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Same story won't crank. No dash lights or interior

Discussion in 'Gen 2 Prius Technical Discussion' started by ETxPriusGal, Apr 11, 2020.

  1. ETxPriusGal

    ETxPriusGal New Member

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    Hi. First thanks for having such an excellent resource as Prius Chat.
    We have an 05 Prius. It began having issues with going fully into drive and or park. At one point it showed to be in park while driving to the store once. Stopping and turning off for a while seemed to clear the issue. Until the fateful day it wouldn't crank. Errors on main screen and big triangle warning light. Tried to crank and it just wouldnt. It kept saying I wasn't in park and I could not get it to cooperate at all. My husband tried to boost it off as instructed and it wouldnt. No power at all no windows locks or anything.
    Like I say all this has been described in your forums a M times.
    Fast forward 5 months the car, with 2 flats is still where we had to drag it out of the way. After much fiddling testing checking and reading forum it was decided to try a new 12v battery. Today. And it didn't work.

    Prior to any non crank episode the big battery had been low and slow charge issues and yes we are getting ready to give up.

    I have suggested that the brake switch is an issue but I've been asked to present our situation on the forum to see if someone can point us the right way.

    So far we have checked fuses
    Tested old battery at 12v off the car so got a new one
    Checked wires for breaks
    The new battery has made the key dings but still no interior lights or power to the windows and of course it's not cranking.

    Any input is welcome.

    Posted via the PriusChat mobile app.
     
  2. dolj

    dolj Senior Member

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    Could the car have been jumped with the positive and negative wires crossed? Where are you jumping it, at the battery or the jump point under the hood?
     
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  3. jerrymildred

    jerrymildred Senior Member

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    Yeah. What @dolj said. I'd check the fusible link under the white cover where the 12V positive connects in the fuse box under the hood. If someone connected jumper cables backwards, that's probably blown as well as others. Hopefully the blew before the inverter itself.

    PS, good pictures in this thread in post #16 if you need them. How to change Fusible link under hood | PriusChat
     
  4. 69shovlhed

    69shovlhed Surly tree hugger

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    letting it sit for 5 months, you likely let the hybrid battery discharge, and perhaps ruined it. so yes, check every fuse on the car. hopefully its just fuse(s).
    also, clearing the fault memory if there are codes stored might get it going; I worked on one that had a hybrid battery fault and it would start and run after clearing the codes. but the codes had to be cleared each time it needed to be moved. if your hybrid battery isn't toast from sitting, perhaps you can get it going and run it till the hybrid battery charges up.
     
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  5. sam spade 2

    sam spade 2 Senior Member

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    The situation is indeed the same........and the two most common causes are the same too.
    You have the battery covered......but it still should be tested. Sometimes new ones are bad too and often new ones need to be charged.

    The other common problem is a loose or corroded main battery cable connection.
    Most often, the problem is at the frame connection end of the negative cable.

    You NEED a multi-meter to chase voltages.
     
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  6. strawbrad

    strawbrad http://minnesotahybridbatteries.com

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    Did it say something like P-Lock Mechanism malfunction? If so this is a possible fix for that problem.

    P Lock C2310 Fix Fixed Solved Solution | PriusChat

    This might be caused by a blown AM2 fuse. You can find that 15 amp fuse in the fuse box under the hood. It's odd but that one fuse can darken the whole car. It's the inverter coolant pump that blows that fuse.

    Might not be a bad idea. I have to agree with 69shovlhed that sitting for five months might have killed the HV battery. But the HV battery is not the cause of not starting.
     
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  7. ETxPriusGal

    ETxPriusGal New Member

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    It was boosted under the hood correctly. He's an experienced mechanic and wouldnt touch it until he was certain

    Posted via the PriusChat mobile app.

    The only time we ever boosted it was after it would not crank. He did put the cables on correctly under the hood. We will still check this out though. Thanks!

    Posted via the PriusChat mobile app.
     
