2011 Prius won't start

Spongy brake could be due to low battery: the car tends to pressurize something in the brakes every time you open the drivers door. Maybe battery was too low to accomplish that.

Yes: step one: check the voltage of the battery, with the car off, with a digital volt meter. Better yet, hook it up to something like a solar BA5, for a more complete assessment.

I would not tow to dealership, way to much expense. Just check the voltage first, and post. If it's markedly low, you could jump start and get yourself to dealership or aftermarket automotive place (Pep Boys for example). Phone ahead and make sure they've got appropriate battery in stock.

Pep Boys has a compatible Bosch battery IIRC, that's probably the best deal. I believe they'll even install it for the quoted price. It goes on sale for around $150, and regular is a bit more.

If you've never replaced the battery, I wouldn't spend too much time on diagnostics, just replace.

 

The battery's in under the hatch floor, in the right corner. You need to take out the hatch floor, and the big black tray. A good time to check the pressure on the spare while you're there: it should be 60 psi.

Jump start can be done at the fuse box under the hood: it's along driver's side fender. The fuse box cover latches at the front, just push to release, and hooks on at two points towards the rear. Inside is a red tab: press to release and rotate it up. One side has a copper band: that is equiv to the positive battery terminal.

Connection is positive (red) on dead car, positive on donor car, negative on donor car, a ground point on dead car. There's a few bolts sticking out on the engine right there that are good.

Start donor car and run for about 5 minutes (helps to partially charge the dead car battery), then start the dead car.

More detail in the attachment.

With the battery disconnected without a memory saver, it's not the end of the world. If you have a memory saver I would use it. I use a jumppack with a cable that runs to the OBD port, purpose built as a memory saver. Or you could hook up a low amperage trickle charger at the under-hood jump point prior to disconnecting the battery.

The memories you'll lose, for sure the radio presets, trip meters. Also you might need to "reteach" the auto up on one or more windows. Just run the window down, then all the way up while holding up, and cotinue to hold up for at least 2 seconds more. That should fix it.

Again, I would for sure phone ahead and make sure they have a (compatible) battery available for you. To swap batteries more-n-likely only requires just a 10 mm box wrench, if you DIY, to remove and reinstall the cable clamps. You can also use it to cinch down the hold-down bracket bolts. When tightening the clamps on the posts don't go nuts: tighten them firmly, that's all I would take along some wire brush and fine sandpaper too, to clean the posts and cable clamps. Also bring a few washers: the hold-down bracket is VERY finicky, to even slight variation in battery height, and you may need a washer to shim, one side or the other. Compatible batteries will have the vent tube port on left side, be exactly the same dimensions, and have the skinny posts, oriented with the positive (red) post on the left, as you face it from the front side.

Maybe goes without saying, but try to wash your hands after, clean any brushes and dispose any sandpaper used on the lead posts.

 

If you can get it running and take it to a Pep Boys or equivalent that has your battery they have the equipment to keep the car powered up while the battery is being changed. You will loose the automatic up on your windows and maybe radio station presets but the window is an easy fix just search Prius Chat.

There is also a power point under the hood in the main fuse box that runs back to the battery for jumping and charging batteries. This info is in your owners manual along with resetting you windows I believe.

 

Glad it worked out for you Frank.

 

Good question,
A local toyota dealer sounds like a good option

 

it's already fixed

 

What broke?

 

12v

 

I was piggy backing AndrewR; not reading the entire thread before asking

 

yup. bad programming mistake from a company that has a long track record of them

 

Monitors go off when 12v is unplugged, they come back “online” when you drive it again after certain miles. Never buy a car until all monitors are back online