How to manually pop the trunk with a dead battery?

There is a latch in the center where the trunk meets the body

 

I don't have a pict...but you pop off a plastic cover next to the latch.
Best to try when you don't have a dead battery.

Mike

 

I had to do this. The pics are in the manual. You have to remove the plastic cover, then move the latch over while someone out side lifts. Don't loose a finger.

Needs reengineered.

Jumper terminals under the hood.

 

This.

So long as you either use foolproof jumper cables (won't allow wrong polarity connections to work) or just do it right. Attaching a good battery in parallel to a dead one will provide ample power to do most "static" things with the electrical system.

 

the easier way is to hook a battery/jump start to the 12v under the hood. then you can open it normally, without the climbing in back and fumbling around.

 

I've tried the climbing-in-back method few times. It's not difficult to do unassisted. Finding by feel the proper lever to pull somehow takes me longer than it should, although it isn't hard to reach.

 

It is very cumber-son to unhook the rear latch when you have "stuff" in the cargo area

 

like a body?

 

depends on witch town you are in..............

 

Exactly. I forgot about the terminals under the hood when it happened to me. Just jump it and drive it to the dealer and get a new battery.

Life is too short. BTW buy a new one (2016). The battery is under the hood.

 

I still prefer an "alarm battery". Available at alarm places and others - a gell cell battery of 5-10 A-Hr and quite inexpensive - about $20. Works just fine at the "jump point". Just take care to get the polarity correct. Positive on the jump point, negative on the chassis. The same place you get the battery can sell you an inexpensive charger for it. Or get a "Battery Tender" and use it on the car too when you park it for extended periods.

 

How to Open Your Toyota Prius Trunk (a.k.a Boot) When Your Battery is Dead | AxleAddict

 

watch your fingers.

 

ok- this video is good. I have a gen2 2004 prius. why am I here?- cause this came up in google search. My battery died and could not open hatch. 1) climb in through side door 2) remove folding spare tire floor cover to expose plastic storage basin above tire 3) look towards hatch 4) you see a rectangular cut out that lines up with cut out in video above 4) reach in....fiddle around until you feel lever- pull up- hatch open

 

thank you and well done!

 

I purchased a spare EC5 cable for my jump pack, removed the clips and replaced them with lugs, so that I could attach them directly to the battery post terminals.

When my battery died a couple of month's ago, I just went over the back seat and connected the jump pack and started the car. Then the door switch released the hatch lock.

 

Or just use the under-hood jump point?

 

Pigtail attached at either location, the dedicated connector makes for easier, more convenient use of a battery tender.