Prime 2023 12V battery integrity on EV

Manufacturing defects happen, and when millions of parts are made, even low failure rates can mean sizeable numbers. While a car not starting is a big deal, causes could have been more serious than the starter battery.

 

Also possible that they just sat too long between manufacture and getting proper use. So a brand new battery, even if the same exact make/model, could be just fine.

 

I was just getting ready to charge the car this morning and I noticed the charger didn't start. I tried to power up the car and it was completely dead. Will try to jump the battery and go from there. I had this car for almost a year on May 8th!

 

I jumped the battery and it’s alive again.

I scheduled an appointment tomorrow with the dealer to have it checked and also to get my first service!

 

Another one bites the dust

 

My 12V charges to about 12.5V in the "ready" position for 20 minutes or to an average of 12.3V after an average drive of 20 miles. Then if left idle for a few days the charge steadily drops an average of around .07V per day. After one 20 mile drive it tested 12.36. After 6 idle days it was down to 12.02. It started fine on the 12.02 but I don't trust it going below 12V. The car has no added accessories and I don't use the app. for any functions. Key FOB is stored a good distance away and accessory mode is rarely if ever used. It just seems it would keep dropping and maybe not start after a 7 day rest. At 1000 miles so far it hasn't failed to start but the 12V battery power doesn't exactly inspire confidence.

 

This is not acceptable! My 2012 Plug-in battery lasted 12 years and this 2023 Prius Prime lasted only 12 months.

I am pretty sure the battery was defective.

 

i hope so

 

Just have it replaced under warranty free of charge.

Do you do mostly short trips? Do you keep it plugged in for longer than overnight?

 

Nope, at least 20-30 miles or more. I unplugged it after each charge. Last night, I didn't schedule a charge since I still have 21 EV miles and I figured I still have time to top it off in the morning BUT it wouldn't charge and I found out the car battery was dead!

 

What is the manufacturing date on the door jamb, and when did you buy the car?

If there is a long period between the two, it could be that the battery got damaged because the car wasn't driven for more than a few miles during that period.

 

it's 03/23 and I picked up the car 05/8/23.

 

I see. The battery should have been very fresh then.

In my case, the car was only a-month-old when I bought it.

 

Just picked up my car and the dealer replaced my defective 12v battery after it failed the test.

 

Just making sure a new battery was installed!

 

Last night my 20 Prime 12 volt was at 76% so I put it on the 4 amp charger. If not for the battery monitor readings I would just keep skipping down the road oblivious.

 

We probably take the the prize in that category: build date august 2009, purchased November, 2010. 12 volt was totally dead: when we showed up to test drive, the “thoughtful” dealership* had it “warming up for us”…

* Open Road Toyota in Port Moody

 

My first 2020 Prime was made in May 2020, and I took delivery of it with 5 miles on the odo, after the test drive, on Sept 30 2020. I was charging the 12 v battery about weekly on that one also, like I do on my second 2020.

 

If dealerships cared, they could disconnect the neg cables, and follow charging regimen, hooking them up to an appropriate smart charger, say once a month.

 

Thinking more about this, my present Prime was sold in Oct 2020 to the previous owner, so about the same four plus months on the lot as my first prime. Covid year. I am wondering if they go through the many cars with one of those wheeled fast chargers and cause some kind of damage.
It would be nice to know the service manual tests for the 12 v. charging, like testing the battery sensor mounted to the negative 12 v. terminal.