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Prius Wont Start without a Jump

Discussion in 'Gen 2 Prius Care, Maintenance and Troubleshooting' started by badab1ng, Jul 12, 2005.

  1. badab1ng

    badab1ng New Member

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    Hi All,
    I just purchased a used 2004 (salvaged) which I had repaired. It was in an accident involving a rear impact.
    Here is my problem. I cannot get her started without a jump.
    I purchased a new battery from Toyota. Same thing.
    After the jump. I can drive it. It will sit Idle in READY and continue to operate. I let it sit Idle for about 45 min after taking it around the block a few times. Soon as I power off. It requires another jump to power on again.
    Any suggestions would be most appreciated.
     
    #1 badab1ng, Jul 12, 2005
  2. efusco

    efusco Moderator Emeritus
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    Are you getting any juice from the battery at all? What happens when you get in and try to power up? Does ACC mode or Ig On mode work and it just won't go into ready or do you get nothing at all?

    It may just be that you've got a bad fuse or a short b/w the battery and engine compartment. It sounds, to a non-mechanic like me, like a very minor problem that should be pretty easy to sort out.
     
    #2 efusco, Jul 12, 2005
  3. badab1ng

    badab1ng New Member

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    I get no Juice at all. Checked every fuse under the dash. Theyre all ok. Checked fuse on rear battery connector.
    I just noticed that when I jump it. I have to mount the Negative current to the chassis. IT wont kick in if I mount to positive and negative on the Battery itself. Maybe that is a clue?
     
    #3 badab1ng, Jul 12, 2005
  4. kirbinster

    kirbinster Member

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    You say it sits and idles for 45 minutes - do you really mean idle? The engine should not idle like that, if it does it may mean the main battery is dead and the little 12v is being depleted by the computer and other small drain.
     
    #4 kirbinster, Jul 12, 2005
  5. efusco

    efusco Moderator Emeritus
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    Ok, once it's running, do all the usual 12v dependent things work? Headlights, radio, windows, etc?
     
    #5 efusco, Jul 12, 2005
  6. badab1ng

    badab1ng New Member

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    I'm sorry. I meant idle as in running on battery power. Yes. All the features like lights and ac/windows and radio all work fine.
     
    #6 badab1ng, Jul 12, 2005
  7. Paul R. Haller

    Paul R. Haller Member

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    I'm guessing you have a bad negative battery connection or a short in the 12 volt system somewhere. Check carefully the battery terminals and cables for poor connections and clean them all. Next, try dissconecting the + terminal at the battery and connect an amp meter between the battery and the terminal. With everything off it should read around 100-300 milli amps. If it reads higher then that , say 5 amps, you have a short. Start by pulling fuses until you find the circuit that has the short. Fix the short, and take a reading again.
    It's also helpful to take a voltage reading across the battery when it won't start. If the battery voltage reads under 12.6 volts you have a short. If you read 12.6 volts track down your bad connection.
    -Paul R. Haller-
     
    #7 Paul R. Haller, Jul 12, 2005
  8. badab1ng

    badab1ng New Member

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    Thanks. Ill try that. Have a friend coming over with a voltage meter. I'll post back with the results.
     
    #8 badab1ng, Jul 12, 2005
  9. richard schumacher

    richard schumacher shortbus driver

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    Much of Prius' functioning is inside it's multiple computers. Stuff can be wrong which you'll never figure out without computer diagnostics. If it was not originally repaired by a Prius certified Toyota dealer, save yourself some grief and take it to one.
     
    #9 richard schumacher, Jul 12, 2005
  10. DaveG

    DaveG Member

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    Well, if it starts from a jump start, i'd guess that it's relatively minor (a bad terminal connection or a damaged wire). All that the jump terminal does is provide power on the same circuit that the 12v battery is connected to.

    That should pretty-much rule out computer problems.

    Dave
     
    #10 DaveG, Jul 12, 2005
  11. badab1ng

    badab1ng New Member

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    Sorry for responding so late. But yes. The problem was a bad terminal wire which was damaged from the accident. It was covered up so I couldn't see. But it is running great now. Thanks a Bunch!!
     
    #11 badab1ng, Jul 25, 2005
  12. efusco

    efusco Moderator Emeritus
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    Thanks for the follow-up, sounded like it had to be something fairly simple like that.
     
    #12 efusco, Jul 25, 2005
  13. jayman

    jayman Senior Member

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    Hmmmm.

    Anybody get the feeling that 5-10 years down the road, we may be chasing weird glitches like that one?

    All it will take is some salt-induced wire corrosion, and perhaps a loose connection, to kill your Prius. I'm thinking in particular of the negative "cable" for the 12 vdc auxiliary battery.
     
    #13 jayman, Jul 26, 2005
  14. efusco

    efusco Moderator Emeritus
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    Hmmm, not really concerned. I would think the Prius 12v would be much less likely to have that problem since it's contained within the vehicle interior. Most cars' batteries are exposed to the elements, road spray, dramatic humidity variations, etc. Almost 2 years in and my 12v battery is as clean as the day I got the car.
     
    #14 efusco, Jul 26, 2005
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