2010 prius — biggest screw up

Has this been documented?

The reason I ask is that we are planning on going for 2 weeks to Arizona the end of the year and will be flying down.

Our Prius will be parked at our house, with temps in the 30-45 range.

So when we come back our 12 volt battery will possibly be dead?

alfon

 

well, with my 2008 i did not have such problems. I left the car for a whole month, I just disabled the SKS and car started just fine.
HV batt pack was still in green and 12 V batt did not have any problems.
so, are you saying that 2010 prius is backward from 2008 and earier?
that is crazy!

what if you have to go to prolonged trip?!

 

Why are you starting a new thread on this topic? (EDIT: Sorry to start off this way. I'm not intending confrontation, so this is a bit too much "in your face" for a decent response.)

I understand why you are upset, and I can see why you'd call Toyota, but why not report this in the existing thread? By doing this we all can work toward a common resolution.

Also, please do not report incorrect information. The Technical Service Bulletin did not suggest you disconnect the negative on the 12v battery. Instead, it says you should "Disconnect wire harness from exclusive jump starting terminal (found in Junction Block under hood)."

I'm not suggesting this is the greatest way to handle things, but at least if you take this action you'll be able to get into your car (using the key) and then pop open the hood to reconnect the wire harness.

Here is some of the information I reported in post #12 of the other thread (2010 II 12 Volt Battery Dead After 17 Days of Parking):

Here is that TSB:

Tech Serv Bulletin re Battery Maintenance during Storage.pdf

For some reason I cannot understand, there is reference to a maintenance activity should the Prius be stored for 10 days or longer. It involves disconnecting a harness under the hood. Not difficult to get to, but kind of odd to do it for a 10-day storage.

Remember, though, that this TSB addresses the handling of a brand-new Prius just delivered to the dealer and being prepped for initial delivery to a customer. It tells the dealer how to handle long-term storage and then delivery to the customer. It is not a TSB designed to address ongoing operational issues.
​

 

Why make this complicated? Just call AAA if your battery does die (and that's a big if).

 

I dont think you have anything to worry about. I left mine for 1 week and it still had a full traction battery...if youre really concerned put it on a battery tender (if at home).

 

Yes, one could "trickle-charge" the 12v battery (but not over about 13.5 ? volts) when near a suitable electrical outlet.

If that was Toyota's official solution, they should write up just how to do it, and sell a "safe" (voltage-limited) charger. But, parked at an airport parking lot, that is not a practical solution.

However, it would seem that the TOYOTA Service Department's advise was to disconnect the minus lead of the battery (not a good choice, it seems), and the Service Bulletin apparently suggests doing something entirely different: disconnecting the plus lead (of the battery?) at the "ejst" in the JB under the hood.

I have not found the issue addressed in the Owner's Manual.

Is the issue treated for Prius Owners on a Toyota web site?
If so, where?

 

there are some aftermarket solar panels that plug into the cigarette charger that charges the battery. i have one that i got from the local Audi/VW dealership but i have seen them sold in various places. you could plug it up and park near some sunlight or overhead lighting.

 

A full traction battery does not mean that the 12v battery is not "dead".

If the 12v battery is discharged too much (not fully flat yet), the Prius electronics cannot function, and the car will not start.

Right?

 

I think the cigarette sockets are not connected to the battery when the power is OFF, so one cannot charge through them.

 

Introduction​

The 2010 model year Prius hybrid vehicle is equipped with 2 types of special batteries, the HV
(Hybrid Vehicle) battery and the 12-volt auxiliary battery.
If the hybrid vehicle is put into storage, the state of charge (SOC) of its HV battery and auxiliary
battery will gradually decrease. To prevent the battery from becoming discharged during storage,
proper maintenance is necessary.
Perform the following maintenance service for the HV battery and 12-volt auxiliary battery.​

Maintenance Items​

CONDITION* MAINTENANCE OPERATION​

Just After Unloading &
Every Two Months
Keep “Hybrid System†on for 30 minutes with the transmission in the “P†position.
(In order to charge the HV battery and the auxiliary battery.)
Check 12-Volt Auxiliary
Battery Before Delivery
Fully charge 12-volt auxiliary battery using the GR8 Battery Diagnostic Station
(00002-MCGR8) (Deliver vehicle to customer only after it is fully charged.)
To Store for 10 Days
or More
Disconnect wire harness from exclusive jump starting terminal
(found in Junction Block under hood).
(Prevent decreasing SOC during storage due to parasitic current drain.)
After Storage Period
is Over
Connect wire harness from exclusive jump starting terminal
(found in Junction Block under hood).​

* The condition also corresponds with the section titles within this TSB.

 

I could not agree more if this is in fact the case. Apparently Toyota hired some Microsoft engineers over to design this (lack of) system.

If this is their official policy, not very comforting and certainly not user friendly at all. No excuses.

 

I leave my 2010 Prius at the dock in Long Beach for 70 days at a time when I go to sea. It always starts when I take the cover off, unlock the car, and start it.

The battery is not disconnected and I don't do anything special except cover the car when I am gone.

 

Well there you have it. I think this is nothing more than lawyer CYA stuff. Now if your battery did go dead, Toyota has no responsibility. They told you to disconnect it.

 

Another solution:
keep a combination jump starter/tire pump unit in your Prius. It has a built-in, sealed lead acid battery that both powers the tire pump and also can be connected to your system to jump start your Prius should the need arise.

I have one for my 2009 Prius. I even used it one time to start my van when the battery had died, and it worked flawlessly, barely reducing the charge remaining in jump starter. I could have started several more vehicles with it.

I also use it when adding air to the tires on my Prius. I don't need to plug it in, just attach it to the valve stem and turn it on. It even has a built in pressure gauge to monitor the tire pressure while filling.

My unit also has a built in level tester to show how much charge the unit's battery has left. The battery holds its charge for months, and is recharged overnight via an AC adapter when needed.

Mine is made by Black & Decker, but there are other manufacturers that make similar products.

Hope this helps.

 

Does anyone know if the rear lift back will open with a dead battery? I think it's electrically operated isn't it?

 

I have the extended warrenty so have road side service for the next 7 year.
If it does not start I will make a call

 

You don't need to jump the battery through the rear hatch. Even though the 12V battery is back there, the jump point (and system disconnect) is up front under the hood.

 

Yardman 49, I was thinking if the jumper cables are stored in that rear storage area it could be a problem to get to them.