Need info on replacing the 12 volt battery, 2003

Poor Karen. Just looking for some advice and steps into some kind war zone...

Chap, thanks for your comments. I won't be as thorough in some point by point reply because I have no interest in the appearance of an argument. I'm not going to argue with you.

My logic was just this: Karen obviously has a 12V issue or she wouldn't have needed a jump. It's broken. Maybe it's the battery. Maybe the HV isn't charging it. Who knows? The only scenario where getting this system straight first is a waste of time/money is where someone would scrap the car before fixing the thing given whatever the X, Y, or Z is as indicated by codes. Maybe she will. But my experience is that people tend to say this up front. This is why I see no reason not to just start there. And I think I might just not have as much faith in the computers error monitoring as you. Maybe. (I did have a bad ground once that was causing transmission issues that led to a "replace it" diagnosis - I wasn't making that one up).

So that's the other thing on my mind when people post. Getting a true code read for a Prius means Techstream (or for GM means Tech II or for Volvo mean VADIS, or etc) and this is minimum $100 per trip complete with the hassle of an appointment, followed by the B.S from the "service advisor." If it's just generic OBDII "check engine light" stuff, then great. Pull into Advance. No appt necessary. No "service advisor" telling you that you need X for $1000. She already got jacked around by some Toyota dealer. For people without the equipment, "just get the codes" is hell.

Sometimes the simple stuff goes a long way.

I'll just end by saying that in my initial post I told her to post whatever was on the dealer invoice, hoping for some codes. She went to a dealer, and the whole post was just about the 12V. She didn't say "they said I needed this" or "needed that." I just like to keep it simple until it's clear that it's complicated. I've only ever lost big while doing the opposite.

 

poor karens, they're taking a beating these days...