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Appears to have no power and will not start but battery is charged

Discussion in 'Gen 3 Prius Care, Maintenance & Troubleshooting' started by Michael Carlson, Jan 17, 2018.

  1. Michael Carlson

    Michael Carlson New Member

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    This has been happening for over 1 year.. I turn off the vehicle. I Return and it will not unlock without the physical key inserted into the door.. Also nothing has power. It will not start up. It will not allow any lights to go on, Nothing works at all.

    At first I figured the battery was dead.. So, I put a charger on it and eventually it started..

    It happened again about a week or 2 later. I again put on a charger. But 3 hours later it still had absolutely no to anything. I was confused. But eventually it started up again as if nothing was wrong. So I realized that it isn't a battery charge issue, it is some kind of short.

    It happens at random times. Nothing appears to be causing the problem by doing a special something. And also I can't figure out what fixes the problem.

    When it happens, I press the electronic key, I try to turn on and off the radio and lights, I open and close the door, I get in and out of the car..

    Eventually something works and then everything works.. i guess that the short is located within the computer system, and after being told to do something over and over it finally recognizes it is being spoken to, then wakes up and decides to do something. I don't know.. it doesn't make a lot of sense.

    I have been lucky that it hasn't decided to short out permanently YET. And leave me completely stranded. That is why I am here to look for help.

    My best guess is a computer component is shorting someplace. Because nothing else makes sense.
     
  2. JC91006

    JC91006 Senior Member

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    Have your 12v battery load tested. If it fails, buy a new one

    Make sure all your battery connections are tight, including the ground to body connection
     
    NutzAboutBolts and scona like this.
  3. Grit

    Grit Senior Member

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    Sounds like the 12v battery had gone bad but at a very slow rate. What month year is the battery dated?
     
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  4. padroo

    padroo Senior Member

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    At least you are in a warm area of the country, cold has brought a lot of Prius batteries to their demise this winter.
     
  5. Dxta

    Dxta Senior Member

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    I'd go with the 12V battery being load tested first, or replaced, before concluding there isn't anything wrong.
     
  6. Michael Carlson

    Michael Carlson New Member

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    It isn't my battery.. as I said my battery isn't the problem. It is always at full charge.

    I get 4.. yes 4 responses about my battery. When I clearly state it isn't my battery.. Seriously? Can you not read?

    I am not unfamiliar with working on cars.. I have have obviously looked into the standard places that problems occur.. I understand the electrical components and system.

    There isn't a loose battery connection. My battery works perfectly. (Yes, I had it tested) My battery is never drained when it decides to fix itself. I never even try to charge it anymore, because I know that isn't the problem.

    I guess I can just expect more stupid responses about my battery. And if I checked something simple and obvious that I have already been through already. Like my cable connections.

    Tell me why a hot battery with no problems, corrosion and good wire connections. Is my problem? And when the problem fixes itself, it is as if there was never a problem..

    Obviously there is a short someplace!!! And the way it acts, is as if the short isn't a stantard wire short. It acts like a circuit board short.

    Standard wire shorts do not repair themselves like this.. nor do they occur like this.
     
  7. David Randall Williams

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    I had something happened like that. I just bought a used 2015. I drove it around for a while and then parked it. Came back out and tried to fire it up and, nothing. I could tell the battery was down because the inside light was really dim. I freaked because this is my first experience with a Prius. I figured it was something I did out of ignorance. I locked it up for the night and got locked out. Not knowing where the key was. I haven't memorized the manual yet. I went online and discovered the key was in the fob.

    I waited until morning and went to jump it with my other car. As soon as I hooked up the cables, the Prius came on. Didn't start the other car to jump it, just hooked up the cables. Don't know why/how. Got inside and the dash looked normal, I suppose, having no Prius experience. Had to reset the clock. It had been in agreement with my watch the previous day. I took that to mean there had been no power to the clock during the time I couldn't start it.

    Took it to the Toyota dealer where I bought it to be checked out. Everything appeared to be OK. But it wasn't OK, was it?
     
  8. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

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    i would keep an eye on the 12v, once it is drained, it can remain weak.
     
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  9. Grit

    Grit Senior Member

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    Agree. Dim interior lighting is a dead give away that 12v is low on charge.


     
  10. padroo

    padroo Senior Member

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    Sounds like you need a DVOM meter and a wiring diagram to do some voltage drop testing. Do you have an electrical background?
     
  11. Timothy Eremin

    Timothy Eremin New Member

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    I'm having this exact issue on my 2012 Prius C One (has an old school ignition key). Has happened 3x in 3 weeks and appears to be random. Car will be normally driven and parked. Upon returning to the car, the car has all appearances of a dead battery, but upon turning key in the ignition a few times, the display screen flickers to life and then all power comes back as if nothing happened. It is then fine on subsequent drives and parking.
    I was wondering if you ever found a solution to your issue as written in 2018. Thank you.
     
  12. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

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    have you tested the 12v?
     
  13. Timothy Eremin

    Timothy Eremin New Member

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    12v seems fine - no issues 99% of the time - weird thing is the clock resets every time this happens, but all 12v sourced accessories are fine. After multiple tries of turning ignition key, display flickers back to life and in 5 seconds, all 12v power back as normal and car starts. This appears to be some sort of short in the ignition key switch perhaps.
     
  14. Timothy Eremin

    Timothy Eremin New Member

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    More info as it happened again this morning- check engine light is only light to display on dash as key is turned. Whirring noise comes from inverter while key is turned or in position past accessory. After about a minute of this, dash lights up and all is good. Did not happen again on 4 stop errand run.
     
  15. iskoos

    iskoos Active Member

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    This is the only frustrating part with forum threads. An OP starts a thread and gets disappeared never follows up with it.
    Obviously he found a solution to his problem since it was over a year ago (or got rid of the car who knows?) but never cared to come here and let us know.
    It isn't only this guy. There are a lot that do this and it is the selfishness at its best. It only takes a few minutes to update the thread you have started and let us know how you ended up. It is like paying back the community. Doesn't cost you anything.
     
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  16. Grit

    Grit Senior Member

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    Once you hang out on here long enough, that will be the least frustrating thing.
     
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  17. iskoos

    iskoos Active Member

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    Ouch... I can only imagine the frustration you have been through the years.
    I am not even gonna ask:LOL:
     
  18. Grit

    Grit Senior Member

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    No frustration here, just gathering signature quotes.
     
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  19. Timothy Eremin

    Timothy Eremin New Member

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    Had battery tested at Toyota dealership - test showed issues with battery so getting new battery- hope this solves issue
     
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  20. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

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    bad battery? huh(n)
     
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