Bad 12V battery

So it only needs to be a 12v battery, what about amps? When they tested the battery at the auto parts store they said the voltage was fine but the amps were low?

 

Was able to power the car on using the jump pack. Apparently you have to have the emergency brake on to do this? I didn't have to the other two times but this time I did. Manual also said to disconnect the Hybrid battery, orange quick disconnect located on the left (drivers) side of the Hybrid battery. When I power the car on all of the dash lights come on and stay on, my scan tool lights up when plugged in but nothing shows on the display. Still reading through the manual, sounds like might have something to do with the 12v battery being disconnected.

 

I have been able to power the car on using the jump start pack several times now, more than before. I can get the display screen to come on, tune the radio, see the energy and consumption screens, and enter the diagnostic menus only while powered by the jump pack (think the battery is too week to run on its own). However, the hybrid system will not engage I can shift from park to neutral only. I have a full line of the orange warning lights, sometimes the red triangle will come on as well but not always. I have also been able to use my scanner to check for codes and it keeps coming up with no codes found. I know the optimal thing to do would be to have it towed to the dealer for a diagnostic, but I just don't have the money for any of that I am about broke as it is. Is there anything else I can do myself or is it pointless with the limited capabilities that I have?

 

2007 owners manual says to apply parking brake on page 361. As for removing the disoconnect from the hybrid battery, I had either read that online here or in the manual somewhere (can't find it now) but it doesn't really seem to make a difference either way. After replacing the orange disconnect the hybrid system won't engage as it did before. Should I leave the jump pack connected for a longer period of time? As for trying the lawn mower battery, I don't have a way to the store right now and really don't want to spend the $$ if its not going to help. I'm seriously at a loss for what to do.

 

Yeah I have the safety plug reconnected as shown in all of the pictures on here, bit tricky yes but its pushed in all the way and latched.

 

I have checked the two fuses in the box on top of the 12v battery, and several that are in the panel under the dash and under the hood. This was all stuff I had thought about and tried but still seem to be getting nowhere. I'm going to keep trying just to see if anything changes.

 

OMG!!!! I can't believe it. I have had that stupid thing out a dozen times and put it back in. I thought I had it in just fine, just went and checked and sure enough the handle did push down while in the upright position. Car started with the jump pack (12v battery is definitely toast) no warning lights, drove it around the block just fine. I borrowed a friends battery charger and tried charging the 12v battery, read about 8v out of the car, charged up to 12.6 or so in about 30 minutes and about 10 minutes later back down to the 8v range.

 

I can't believe I spent days chasing a problem that was just something so stupid, and apparently it is rather easy to "bump" the handle out of position as I did when I was putting the 2 piece cover back over the spare tire. What a freaking PITA, I have probably lost my job over not being able to be to work since Wed.... Jeeze!