You all know that to jump start the Prius you find a terminal in the fuse box at the front (although the 12V battery is in the back). But have you tried getting the plastic cover off the fuse box? ('05 model). The manual makes it look easy but I haven't been able to get it off, partly because I fear damaging one of the little plastic bits holding it down. On which side is it hinged, if any?
It's a little tricky the first time you do it, but not really that hard (that said, I snapped off one of the plastic tabs on mine when doing it on a cold February morning). There are two tabs at the top of the fusebox and one tab at the bottom. The tabs at the top come off quite easily - for the one on the bottom, reach just under the tab and push and it should also release and come off.
I have this vague memory of someone saying that they simply squeeze somewhere and it comes off quite easily; however, I can't find that with a search. As I remember, it was buried pretty deeply in a thread. Anyone else remember this, or am I still hallucinating from PC withdrawal? I don't have my Prius yet, so I can't go check this out.
Found it -- Post #32 by priusham on this thread http://priuschat.com/index.php?showtopic=1...30&#entry182530
priusham said: "When I jumped my Prius this week, I THOUGHT the fuse box was going to be difficult to open because the molding for the latches looks really complicated. Yet, all I did was squeeze the side of the cover and it lifted right off. I mean, I was actually suprized at how simple it was. I'm not sure what problems you others are having with it, but it surely was not at all 'difficult" to remove or replace. " Squeezing didn't work for me. The top clips open easily but the bottom one is much harder to release.
Maybe I'm confused here, but I'm pretty certain that the thin lower edge of mine had a push-in "button" to release the catch, then it just came up, with the top two catches just freeing themselves as you lift the cover. Edit... Okay, I've checked, and I was right. The lower edge of the lid is about 3cm wide, and has a central raised ridge about 1½cm wide. This is the top of a sprung tab with a catch at the bottom - pushing/squeezing it (not very hard) releases it. So just depress that tab and pull the lower edge upwards, and the whole lid comes straight off easily. To refit, just hook the two tabs at the top first, then press down the lower edge.
Nor me. None of the clips opens for me. In fact the box and the cover are so hard it seems impossible to squeeze them. Maybe the temperature is relevant. It's only 2C. (34F.) here today. Did priusham squeeze both sides of the cover at the same time, or just one side, and if so which side? And is his car an 05 model? There is an arrow moulded into the top of the cover so presumably this is indicating where you squeeze (i.e on the side of the cover nearest the left side of the car). The diagram in the manual seems to show that the hinged side (if there are hinges?) is on this side.
Did you read my post, Oxo? There aren't any hinges. Just two deep catches at the top, plus one shallow one at the bottom, which is designed to be the one you release. I had no trouble opening releasing the bottom catch on mine just now, in the cold. You only need to push one finger down on the 1.5cm x 1.5cm area in the middle of the bottom lid edge (ie applying a force towards the back of the car), then pull up with that same finger. As with most of the catches on the car, it would be blindingly obvious, if only you could actually see the lower edge of the box. As for the arrow, I'm not sure what that is indicating, except possibly the slot for bonnet support rod?
Thanks KMO! I tried figuring this out a few weeks ago and was overcome with frustration (and cold) before I got the cover off. The manual wasn't very helpful either. I just got back in from my second attempt and following your instructions did the trick. Thanks again, Dave
KMO makes it sound easy but I've tried yet again this morning and nothing works. The cover is as rigid as ever
