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2012 gen 3 not turning on easily after spark plug change

Discussion in 'Gen 3 Prius Main Forum' started by J wil, Aug 20, 2022.

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  1. J wil

    J wil Junior Member

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    120,000 miles just change the spark plugs myself… Now when I power up my Prius in the morning the computer screen flashes at me and won’t really engage the starting procedure or takes a couple of times before it “gets right” I will check my house battery today… But it’s never done this. I’m a little worried that I shorted something out because I didn’t disconnect the negative battery terminal when I did the spark plug job
     
    #1 J wil, Aug 20, 2022
  2. ChapmanF

    ChapmanF Senior Member

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    I've never unhooked the battery to change spark plugs.

    Any dash lights or trouble codes?
     
    #2 ChapmanF, Aug 20, 2022
  3. Mendel Leisk

    Mendel Leisk EGR Fanatic

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    I'm trying to think what might be unplugged. There's precious little, just the wiper motor?

    Did you do any other electrical disconnections?

    How old's the 12 volt battery? Did you maybe have the doors open, and/or radio on??
     
    #3 Mendel Leisk, Aug 20, 2022
  4. J wil

    J wil Junior Member

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    I will try to jump it soon i cant think of what would be unconnnected from my spark plug job. The only electrical connections are the coils. It “blinked at me” this morning and miracle started. Now it is just blinking and dash looks like a spaceship before it crashes. Cant see any codes bc the dash info system is so erratic.
     
    #4 J wil, Aug 20, 2022
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  5. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

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    need a new 12v

    are you plugging in and driving ev?
     
    #5 bisco, Aug 20, 2022
  6. J wil

    J wil Junior Member

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    Thanks to all of younfor your help. The car is in a parking garage. The drivers window went down but wont go back up. It all sounds like batt too low. The irony is that I just posted a post saying I had 12.7 V… I must have a miracle battery!
     
    #6 J wil, Aug 20, 2022
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  7. jerrymildred

    jerrymildred Senior Member

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    Any chance you had a partly or completely open door while you changed the plugs? Sounds to me like a low 12V, too. No need to disconnect it for changing plugs, but that assumes all the doors a latched.
     
    #7 jerrymildred, Aug 20, 2022
  8. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

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    that sounds like a loose connection, check the battery posts and negative to ground
     
    #8 bisco, Aug 20, 2022
  9. PriusCamper

    PriusCamper Senior Member

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    What is the screen specifically flashing at you?
     
    #9 PriusCamper, Aug 20, 2022
  10. J wil

    J wil Junior Member

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    The entire dash is flashing. But not anymore. Its dead. Not doing anything. Any chance there is a constant batt drain happening somewhere? All my lights are off.
     
    #10 J wil, Aug 20, 2022
  11. J wil

    J wil Junior Member

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    I have to admit everything was just fine with this car until I changed the spark plugs. Wth? Im going to install a new batt now. (It needs it anyway) but something weird is happening. The dash wont even light up now. Bad alternator?
     
    #11 J wil, Aug 20, 2022
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  12. Grit

    Grit Senior Member

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    o_O
     
    #12 Grit, Aug 20, 2022
  13. jerrymildred

    jerrymildred Senior Member

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    The Prius doesn't have an alternator.

    If the 12v is original, it's probably due. But odds are, you just left a door unlatched and ran it down. I'm guessing, even though you didn't say one way or the other that that 12.7v reading was before you worked on the car. What is it now? I wouldn't just replace a battery without some evidence that it needs to be replaced. There is no way that replacing spark plugs all by itself would affect the battery. I've done it multiple dozens of times.
     
    #13 jerrymildred, Aug 20, 2022
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  14. J wil

    J wil Junior Member

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    So yes I bought a new battery… And yes we are back on the road. Thank you for the no alternator update as I was looking for anything that could possibly be the problem here. However I know that my battery was old… But why tell me WHY….???Would changing the spark plugs do anything to a battery that was currently working? It was like a possessive switch was thrown… Demons that said to the battery we are done. Irony?
     
    #14 J wil, Aug 20, 2022
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  15. J wil

    J wil Junior Member

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    Is it the fact that I am a Detroit Lions fan? Lol? Not lol?
     
    #15 J wil, Aug 20, 2022
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  16. Grit

    Grit Senior Member

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    Check out how the lions drafted in 1st round picks in the 2002, 2003 & 2005 draft worked out then report back here.
     
    #16 Grit, Aug 20, 2022
  17. nicoj36

    nicoj36 Active Member

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    you probably left one of the doors/trunk open and the dome lights stayed on which drained your battery. All things must come to an end, even a Toyota battery!
     
    #17 nicoj36, Aug 21, 2022
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  18. jerrymildred

    jerrymildred Senior Member

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    Once again, NO. Absolutely not.

    As has been said quite a few times, a door or the hatch was left ajar and the dome lights ran down the battery. Happens all the time. And, if the battery is old, it's not as able to recover from being drained like that.

    Actually, you might have something there. :LOL:
     
    #18 jerrymildred, Aug 21, 2022
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  19. J wil

    J wil Junior Member

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    Well good I Will end it here with thank God I didn’t short out the computer or anything like that. It was just a coincidence that my battery decided to take a s*** The split second after i changed the spark plugs. Weird. Go lions! (Yeah right)
     
    #19 J wil, Aug 21, 2022
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  20. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

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    it's because you sent matt patricia back to us :p
     
    #20 bisco, Aug 21, 2022
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