2013 dead battery

You need a parasitic draw test run on your car to ensure there is no more than 30 ma of 12v power being consumed while its off.

Excessive (eg parasitic) draw is often the fault of a hatch not being closed 100% or maplights left on, perhaps an obd2 interface left plugged in or some other failing electrical module.

Sometimes batteries end up weak even though they passed a standard load test one time. It would be useful to have another place test it again, most auto supplies will do it free.

Some will suggest routinely running a 12v charger but it should be ok with your 60 miles of driving twice per week.

A proper parasitic draw and diagnostic is pretty elementary for this problem, did your diagnostic happen at a Toyota dealer? If so, I would take it back assuming the hatch or maplights lights have not been left on.

 

How old is the 12volt battery? There's a chance it could be original still. If you can access the battery (check out nuts about boltz videos for how to) it should have a date on the top of it.

 

replace the 12 volt

 

“They” is a dealership? How did they test the 12 volt? With one of the electronic load testers? Did they give you a print out, say with the as-tested Cold Cranking Amps?

 

If both batteries were actually "tested" properly and the results were satisfactory, that pretty much leaves a poor connection somewhere on the battery terminals or ground wire.

If the batteries weren't properly tested, well.....for a 2013, it's likely you still have the original 12v battery.

The 12v battery in a Prius is relatively small, since all it does is start the electronics in the car until the HV system comes on-line. The charging circuit for the battery can be considered to be 'very small' also and only charges the car when in "READY" mode. It takes a long time (12 hours-ish?) for the car's charging system to adequately charge a weak 12v battery. If it accidently gets discharged, then the owner starts the car using a "jump start", it's very rare that the car is in "ready" long enough to do more than a very minor charge. IE: Owner jumps car, runs to store, comes out of store and car is dead again.

If the battery is 8 years old, it's going to be even worse. For example, a brand new Toyota battery for a Gen 2 is rated at 325 CCA. If I were to test it, it would show between 400-450 (when new). At 8 years old, it would likely test 175-250 CCA. Using only a voltmeter to test it, it would likely even have a semi-normal voltage, but an electronic load tester may show it to fail.

 

Your driving it more than enough to keep the 12 volt battery charged ... if it was any good?? But a 2013 with 115000 miles?? There is a very good chance that it still has the original battery in it?? If so it's well past it useful life now.

I don't think you took it to a dealer or a Hybrid shop to get diagnostic work done, as I am pretty sure either would have said it's the 12 volt battery?? So that was a 100 buck's down a rat hole.

You should just bite the bullet and change it out now, before the key fob "issues," start and it lock's you out. Ask me how I know.

 

again, please check the date code on the top of the battery to see if it is original. or post a clear picture of it and we can help you determine the age.

 

A 12v battery that is only two years old should be good but I would have a third party check it. Bluetooth goes off with the car.

Really there are only two reasonable answers 1) the two year old battery is flakey and a new one ends the issue or 2) there is an excessive parasitic draw, maybe only occasionally.

An optional test you could do is to remove the bulbs from the map and hatch lights. The headlights will turn off automatically UNLESS you turn them on manually after the car has been shutdown. There are voltage checks that could be done each morning but the odds are better the battery or its connections are at fault.

 

laurie, you need to find someone besides a dealer to work on your car. if the battery is 2 years old, it is under warranty

 

Test the 12 volt with an electronic load tester. You can DIY with something like a Solar BA9 (look it up on Amazon). Something is not adding up, and relying on others to test it you’re maybe going round in circles. See for yourself.

 

A battery tender "maintains" a full charge on an already fully charged undamaged battery, I have no idea if they can actually charge one??

And you say the battery is only two years old?? So you know "by God, it ought to be good!" But you really don't know how long that two year old battery sat in the car unused before you bought it?? Prius's (apparently) that sit for week's if not month's at time will eat 12 volt battery's for lunch!

And chasing down the issues will drive you nut's?? They seem to think the locking you out of you car bit as especially funny?? And then you'll replace one or two key fob's at some expensive and that will "seem, to work until some other weird issue show's up??

If the 12 volt battery is bad ... it won't end until you replace it, been there done that, the madness only ended, when my wife took control and drove the car to our local Hybrid Shop. And the shop "replaced the 12 volt battery." And the bottom line is "all the maddens stopped?"

But hey I am down for the "Pigged Head Stubborn approach!" And "if," you want to go that route ... I'm happy to help.

And you can find the tool's you'll tool's you'll need at Harbor Freight for low price's. And I am sure someone here knows what the normal draw is for a sitting Prius because I have no idea???

 

Battery tenders will charge a battery, it just takes longer.

 

Oh I suppose so?? But using the proper for the given job works well also, just saying.