Hi My Prius has not been started for over 2 months. I tried to start this today and am unable to. There is a flashing lock with a key icon on the dashboard. I am able to unlock it and lock it via the key fob but unable to start it. could this be a battrery issue. Thank you
Sounds like it's the 12V battery. (The flashing lock/key icon is the theft-deterrent system/engine immobiliser). Could you try placing the back of the fob against the POWER button and then try starting the car? I'm just eliminating the possibility that it's the 9V battery inside the key fob that is dead, rather than the car's 12V.
The 12V battery is good for about 3 weeks. So if the car has stood for 2 months, I would be quite sure that you will need to jump start the car, and then get the battery checked as it may have been damaged by having a low charge for such a long time.
We are planning on leaving our Prime in the garage in the Phoenix area when we go back home for 5 or 6 months until the middle of Sept. Should we disconnect the 12 volt battery when we leave? If so, what electronics will we have to reconnect/restart when we get back? Will we probably need to recharge it even if we disconnect it? The summer heat is brutal on batteries down here! Thank's for any suggestions.
i can't say what the heat will do, but 6 months disconnected is normally not a problem. you could put a maintainer on it if you don't want to experiment. then you wouldn't have to disconnect. not sure about gen 4, but on gen 3 you sometimes lose radio presets and window function which is easily remedied.
If you drive another car from Phoenix back home, I'd take the 12V battery with me and put it on a battery maintainer for the 5 or 6 months you are away.
IF.....this is a private garage, where power will be available, what you should do is spend about $35 on a battery "tender" and leave it connected. That does NOT mean a cheap trickle charger and it also does not mean a high capacity charger. A smart, automatic, tender-type maintenance charger in the 1.5 to 4 amp capacity range.
