Hey all, Getting close to replacing my 12v aux battery on my 2011 Prius; seen YouTube videos on how to do this but didn’t see any of discussion as to any safety precautions to take before swapping etc. I’ve swapped out a battery on a Honda accord gas powered but never a hybrid where 12v is directly connected to.a hybrid battery. Any advice or precautions I need to take before I attempt to start loosening the cables on the battery terminals etc.? Better safe than sorry. Thx.
if you want to save some memory settings, put a 12v source on the front jump point. pay attention to the vent tube routing be careful not to let your tools touch the neg or body when disconnecting the positive and reconnecting don't drop the 10mm hold down nut, it's hard to retrieve
The precautions you should follow are the same as for changing the 12-volt in any other car. Bisco is correct regarding retaining volatile electronic memories.
Disconnect neg cable first, then pos. With new battery connect pos first, then neg. Deal with each connection one at a time. Be real careful not to create a short circuit between the posts, say wrenching at one post and wrench handle somehow touching other post or something connected to it. It happens. use stock battery or 100% compatible. Clean insides of cable clamps. Gently but firmly snug the clamp bolts. check voltage of the new battery. At store if possible. If store has an electronic load tester see if they’ll test it for you. You should be seeing at least 12.6 volts with a battery that’s been sitting in store for a while. And electronic load test it should show well above specd Cold Cranking Amps (CCA). Good to fully charge the battery with a decent quality smart charger. You can do this before or after install. Charger should not be more than 4~5 amp rating.
