I have had the car now for 8 years 120K Miles with no issues ever. Today I went to start it and it wont start, just dead. It did not give me any faulty indication when I drove it few days ago. To be fair I have not driven it that often lately due to Covid. I am leaning towards a bad 12v battery, which has not ever been replaced. Anything else that you recommend me checking that is easy to check for and perhaps replace?
Agreed 12v is dead. Charge it to get going again, but you really should replace it altogether. You got your money's worth and then some.
So I just went back to the car and I see the check engine light is on with the car off and a bad odor almost toxic inside the cabin that made me start coughing and open all four doors. I can hear the prius engine muttering in the engine bay... Now I am confused... looks like with the damn 2012 model there is no easy way of getting it jump started either. it has to be done by removing the back seat so I might as well just change the 12v. But I am not sure why the engine light is on now with the car completely off.
I'm not sure I understand your update correctly- Are you really certain the car is off? I don't get how you would hear engine noise and see a check-engine lamp unless the car had somehow gone into ready mode.
"Lean" harder !!! At that age, the 12 V is overdue. Be sure that the new one is fully charged. Consider investing in a battery tender.
Well car was off initially before I first tried to start it. I saw the display flicker to on mode but it wouldn’t start. But I could hear the hybrid engine running as if it was in EV mode, now it seems its stuck in that mode with no 12v battery to start the car. I am guessing the fumes I smell is from the hybrid engine... IDK I might just have it towed.
What do you mean you hear the "Hybrid Engine" running? There are electric motors...but if the vehicle isn't moving-parked...you shouldn't hear anything.
K so had AAA come and jump start it, he had no idea how to access the battery. So I had to show him how to remove the backseat. “I have never seen anything like this before” he said . Anyways car started, I need to take it to Toyota dealer next, there are no shops around carrying this battery and Toyota wants $400 to do the work. This little battery is a nightmare to find. I guess I milked it to the end of its life.
Yes it's an odd battery. They usually go for $200ish by themselves, plus whatever to install them. Glad you've got it started, good initial step to recovery. AFAIK it's only the 2012 that needs underseat access for charge/jump. All later builds have a pop-up terminal in the underhood electrical panel.
Thanks all for your replies. Just a final update. Took the car to local dealer and got a new 12v battery installed for a total of $345, got some covid discount. All seems to be good now. Here is to another 8 years of trouble free years. Cheers.
Try a different dealer to see if they have cheaper price. I just replaced OEM battery from a dealer last year here in SoCal for only $225. There's a thread with battery from Pep Boys and when I checked it was like $190xx something. Not sure it's better than the OEM at cheaper price or not so I went with the dealer one.
I did get the battery for $210, installation was another $130. I didn’t want to deal with installing it.
First, that price is OUTRAGEOUS. (Edit: Sorry, just noticed where you live. Maybe not so outrageous after all.) Second, most batteries don't last 8 years. 5 or 6 is more realistic for the models with AGM batteries.
Sorry, could you pls. provide battery part no.? I am also looking for my 12V battery replacement and don't know what part no. it should be.
Sorry just saw your message: Part Number: 2880021181 2012 Toyota Prius c Hatchback Three HYBRID Vehicle Battery - 2880021181 | Hamer Toyota, Mission Hills CA
It is not necessary to have a "part number" to shop for a new battery. Just get one that is listed as an "exact replacement" for that year and model of car.
Last night my 2014 Prius C was dead, just all of a sudden. Called today to get a jump. 1st tech didn't really know hybrids but connected to the jump terminal, charged it, but no luck. Had another tech come out & right when he got there, I got in the car to open the hood and the lights were now strong and it started! He mentioned something that I haven't seen anywhere and I realized I had done it by mistake after the 1st tech had left: If you turn the key twice in the door for the "unlock all" function, that resets the computer/electrical system or something. I'm not sure what caused it to go into that "dead" mode. All I know is that it seems fine now. Anyone heard of that?
It could be that "unlock all" simply draws enough current to knock out the computer and cause a reset when the battery is very low to begin with.
