1. Attachments are working again! Check out this thread for more details and to report any other bugs.

After changing 06 prius 12 volt battery, gas gauge has one blinking bar

Discussion in 'Gen 2 Prius Main Forum' started by erb8951, Nov 25, 2018.

  1. erb8951

    erb8951 Junior Member

    Joined:
    Apr 4, 2012
    4
    2
    0
    Location:
    Louisville Ky
    Vehicle:
    2006 Prius
    Model:
    Plug-in Base
    Hey Guys, this is my first time posting to this site but have used it sucessfully many times for the last 6 years with great success! I need some help in figuring out why before I replaced my 12 volt battery, my gas guage working fine with a full tank of gas showing on the guage, but after installing the new battery and making all the connections , the gas guage flashes one bar. I checked the 3 connecting plugs on the positive post and re-check with the same results. I tried unplugging the positive cable connector for several minutes with the same results. I've checked all the forums and can't find anything like this problem. Any help would be appreciated. Also does anyone know what the single wire plug is and the multi- wire plug going to compenent next to the 12 volt battery is? Thanks in advance!!
     
  2. PriusCamper

    PriusCamper Senior Member

    Joined:
    Mar 3, 2012
    10,775
    4,372
    0
    Location:
    Pacific Northwest, USA
    Vehicle:
    2007 Prius
    Model:
    Two
    If you bought an Optima battery, that's likely the problem... Return it! They're junk batteries... But if your new 12v is fine and there's nothing wrong with the wiring/connections, the always problematic gas gauge calibration will likely resolve itself after a cycle or two of filling up.
     
  3. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

    Joined:
    May 11, 2005
    107,571
    48,862
    0
    Location:
    boston
    Vehicle:
    2012 Prius Plug-in
    Model:
    Plug-in Base
    welcome!

    not sure if this is it, but try searching 'gas gauge reset' for directions.

    but maybe it's just the leftover unconnected wires?
     
    PriusCamper likes this.
  4. TMR-JWAP

    TMR-JWAP Senior Member

    Joined:
    Aug 12, 2016
    6,058
    5,783
    0
    Location:
    Columbia, SC
    Vehicle:
    2007 Prius
    Model:
    Touring
    Relax, anytime the 12v power is interrupted, the gas gauge defaults to one blinking dot. My 2007 typically starts indicating correctly within 10 minutes. The 2005 I recently bought took a day.

    You also lost your radio settings and the auto up/down feature of your power windows. Reset the windows by holding the switch in up position until the window is fully raised + about 10 seconds.

    Not sure what you're describing being next to the battery, but the only item next to the battery that I remember is the capacitor bank (black box) used as emergency power for the brakes. It only has one connector and I think it has like 9 or 10 wires. The only one wire connector in that area that I remember is the one that plugs into the (+) battery terminal block assembly. I think that's the voltage sensing wire used by the inverter. (may be wrong on that)
     
    #4 TMR-JWAP, Nov 25, 2018
    Last edited: Nov 25, 2018
    erb8951, SFO, Skibob and 2 others like this.
  5. erb8951

    erb8951 Junior Member

    Joined:
    Apr 4, 2012
    4
    2
    0
    Location:
    Louisville Ky
    Vehicle:
    2006 Prius
    Model:
    Plug-in Base
    Thank to all you guys for your responses! You was right TMR-JWAP: before I got out of the driveway the gas gauge corrected itself. This site has always has been a great help to me and I truly like to thank everyone that participates!
     
    Russkij_Skazki likes this.