Got a red triangle on dash. 12 volt was dead. AAA recharged it red triangle still on. Why? I had written a much better explanation but it took me 1/2 hour to write slow typist. I then went to submit it and pop up box tells me I need a title which I put in. Another pop up gives suggestions to look at but none match mine. When I went back to mine all my 1/2 hour work was gone. It left me very angry that the board software doesn't leave your original alone. Thus my opening terse sentence above. I am not spending another half hour of my life retyping. So what does a red triangle with exclamation mean? Is it a fatal problem?
It means a diagnostic trouble code has been set. If you would rather not go to your dealer, you can try a local auto parts store and see if they will read the code for you. Put that battery on a charger right away if you want to have any hope of saving it, 4 amps or less. The car will not charge it quickly enough on its own.
If the 12V battery is the original one, it is likely toast. You either need a dealer replacement or the Optima 12V battery favored by many on this forum. It is a better battery for purposes of the Prius than the original and is pretty easy to install with only a little modification. http://priuschat.com/forums/gen-ii-...rius-12-volt-auxiliary-battery-installer.html
