Prius C 12V battery

Welcome to PriusChat, I'm curious as to what frequencies/bands you are planning to operate from your Prius and whether you've considered the possibility of interference between you ham-radio gear and the computers in your Prius. I'm speaking as an FCC licensed Amateur Radio Operator (USA call K1WD, UK call G0VZG). I used to operate (mostly CW) from my previous Toyota Corolla using HF, and VHF/UHF for the local repeaters. The only problem I had operating HF in the Corolla was if I keyed the transmitter when the cruise-control was set, the cruise-control would go off-line! It's all to do with having a good ground, and making sure the hood, doors, tail-gate, are ground-strapped together. (Lots of good tips available on the web - check out some ARRL sites! ) Good luck!

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At the jump point is fine.

 

Thanks, wife said this morning the 15 C wouldn't start flashed the triangle then started up a minute later. I drove it around today no problems. Only 8k miles. I am wondering about battery because it only gets driven 1-5 miles most days.

 

1-5 miles per day, is barely enough to put back any charge.
Gasoholic

 

It should be fine to use the jump point under the hood.

 

Our Prius will sit, anywhere between one and three days. On days we drive it might be a short run, or 30~40 kms. Not that good for the 12 volt. What I've taken to doing now, if it's shaping up to be a non-driving day: I'll hook up the charger, just let it run to completion, and leave it hooked up, in "float" mode, till the next time we use the car. I've just now hooked up the quick-connect plug that came with the charger, to make connections easier and more secure.

 

Also they sometimes are allowed to go DEAD while on the dealers lot, which shortens the battery life considerably.
But convincing the dealer that the battery has gone bad under warranty often is hard to accomplish.

 

I bought my 2012 Prius C in 2014 and I assume it still has the original battery in it. Last fall I left the car in the garage when I went on a 7-week vacation and I didn't do anything special to it other than to make sure the high voltage battery was charged up to 6 out of 8 bars. The car worked perfectly when I returned, no issues whatsoever.

Aside from a few odd things that happen in the hours after you turn the car off, there really isn't much drain on the battery. I suspect that the biggest consumer of power is simply the flashing immobilizer light in the dash display.

 

Toyota Prius C Parts - Battery - 2880021181

 

Not sure why but my 2012 Prius C doesn't have the jump points under the hood/fuse box. The AAA guy jumped the battery from under the seat and the dealer charged $341.10 for a new 12 volt.

 

Yeah some early Prius c didn't have the under-hood jump-point. Bit of a bonehead engineering decision: I recall someone posted about being stranded, needing a jumpstart on a rainy night, a real fiasco.

I wonder: could you run some sort of quick-connect out, I've got one hooked up for my charger, since I'm using it a lot, with our car often idle.

Just googling:

24" EarthX Quick Connect Cable for quick and easy charging and jump starting of your battery!

Maybe dealership parts or service department might have some ideas too; all early c owners are in this boat.

 

Feb/Mar 2013 got the jump point on the fuse panel. Anything earlier (and a very small number after) did not have the jump point. It was determined that the newer fuse panel "would" fit, but for some reason it was not recommended. Something about the "hot" lead wire to the fuse panel wasn't as thick and could potentially not handle the jump.

 

Thanks guys, I will look at work arounds.

 

Apparently the 2012 models didn't have jump points under the hood. Toyota included them on the 2013 models onwards however.

 

February 2013 started implementing them, not all 2013 models have them.

 

My 2012 C Two has a positive terminal jump point under the hood, just under 2 little plastic covers that need to be removed.

 

Perhaps Toyota made the change mid year. My 2012 doesn't have one, at least not where the video posted by Old Wrench shows it. There's no little red cover underneath the black one in that triangular shaped fuse box.

 

Started in like May of 2013, so not all the 2013s had them. You can put one in, but it's a good bit of work to swap the fuse panel.

 

I can't for the life of me figure why Toyota spec'ed a starter battery for this job. It never starts this engine. There is no need for a cranking amp rated battery. When my battery goes I'm chopping off the tiny battery terminals and fitting a trolling battery in there. Sealed lead acid. 35Ah which is the rating that matters. $75. I should get the same 4-5 years from that setup as any $150-400 option.

2017 Prius C Four East Central PA USA