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Do I have a dead battery?

Discussion in 'Gen 2 Prius Care, Maintenance and Troubleshooting' started by harmonyjandh, May 5, 2011.

  1. harmonyjandh

    harmonyjandh New Member

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    I came back from my kids' baseball game and tried to open the door. Nothing. I tried again. Nothing. I pulled out the key fob and clicked unlock. I heard a faint beeping noise but the doors were still locked. I tried this several times. Finally, after a few minutes, one of the doors unlocked.

    I got inside and clicked the power button. Some of the dashboard lights came on, but the engine did not. After hitting power a couple more times, many of the lights flashed before the dash lights went out all together. Finally, I gave up and got a ride.

    Does this sound like a dead battery? If so, does getting a jump generally solve the problem?

    I should note that I think I'm three days away from the warranty expiring, so if there's a chance it's something else, I need to get it in right away and get it checked out.

    Thanks for any help anyone can offer.
     
    #1 harmonyjandh, May 5, 2011
  2. Patrick Wong

    Patrick Wong DIY Enthusiast

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    Yes, this sounds like a dead battery.

    Getting a jump will allow your car to start. Considering that your car is 3 years old, you probably need a new 12V battery to "solve" the problem.

    Yes, there is a chance that some other issue is involved so it would be good to take action on this immediately.
     
    #2 Patrick Wong, May 5, 2011
  3. jdenenberg

    jdenenberg EE Professor

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    Just be very careful to get the right polarity when jumping (plus to plus, Minus to Minus or bare metal on the car) or you can cause expensive damage. You can either jump the battery directly in the hatch on the passenger side behind the rear seat or under the hood in the fuse box just lift the red cover for the Positive jump point bolt (there is a small release catch on the red lid).

    JeffD
     
    #3 jdenenberg, May 5, 2011
  4. seilerts

    seilerts Battery Curmudgeon

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    Just a couple more points:

    The donor vehicle should NOT be running if you are jumping that way.

    Most jump packs have reverse polarity protection, and are ideal for this type of situation.

    Jumping the car will get it started but will not solve the problem. You may be able to save your battery by putting it on a 4 amp charger for 10 hours.
     
    #4 seilerts, May 5, 2011
  5. harmonyjandh

    harmonyjandh New Member

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    Thanks, everyone. It was a dead batter. Got a jump and took it to the dealer to check it out to make sure everything's OK. Back on the road!
     
    #5 harmonyjandh, May 5, 2011
  6. seilerts

    seilerts Battery Curmudgeon

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    Did they/you charge the battery for at least a couple hours or replace it? If not, you stand a high chance of having a dead battery in the next week or two.
     
    #6 seilerts, May 5, 2011
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