.

    Without a jump pack, I think you've got a mechanical release lever, on the wall just below the threshold. There's maybe a little plastic panel has to be popped off.
     
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  3. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

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    great price, well done!(y)
     
  4. RAM v

    RAM v Junior Member

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    I did have a jump pack connected, unfortunately it was too smart. It wouldn't put out anything unless it sensed a battery, so once I disconnected the old battery it shut off.
    Actually it wasn't that hard to get the new battery in place after crawling in from the rear seat. Then it was just a matter of putting the cables in place. Then I could get the tailgate open and finish the install, which went just fine.
     
  5. diplomatic

    diplomatic Junior Member

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    Was just about to drive to the Toyota dealer to purchase a new 12V battery for my 2013 Prius Two (Gen 3) when my hubby, who accidentally left the trickle charger on the past three days, found that the trickle charger said the battery was fully charged and when he measured the charge with the voltmeter it said 13.3. Happy to save the $239 plus tax.

    Since I wfh I was already driving less than 7K miles each year but with running less errands during this Covid-19 pandemic and only going out grocery shopping once a week now, leaving one interior light on or leaving the hatchback door ajar appears to really drain the 12V battery quickly. So now I'll regularly check for lights out and snug hatchback door closure, plus leave the trickle charger on more regularly.

    My hubby was really looking forward to using this excellent youtube video to install the new battery in the trunk; now he'll have to wait.
     
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  6. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

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    welcome!

    i think if you lock the doors, you don't have to check anything
     
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  7. edthefox5

    edthefox5 Senior Member

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    Like everyone on this site who gets a dead 12 volt battery you don’t arm the alarm every single time you get out of the car if you did you would find it would alert you to a light left on.

    The bad news is if that 12 volt battery was killed flat by a light bulb it’s probably been damaged by sulphation. As that’s a deep discharge
    New car battery’s aren’t half as tough as batteries 30 years ago plus it’s a tiny battery. The fact that it was charged to 13.3 volts is meaningless what you don’t know is will it hold a charge.

    Ask your husband if he owns a voltmter we can test that battery. He may just get his wish after all.

    Also letting a Prius sit for days on end is really bad for the hybrid battery too. Corrosion will set in.
    Try to take it out for a good spin as often as you can. Seeing a lot of hybrid battery issues during covid
    Since no one is driving much.
    Prius battery’s last the longest on high mileage driven daily cars,
     
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  8. diplomatic

    diplomatic Junior Member

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    Ok eight months later and now the 12v battery has become like the dripping kitchen faucet in "Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance" to my hubby and I. Based on many posts here in priuschat, I purchased the required AGM battery in group size 46B24R with a full 3-year replacement warranty (not a pro-rated warranty like the current battery sold by dealers). Since we have a mild climate here in SoCal, went with the Duralast Platinum AGM for $200 versus the yellow top Optima AGM for $250, both at Autozone. Out of stock at nearby Autozone; employee tried to push the more expensive Optima saying the Duralast cannot be special ordered. Called a different Autozone and after about 20 minutes the super nice employee found it in stock within about 10 miles; so nice that he even apologized for taking so long (how refreshing!).

    Now my hubby gets his wish of following the above excellent youtube video to install the new battery in the trunk.
     
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  9. edthefox5

    edthefox5 Senior Member

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    Good call that’s what I’m going for next the yellowtop seem to fail soon as soon as they get out of there 3 year warranty.

    but I saw a post the factory battery at the dealer has become much cheaper so going to check that out this weekend.
    The words dealer and cheaper have never come out of my mouth before so I think it’s horse hockey I’ll let you know but the duralastis a good choice.

    I have changed mine a few times here’s th3 best tip there is 2 black wires that connect to the battery. They plug into the black plastic fuse assy on top of the battery. Take the red plastic cover off and those wires have white plastic clips with a locking tabs depress the tab and they pull right out. There keyed so you can’t mess them up.
    When those 2 are disconnected no sparks when you unbolt the battery cables.

    bolt it all back up and plug those 2 wires in and your done. First time you go to start the car it will fail. Just shut it off and try again and it will start right up.
     
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  10. edthefox5

    edthefox5 Senior Member

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    sorry diplomatic I saw your post in my inbox clicked on it did not realize it was from the g3 forum thought it was a g2 version the battery configuration is a little different on your G3 car. So disregard my 2 wire gimmick.
     
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  11. diplomatic

    diplomatic Junior Member

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    Hubby just installed the new battery but cannot start the car without jump starting it. Voltmeter on new battery reads 10.7. Could this be a faulty new battery?
     
  12. vvillovv

    vvillovv Senior Member

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    @edthefox5 given the data that most of us that are interested in the subject have about prius traction pack in high mileage prii usually being in better shape than lower mileage prii of the same age, do you think as I do that at least one of the reasons for this is that the gas engine gets used a lot more. Another being the traction pack has more time to equalize/balance and become temperature stable for a much longer time than in lower mileage prii?
    My only goal is to appreciate other members take on why high mileage packs seem to always be in better shape than lower mileage prii. (not sure what kind of icon would enhance this post, if any)
     
  13. edthefox5

    edthefox5 Senior Member

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    Yes a higher mileage car usually has a healthier battery for the exact reasons you quoted but that also requires excellent engine maintenance to be worth a crap at 200000 miles.

    not many take excellent care of there car most never ever even check the oil.
    We see so many flogged to death 200000 mile g2s on this site that were just purchased mainly because it’s rep for being a great little car. It’s the toughest little car ever an engineering marvel really.

    2 reasons high mileage g2s are sold
    Bad hybrid battery
    Whipped engine

    take your pick.
     
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  14. diplomatic

    diplomatic Junior Member

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    Returned brand new battery to local Autozone store instead of driving further to other Autozone store where purchased. Two different employees tried to say it can't be a bad battery - it must be my starter or alternator, and both told me I had to drive it back to the store that I purchased it from since it's not "in stock" at their store. I insisted the battery be tested and that it is an in stock item so they had to take it back. A nicer employee tested it and confirmed it was dead, and found the identical battery at a "hub" Autozone store. When I insisted I did not want to drive around any further, he ordered it to be delivered to this local store tomorrow morning. This time I'll have it tested before leaving the store.
     
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  15. vvillovv

    vvillovv Senior Member

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    best of luck getting your prius 12 volt squared away. Sorry to hear about difficulty with getting initial Autozone empolyee(s) to test, honor and replace their warranty product.
     
  16. Mendel Leisk

    Mendel Leisk Senior Member

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    Having your own tester is empowering too, and/or motivates the store to dig out theirs.
     
  17. Texascubbie

    Texascubbie Junior Member

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    I just installed a new Optima and also had to pop the small plastic cover off to manually open the hatch! Not the easiest install of a battery for sure but given my 2014 had the original 12v... Worth the effort!