Battery ?

The 12 Volt auxilary battery is in the rear of the car under the cargo area cover. I have the 2010 and it is on the right hand side but I believe yours will be on the left hand side. If you will lift up the cargo area cover and look to the left, I believe you will see the battery. There is a small cover over top that you can remove.

Just for clarification, the 12V auxliary battery does not start the car in the same since of a normal car. The 12V battery provides power to boot up the computers (ECU's) and to pull in relays that connect the High Voltage (HV) batteries to the electric motors. The 12V battery also provides power to the instruments and electronics, radio, Nav, etc.

One of the electric motors, MG1, actually starts the gas engine using power from the HV batteries.

 

For a 2005 (Gen2) it will also be in the right rear corner of the cargo area.

 

"Right" meaning passenger side for U.S. models. I get mixed up when left and right is ambiguous.

Tom

 

That's right. But not write or wright. :madgrin:

 

You need a copy of the Owner's Manual. It's full of stuff like that that you need to know. Buy one from a dealer or online.

See here for the periodic maintenance recommended by Toyota:
Toyota Parts and Service

 

The obvious reply to Richard's post: "Where would I find the Owner's Manual in my Prius?"



Tom

 

If the previous owner was a reasonable person, it would be located in the special slot provided in the lower glove box. If the previous owner was like my GF, it is lost somewhere.

 

There is only one appropriate answer to this question: "The location of the manual is clearly stated in the manual. RTFM!"

Tom

 

Some people go through their entire lives without RTFM.

 

Especially if they can't find it.

This whole silly discussion reminds me of my early days with IBM computers. One of our first IBM PC systems came packed in a big box, intricately packaged like some sort of Chinese puzzle. All the way at the bottom of the box, once we had removed all of the other contents, was a sheet of instructions explaining how to unpack the box. Very helpful, and no, I did not have the box upside down.

Tom

 

You have to peel off some trim to even spot the 12 vdc battery. Here is mine after I installed the VDC Battery Minder harness hardwired directly to the battery



a closeup



It is in your best interest to remove the rear cargo tray and floor. The spare tire is hidden underneath, in a well, and the valve stem points down. The only way to check the spare tire pressure - btw should be 60 psi - is to remove the spare tire

You will then discover if the rear hatch seal or tail light seals are leaking, if the spare tire is sitting in a puddle of rusty water

 

You probably already know-- the Prius 12V battery is not the "starting battery," as in the battery used to start the ICE. When you hit the Power button, the 12V circuit has a lot to do powering up computers and such, but when the ICE needs to run, it's MG1 that spins it up, not the 12V circuit.

Here's more:

Whats Going On As I Drive?

 

These tend to be the clients I provide consulting services to.

Fortunately I bill by the hour

Ever since I discovered heavy drinking, the situation has become much more tolerable