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URGENT Help needed - Car is totally dead :( ******

Discussion in 'Generation 1 Prius Discussion' started by kirbinster, Jan 5, 2013.

  1. kirbinster

    kirbinster Member

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    Please help! Went to drive my '02 Prius today and it is totally dead. I mean no electrical current at all. Dome light does not come on, nothing when I turn ignition - just no electricity. Was fine when I drove it yesterday. Even hooked up a jumper battery to the terminals in the trunk and there is still no power. At a loss as to what problem could be. Is there some fuse or relay I need to look at???

    Please help!!!
     
    #1 kirbinster, Jan 5, 2013
  2. kirbinster

    kirbinster Member

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    Just tried to put car into neutral to back it out into the driveway and I can't even do that as the shift lever won't move as I guess the brake interlock won't unlock due to no power.
     
    #2 kirbinster, Jan 5, 2013
  3. JMD

    JMD 2012 Prius 4 Solar Roof

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    Sounds like your 12v battery is dead. Do you have a car service like AAA that can jump start the car?
     
    #3 JMD, Jan 5, 2013
    sfv41901 likes this.
  4. sfv41901

    sfv41901 Masta S

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    I agree.....sounds like the 12v accessory battery is dead
     
    #4 sfv41901, Jan 5, 2013
  5. Britprius

    Britprius Senior Member

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    Did you connect the jumper battery the correct way round first time If you did not I'm afraid you coold have done much damage. Connect your jumper battery again the correct way round "assuming it is fully charged" at least the dome lights and side lights should work. Try this and get back here withresults
     
    #5 Britprius, Jan 5, 2013
  6. kirbinster

    kirbinster Member

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    It appears this was two cases of an ID10T error. First, I left the drivers door slightly open and that is what killed the 12 Volt battery. Then I hooked up my portable battery slash air compressor unit to jump the battery. Unfortunately this is a new unit that I have not used before. I pushed the voltage check button and it showed good voltage, but the car did nothing. I was in a panic. I figured either a wire broke, a fuse went or a relay was bad. Then I went to take the jumper unit out and found it had an on/off switch on the back of the thing. When I turned it on guess what? The lights went on and the car started right up. Boy do I feel dumb!
     
    #6 kirbinster, Jan 5, 2013
  7. Britprius

    Britprius Senior Member

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    At leased you found the problem. You now need to charge the battery at no more than 4 amps. At 4 amps it will take ten hours at 2 amps 20 hours minimum. If you intend using the car before charging take the jumper pack with you. All the best.

    John (Britprius).
     
    #7 Britprius, Jan 5, 2013
  8. kirbinster

    kirbinster Member

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    I just started it up and went out to run errands. Drove about five miles and shut it down. Started fine when I came back. Drove about ten miles and did the same. Then drove about 12 miles home and left it in garage. Figure it will charge the rest of the way over next few days. Jumper unit is I'm trunk just in case.
     
    #8 kirbinster, Jan 5, 2013
  9. jdcollins5

    jdcollins5 Senior Member

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    That is probably nothing that all of us have not done at one time or other. At least the dumb feeling will pass much quicker than an empty bank account if it had been a true failure of some type :)

    Glad to hear that it was such a low cost fix!
     
    #9 jdcollins5, Jan 5, 2013
  10. bwilson4web

    bwilson4web BMW i3 and Model 3

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    Some of the 'jumper' units have the ability to charge from the battery and come with a round, cigarette lighter plug. The Prius cigarette plug is relay isolated when the car is turned off. This gives the option of having the jumper box stored say under a front seat (if small enough) or behind the driver seat on the floor and re-charged when driving.

    Bob Wilson
     
    #10 bwilson4web, Jan 5, 2013
  11. Britprius

    Britprius Senior Member

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    The Prius charges the battery very slowly at about 3 to 4 amps, and uses the battery all the time it is parked. All lead acid batteries deteriorate when left in a discharged state for even short periods. I strongly recommend you to charge the battery.

    If you think you do not have a battery charger you are wrong. There is one with your jump pack, just connect your jump pack as you did before and connect the jump pack charging system. This will charge both batteries.

    John (Britprius).
     
    #11 Britprius, Jan 5, 2013
  12. ChapmanF

    ChapmanF Senior Member

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    For anyone in a similar predicament, there's a manual shift interlock release. There is a small cover on the underside steering column shroud that pops out to reveal a lever you can push to allow shifting out of park with no power. If you have skinny fingers and a moderate pain threshold, you can also push the lever without popping the little cover out, by squeezing your finger around the end of the column shroud.

    -Chap
     
    #12 ChapmanF, Jan 7, 2013
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