1. Attachments are working again! Check out this thread for more details and to report any other bugs.

New battery and starting troubles

Discussion in 'Gen 2 Prius Main Forum' started by PriPriBadDay, Apr 15, 2019.

  1. PriPriBadDay

    PriPriBadDay New Member

    Joined:
    Apr 15, 2019
    2
    0
    0
    Location:
    Massachusetts
    Vehicle:
    2005 Prius
    Model:
    N/A
    I have a 2005 prius, about 170,000 miles, that’s having a bad week. I just got the starter battery replaced. Went to great efforts (no one had it in stock...) to get the right one, so I sure hope the dealer did that right. It was starting fine, just not able to sit long before dead, and the battery tested very low in amps and whatever they do to determine if a new one is needed. Ever since I got that new one in there has been funky. one thing that may be to do with it is that I ran it dead shortly after, airing it out with the back door open, because my car needs to air out a lot, as it’s been through some dirty shoes and moisture. We started it again, but now it has everyone where I live alarmed... once off, it does not start again. That has me baffled. Someone said maybe it was so dead it needs to drive for a while. Is this true? I drove it a little, and it was on, running occasionally, for 30+ minutes. Right now it does not start properly at all, behaving weirder than it’s ever behaved. Any ideas? Thanks so much
    ?
     
  2. PriPriBadDay

    PriPriBadDay New Member

    Joined:
    Apr 15, 2019
    2
    0
    0
    Location:
    Massachusetts
    Vehicle:
    2005 Prius
    Model:
    N/A
    Clarifacation
    Does not start without jump. Was not starting properly as of last night even with a jump. Some connection, probably around it’s starting mechanism, was making funny noises. The screen was on, the dash was off. The dash was on, the screen was off.
     
  3. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

    Joined:
    May 11, 2005
    110,135
    50,051
    0
    Location:
    boston
    Vehicle:
    2012 Prius Plug-in
    Model:
    Plug-in Base
    welcome!

    start with a voltage test. a cheap meter is around $20.

    you probably need a smart charger to bring it up to snuff, but driving it for 4 hours may do the job.

    new batteries have a warranty. contact the dealer and see what they say.
     
  4. 09Prius2

    09Prius2 Member

    Joined:
    Aug 20, 2016
    201
    88
    0
    Location:
    FL
    Vehicle:
    2009 Prius
    Model:
    Two
    The starter battery is actually the hybrid battery.

    The accessory battery only needs enough voltage to start the computer, then the hv battery takes over and feeds the little battery.

    If it starts with a jump than something is draining your new battery. Nothing about it really requires a long charge cycle, since it doesnt discharge from cranking.

    Is the hv battery holding power? What if you get it up on the highway and coast down so you have a full charge, and park it with at least a half charge, once your small battery is fully recharged.

    Also if you have a mechanical issue that can prevent the system from charging at all, so basically the engine is always running but the batteries are always low.