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Dead 12v battery vs. tow truck

Discussion in 'Gen 2 Prius Main Forum' started by jsquareg, Oct 21, 2010.

  1. jsquareg

    jsquareg New Member

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    I recently found my 2009 Prius with a dead 12v battery but quickly go that sorted out by jumps tarting from another car in the garage. Thank goodness the cables were more than long enough.

    However, the incident bring up a question. If the care had for one reason or the other needed to be towed to a dealer and the 12v battery were dead, how would the tow truck driver be able to winch the car up onto the bed of the truck? I am assuming the car was left in Park and now could not be rolled around. I must be missing something.

    Thanks for any thoughts on this.
     
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  2. jdcollins5

    jdcollins5 Senior Member

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    They would winch it up on the truck with the tires sliding since the vehicle is locked in Park.
     
  3. dogfriend

    dogfriend Human - Animal Hybrid

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    Apply 12V to the jumper terminals under the hood, then put the car into Ig-On (two pushes of Power button w/o foot on brake), then shift to N, then remove PCon Motor relay (in relay/fuse block under hood) so that the car cannot shift back to P when you remove 12V from jumper terminal. You are in N.

    http://techno-fandom.org/~hobbit/cars/training/prius01.html

    [​IMG]
     
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  4. jsquareg

    jsquareg New Member

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    Thank you very much.

    OK, sounds like that will work. Except, what if you out on the road somewhere without a source of 12v. I suppose you could get the tow truck drive to give you a jump.
     
  5. seilerts

    seilerts Battery Curmudgeon

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    Have you replaced this battery yet? Even though you have a 2009, it only takes running these down to dead once or twice to the point that they will sulfate and not hold a charge.
     
  6. ravenmaniac

    ravenmaniac Senior Executive VP of Nothing

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    My car died once and the tow truck driver put it onto the flatbed by using plastic "Skates" that went under the wheels to allow the car to slide onto the truck bed. All of this was caused by removing the overhead light fuse and placing it in one that had blown. Apparently, this car MUST have every fuse in place to start. :rolleyes: $89.00 later and a $1.50 fuse put me back on the road :)
     
  7. jsquareg

    jsquareg New Member

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    Not yet but I guess I should get around to it in a few days.
     
  8. krg03

    krg03 Not expert, just experienced

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    The dome fuse is a key fuse. It powers all the electronics. I did the same as you. There is another spare in the engine fuse box already as well as the fuse puller.
     
  9. Chuck41

    Chuck41 New Member

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    dogfriend

    would you get the same result (disable the parking relay) if you just removed the P CON 7.5 amp fuse?
     
  10. krg03

    krg03 Not expert, just experienced

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    From the wiring it looks as though there are 2 fuses. P CON MTR 30A going to the relay contacts and P CON MAIN 7.5A powering the transmission ECU. I don't see anything else powered from the P CON MTR and the contact closes with power so, yes P CON MTR 30A fuse.
    Removing the P CON MAIN 7.5A would do nothing regarding the P CON MRT relay. (possibly nothing since it does power the transmission ecu which would probably in turn not make the relay work, guessing).
     
  11. dogfriend

    dogfriend Human - Animal Hybrid

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    I don't know but I think so. Why don't you give it a try? :madgrin: :D