Prius 12V Battery went dead in 20 hours, Fob key won't unlock door

My humble apologies, Alan. It was already Gen 4 when I opened the the post.

 

That's fine - I'd reboot myself, except 'tis too late for a double shot coffee (nearly 9pm). That's for the morning.

 

Having looked, I see he was last seen managing his account about 12 minutes ago. You'll have to assume that was a profile change. Not the first and certainly won't be the last to be caught napping with a dated profile after a new car in the garage. Last I heard it's no longer a cardinal sin. Just makes helping that little bit more edgy!

 

Mine went dead at 12 months. Defective battery. I started a thread on it. Warranty replacement just miles from 36,000 limit. It's the only issue I have had. Retail cost on the battery is about $280.

 

I assume that's 36,000?

That's at least 3 faulty on a car which was released less than 18 months ago.

 

ProdigyPlace will probably confirm that is one of the perils of buying into the first run of a new line. Think he said it several times before.... and others have also.

 

Yeah, I fixed that. 36,000 miles.

The dealer stated that for the US the batteries are manufactured by Interstate.

Electricity is black art. I would assume there is a certain percentage of unit failures in all batteries. At least the Truestart is warrantied for 84 months.

 

I suspect that if you get a car that's been on the showroom floor, there's a good chance that the 12v battery takes a lot of abuse from people opening doors and so on. But if they sit in the lot in the hot sun, maybe that's not so great either.

 

i wonder if the gen 4 12v is an odd size as in the past, or if you will now be able to replace it with a myriad of inexpensive options, like most cars.

 

I wonder - the battery under the bonnet (hood?) now instead of in the boot (trunk?) may mean that it's getting a lot hotter.

I had 2 VW Microbuses ('74 & '77), the battery in the back (the engine was there too) but in the airstream from outside - the batteries lasted well. Next car was a Mitsubishi EXPRESS where the battery was under the driver's seat, and was always hot - I only ever got 18 months out of batteries in that car.

 

sure, but isn't every gasser? and the engine runs less in the prius. i can buy a good battery for my pick up truck for $100. and the current one is 12 years old.

 

"Other non-hybrid" was before i took delivery of my prius 2016 earlier this month...

Noticed that i used "our 12v battery is......."

Hehe..anyway yeah..the 12v battery is indeed very poorly designed..considering that on hybrid mode..the alternator doesnt charge the 12v..which is more than 50% of the time..

 

how do you know that? i have never hear it before.

 

I think I read somewhere that is the HV battery that keeps the 12v Pb/acid topped up on the Gen 4.

 

The 12V battery is charged from the High Voltage system by a DC to DC converter - it does not depend upon the engine running to be charged or supply 12v power to run the vehicle.

kevin

 

maybe different in singapore?

 

It's such a major system, I can't think why they'd vary it regionally.

 

ya, could just be newbie confusion.

 

I was wandering around a Honda dealership showroom, noticed on one car with the hood up: they'd disconnected the 12 volt negative cable.

I'm on Clore Automotive mailing list, got this the other day. If you've got some time, a lot to digest:

Grasping Ground Side Concepts - CloreInfo.com

 

Thanks. Looks good. I book marked it so I can take my time with it. (If I ever get some time! LOL!) Troubleshooting rule #1 as an industrial electrician was, if weird things are happening, check the neutral. On a car, that would be the ground.