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Prius 2010 Jump Starting/How To/Images

Discussion in 'Gen 3 Prius Care, Maintenance & Troubleshooting' started by unit333, Jan 2, 2010.

  1. unit333

    unit333 Junior Member

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    Hi
    I just bought a Prius II, 2010
    I know this has been discussed before and I am not particularly worried about the battery dying at the moment (I live in NYC) but I do want to be prepared and it looks like a lot of the threads regarding this issue often go off topic. I am hoping to get some info as well as possibly some links to actual photos or videos on how to jump starts the prius.

    So...
    1. 12V battery gets drained for whatever reason.
    2. This means you can't open the trunk or start the car.
    3. If i understood correctly you need to open the front hood and use the specific indicated places to attach the jumper cables (an those connections are actually remotely attached to the 12V battery on the back?)
    4. Using a portable jumper unit (which one do you recommend?), start charging the Prius.

    Now, the manual says use a veeery slow charging device or the 12V would explode, does that mean that you need a very particular jump box or any will do?
    Also are the connections on the front always "open" or "on", as I read that the car needs to be on in order for the 12V battery connections to operate which would be impossible if the battery is dead.
    Was my dealer simply talking nonsense when he said if you need to jump start the car don't use anything on the front, you need to do it in the back? This is kind of the opposite of what the manual says.

    Starting to get a bit confusing so i am just trying to organize all this step by step. i apologize if this had already been discussed, I pretty much read everything i found but its still unclear. I can really use a very descriptive step by step guide or if somebody has a few pictures of showing the process and the correct places in the car to the whole operation...

    Thank you
     
    #1 unit333, Jan 2, 2010
  2. Boo

    Boo Boola Boola Member

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    I don't see anything in the Owner's Manual that says you need an extremely slow charging device to jump start the Prius or the 12V will explode.

    You can use another car or a jump box to jump start the Prius.

    You can jump start the Prius from the front.

    Your dealer is talking nonsense when he says you have to jump start the Prius from the battery in the back.

    Just follow the illustrated, step-by-step instructions in the owner's manual which shows and describes how to jump start the Prius with another car (and if you use a jump box, then modify the instructions accordingly).
     
    #2 Boo, Jan 2, 2010
  3. unit333

    unit333 Junior Member

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    Hey Tom
    Thank you for the reply
    On page 439 it says, How to recharge the 12V, only perform a slow charge (4.2 A or less). The 12volt battery may explode if charged at a quicker rate.

    This was really my main confusion regarding what kind of jumper box to buy since I read this warning...
     
    #3 unit333, Jan 2, 2010
  4. unit333

    unit333 Junior Member

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    #4 unit333, Jan 2, 2010
  5. Boo

    Boo Boola Boola Member

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    Thanks. I see it now. I believe that page 439 is talking about charging up the battery fully with a battery charger. Charging up the battery is not the same as jump starting the battery.

    You can safely use another car or a jump box to jump start the Prius. I did it a month ago on a neighbor's Prius.
     
    #5 Boo, Jan 2, 2010
  6. Boo

    Boo Boola Boola Member

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    I like to keep a jump box under the front passenger seat too.

    But mine is a jump box only so it's smaller than those with inflators. I'd be a little concerned that larger jump boxes -- like those with inflators -- would either not fit under the seat, or would stick out too much.

    EDIT: Note that it's doable but not easy to put a jumper clamp onto that tiny, flat, vertical, square, positive terminal under the hood. Patrick Wong had a great suggestion for this -- get and use a small alligator clip as an extension of the positive jumper clamp.
     
    #6 Boo, Jan 2, 2010
    1 person likes this.
  7. DRLeahy

    DRLeahy Junior Member

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    I went to jump start my 2010. I could figure out where to put the jumper cables on the LEFT side of the car (as I am facing the front of the car), but for the life of me, I couldn't figure out where to put it on the RIGHT side. I stared at that engine compartment for an hour - even with a friend who also tried - and neither of us could locate the second (right, I believe it's #4 in the instructions) point of jump starting. Could someone help me out? Thanks.
     
    #7 DRLeahy, May 16, 2010
  8. direstraits71

    direstraits71 Member

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    Follow your owners manual for the 2010 for the location of jump points in the front of the car. On the 2004-2009 Left hand drive Prius the jump point is located on the driver's side. That would be the right side as you are facing the car from the front. Maybe that is the source of confusion? The negative jumper cable always goes to any convenient chassis ground point.
     
    #8 direstraits71, May 16, 2010
  9. cproaudio

    cproaudio Speedlock Overrider

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    Found this on youtube
     
    #9 cproaudio, Jul 17, 2010
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