I have a 2010 Prius that will not start, I've never had any problems with vehicle until this morning. The car's engine will not start and will not go into "Ready Mode". Currently the car has over 173,000 miles on it and I changed the 12 volt auxillary battery about 4.5 years ago, therefore I don't think it's the 12 volt auxillary battery. As a preventative mantainance I replaced the Water Pump at 161,000 miles. I don't have my scangauge code reader with me, therefore I don't know what the exact code it's throwing. I think that it's the hybrid battery may need to be replaced, any suggestions or theories? Is there anyway I can start the engine so that I can at least drive it to my mechanic?
can definitely be the 12 volt after 4 1/2 years. if you needed one after 3 1/2 years, why not now? no way to know what else it might be without a reader. try disconnecting the 12v negative for a few minutes and see what happens. if no luck, try a jump start.
With 173k there are many things that prevent ready but you really need to read the codes. You could disconnect the ground cable to chassis on the 12v battery for a couple of minutes in an attempt to reset some codes. Before that check the 12v voltage for maybe 11.8 or better but don’t just spend $200 on a new 12v battery without reading the codes. The worst code fails are the Inverter or the HV battery which will usually give a big red triangle. Generally you will get check engine lights on the hv battery before it stops on you. There is a recall on the inverter so getting it to a dealer might be the smart move. Sometimes your insurance will give you a free tow.
I'm thinking that it could be the inverter, because if it was just the hybrid battery then I believe that I should have been able be to start the engine. I'm first going to try to jump start the 12 volt battery, then wait till my wife gets home because she has my scangauge code reader. Hopefully the engine will start, but if not, then I will get it towed to a local Toyota shop.
It'd be real nice if a dealership could send someone over with a Techstream laptop, say for around $100. Call around? Seems a little absurd to have to tow it to them for a quick diagnostic check.
I just got my scangauge back, it showed a 11.4 voltage on the auxillary battery with load. No codes, therefore I will get my car towed to a local Pep Boys in order to get a new 12 volt auxillary battery installed.
Check first with a voltmeter with car off, a load will lower voltage. Still, probably toast anyway. Also: a jumpstart would be a lot cheaper than a tow. Phone ahead and make sure store has compatible battery in stock.
Why not buy the battery and take it back to the car? Otherwise your lugging around 3500 pounds at an additional cost.
I agree that a jumpstart is the way to go even if you need someone to change out the battery. Often a rear hatch is left slightly open temporarily draining the battery. Personally I now carry a small lithium jump start battery for this situation, which just happened to me about two months ago when I left the headlights on.
I had the car towed to Pep Boys for $24.99 with the intention of replacing the 12 volt auxillary battery & getting diagnosis codes with their code reader. Their techicians found no codes and said that 12 volt auxillary battery was within operating limits, but could not jump start the engine. They believed that it was a dead hybrid battery and recommended that I should replace it at a Toyota Dealership. But before forking out $3600 for a new hybrid battery, without any diagnostic codes, I contacted an independent hybrid mechanic. He used a normal code reader and found no codes, but once he used a "high end" diagnostic reader he found code P3004. P3004 – Power Cable Malfunction The P3004 fault code is caused by a power cable malfunction in the Toyota Prius. There are several common causes for this fault code to be displayed. These include incorrect battery voltage levels, a blown fuse, a malfunctioning voltage sensor or incorrect limiter resistance. My local Toyota Dealership determined that code P3004 was covered under an extended warranty & started repairs.