    #7 ETxPriusGal, Apr 13, 2020
    Last edited by a moderator: Apr 13, 2020
  8. sam spade 2

    sam spade 2 Senior Member

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    WHAT ? Why do you think that ??
    A dead HV battery certainly WOULD cause it not to start.
     
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  9. edthefox5

    edthefox5 Senior Member

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    Yes that's difficult. Its going to need alot of work. You blew a fuse.

    Get a voltmeter and with new 12v battery installed measure the dc voltage to ground at the front jump point.That will tell you if the battery power is at least getting to that main fuse box. if you have good 12 volt there then there is nothing wrong in the rear hatch/battery area Don't go in there again. if no 12 volt there then you blew the 100 amp fuse housed in the positive terminal of the battery. There's a black plastic housing with a fuse inside it mounted to the positive terminal.

    If 12 at the front jump terminal there's fuses in that black box that houses the front jump point and there fuses in the cabin where your left knee is hitting when your sitting the drivers seat. Little fuse box cover under there.

    The big black box houses the 100 amp main fuse but you wouldn't get a key inserted ding sound in the cabin if that was blown. If that was blown you would have nothing. But check anyway. Its a weird fuse its long and under a white plastic view shield. You can see if its blown in half.
    Usually its the dome light fuse thats blown.

    I would take every fuse out of both boxes and check its continuity with an ohmmeter.

    If confirming the 12 volt is fixed turn your headlights on. Should have bright headlights.

    Bad news is once you restore 12 volts to the cabin the car still may not start because you need a healthy hybrid battery for the engine to turn over. So even after all your 12 volt work your going to have to rebuild/replace that big battery. It was not tip top when this started so letting it sit for months will surely kill it imho.

    use the search forums blue tab up top. Search HYBRID BATTERY so you can see what so many posters are going through right now with the big battery including myself.

    Or You can sell if for salvage its worth at least $2000 as it is.

    Good luck and Let us know how your doing.
     
    #9 edthefox5, Apr 14, 2020
    Last edited: Apr 14, 2020
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  10. ETxPriusGal

    ETxPriusGal New Member

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    If it ever comes close to turning over would connecting a booster as if to jump it off and leaving the ignition on on the prius and possibly help recharge the hv? This 8s me asking. Not the mechanic

    Posted via the PriusChat mobile app.
     
  11. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

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    no. the engine has to run to charge the hybrid battery.

    the only way to charge the hybrid battery is with a special charger
     
    #11 bisco, Apr 14, 2020
    Last edited: Apr 14, 2020
  12. sam spade 2

    sam spade 2 Senior Member

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    There is no "coming close to turning over".
    Either it does or it doesn't.
    And NO nothing you do to the 12 V will benefit the HV battery.
     
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  13. edthefox5

    edthefox5 Senior Member

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    The big battery turns one of the 2 electric motors in the transmission that electric motor then turns over the engine.. Takes alot of power from the big battery to do that. A healthy battery at least 200 volts. Your big battery was not good before the months of no use. Its done. The big battery will have to come out and be rebuilt.

    One of the posters here likes to say: There's 2 kinds of G2 owners. Ones that have bad hybrid battery's and ones that will.

    Its alot of work. You can get the battery rebuilt but there's lots of shady Craigs List dudes who will rip you off so no CL. The half way decent joints are like $500. You have a good texas guy not sure how close he is. But none of the rebuilds are permanent. if you get the 12 volt fixed we will give you Matts info.

    But spend a little time on the 12 volt issue. If no fuses blown it may have significant damage. We have seen alot of those here. The 12 volt circuit on a G2 is easily damaged if you don't know what your doing.

    The g2 is a great great little car with the exception of a badly blown 12 volt circuit and the big battery issue we all are seeing.
     
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  14. Stevewoods

    Stevewoods Senior Member

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    Matt is nearly four hours from her.....in Weatherford

    If she wants to call him....never know....he might have a suggestion or a recommendation of someone closer.

    Texas Hybrid Batteries, LLC

    Weatherford, TX 76087
     
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  15. Stevewoods

    Stevewoods Senior Member

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    Don't you love it when they ask for help and then "jilt ya!"