2007 prius low power and empty battery pack?

Leaving a Prius in ready is not a problem until you run out of fuel (other than wasting gas). The ICE simply cycles on and off as needed to keep the HV battery charged. Even if you do run out of fuel, the Prius is smart enough to power down and protect the battery. It's unlikely that HV battery is discharged.

Most likely you left on a light and discharged the 12V battery. If the 12V battery has a shorted cell, jumping won't be enough. You could try a jump after disconnecting the 12V battery and see if that will work. This will require you to manually open the hatch. To do so, crawl into the back, remove the plastic panel from the middle below the hatch, and pull the emergency hatch release. It's a pain, but it can be done.

Tom

 

I'd try jumping the car first to see if that'll work.

There are instructions in your owner's manual for jumping the car.

There's a positive jump terminal in the main fusebox under the hood.

Note that in order to remove the fusebox cover there's a tab in front of the fusebox that you have to feel around for to find and press in order to release the fusebox cover.

Here's a pic of that tab:



Here's a partial pic of the uncovered fuse box. There's a red door in the upper left that you lift to expose the positive jump connection point:



And here's a pic of the exposed positive jump connection point (I think it's that vertical metal square):

 

When you jumped the car do you at least have bright passenger cabin interior lights while the cables are attached?

If yes and the dashboard lights do not come on when you press the POWER button, then you have a serious problem.

If not, then it is highly likely there is something wrong with your jump procedure, most likely a cable clamp is not making good metal to metal contact.

If you can't make the jumpstart work another DIY thing you can do is to buy a new 12V battery from the dealer and replace the original. If that is beyond your capacity, then you'll have to tow the car to the dealer for help.

Yes, you will end up paying for the problem as this would not be covered under warranty.

Good luck.

 

(We beg them and beg them...) Always, always, always: *lock the car when you park it*. A long warning beep will sound if the most common battery draining boo-boos exist (you left an interior light on, a door or hatch is not fully closed, the car is not OFF). Make a habit of this after the dealer fixes you up.

 

Nice stuff Tom.

 

Sorry, I didn't see this part of your post when I first read it.

 

I recently had to go through this procedure, but was unable to get the
"exclusive terminal" (I think that's what they call it) that is under the front hood to work. I found it OK, but could not get my battery cable in to connect to it - there isn't enough room around the peg to allow a normal battery cable (clamp) to get in there.

Obviously, one of the following is true:
1) There's something wrong with my battery cable - i.e., it is too big. I don't think this is very likely - it looks pretty standard sized.
or
2) There is some trick to it. Maybe something else has to be removed to make room for the cable - or maybe you need to use tin foil to make the connection.

Anyway, the reason I am posting is to see if there is a trick to it.

In any case, I ended up going through the back hatch (what they call the "luggage compartment"). But if this happens again, I'd like to be able to use the one in front.

 

I suggest that you obtain a metal alligator clip that you can clip to the dedicated jump start terminal. Then attach your positive jump cable to the alligator clip.

 

Funny that you should say this. This happened to me
exactly today! My wife got out of the passenger side
door, and closed it. Unbeknowst to her, her keys had
fallen out of her pocket onto the bottom of the door
frame. This of course then prevented the door from
closing completely.

When I got out of the car and pushed the lock button,
the car issued a continuous beep, and would not lock
the doors. So, I went around and checked all five
doors until I spotted the problem.

 

Yes the trick is to attach the jumper to the flat silver tab above the bolt. Not the "peg". I assume by peg you mean the bolt?

Use the flat tab that stands up vertically right next to the bolt.

Its easy to misunderstand that. I wish Toy would put a cover over that bolt. Ther's no jumper cable made that can get in there and grab that bolt.

 

Is that what most people do?