Good morning!! I've been having issues with my 2004 Prius with 268K. The 12v battery died and I was wondering why. So I pulled it out and found the pan underneath it had completely rusted out. I can now see down to the pavement. Well, I've begun to rehab the metal pan but temporarily I have hooked up the 12v battery to power the computers and now when I use the turn signals BOTH dash board signal markers blink, although when I turn right the left blinker is dimmer than the right blinker. When I turn left the right blinker is dimmer than the left. Now, I'm not a electrical expert so I'm just asking for advice from you folks who know a lot more about chasing problems than I. Do you think this could be caused by a wonky ground from the 12v battery to the frame of the car? I've noticed that since the battery began to die odd things were happening to the vehicle. Like the rear hatch would automatically lock. Well, now my turn signal dash board lights are doing their thing and I'm wondering if it's the 12v battery, the flasher fuse, or a bad ground? Thanks for your assistance.
When weird stuff happens, it's prudent to check the ground first. The ground lug is also in that wet area and might be rusty. But I suspect that the pan under the battery isn't the only place that's corroded. You'll want to check all the electrical connections in that area, especially those that feed the hatch. The water that rotted out the bottom of the car comes in up on the roof seam and I think there's a connector in the vicinity of the hatch hinge. That might be a good place to start looking.
