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Pushing Prius not possible if auxilliary battery is dead

Discussion in 'Gen 2 Prius Care, Maintenance and Troubleshooting' started by maxvok, Jun 7, 2004.

  1. maxvok

    maxvok New Member

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    Recent experience with a dead auxilliary battery exposed the potential problem if the car is parked on the driveway i.e . is shut down with the P button which cannot be unlocked manually if there is no power. You can not push the PRIUS on the street nor jumpstart it with [or use] your second car behind it.(unless they face each other on the driveway/garage and you have long jump cables). But I usually park both cars facing the street. :(
     
    #1 maxvok, Jun 7, 2004
  2. glscheil1

    glscheil1 New Member

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    Jump starting

    This happen to me account door sensor for dome lite was faulty. Tow truck driver used his jumper cables attached to the 12 volt terminals under the hood. Then we could "unpark" it and push it out of my basement garage.
     
    #2 glscheil1, Jun 7, 2004
  3. Raenstoirm

    Raenstoirm New Member

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    I was questioning that as well. In a "real" car the gear release is a little switch near the shaft. Being electronic, I dont know how that would work. Just dont park illegally so that you have to be towed, because they could do some serious damage to your car.
     
    #3 Raenstoirm, Jun 7, 2004
  4. mdacmeis

    mdacmeis Member

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    If needed, the 12v aux. battery, the one you would need to jump, is located below the right rear hatch storage depression (similar to the left, but does not lift up. You need to figure it out, kind of tricky first, but it unclips with a little effort. You can thus "jump" the car from behind. Keep in mind you only need to establish about 12 volts on the battery to get the car powered up. A remote jump start battery back works great for this, but any 12v power source will do the job.
     
    #4 mdacmeis, Jun 7, 2004
  5. efusco

    efusco Moderator Emeritus
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    Good point mdac...in fact, you can probably carefully attache the jumper cables without need to remove the battery at all.

    I'd like to repeat advice I've given in the past...it's worth buying one of the rechargable multi-use jumper starter/work light/air compressor/aux. power supply units to at least keep in your garage if not in the hatch of the Prius. I got mine at Sam's Club for just over $50, I've seen them other places for as little as $44 and up to around $90...if you really want to spend more.
     
    #5 efusco, Jun 7, 2004
  6. HTMLSpinnr

    HTMLSpinnr Super Moderator
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    Keep in mind that the rear hatch is electronically released. Unless you crawl in and find the manual override under the floor, you won't be opening the rear hatch to access the battery. That's probably one of the several reasons that a jump point was provided under the hood - since the hood is accessible by opening the driver's door with the manual key and then popping open the hood via the manual release.
     
    #6 HTMLSpinnr, Jun 7, 2004
  7. maxvok

    maxvok New Member

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    I know from my latest experience how to start the car if the battery is dead but the point I was trying to make is that if you are in a hurry and cannot wait until the emergency service arrives, the most simple solution, using your second car, is not possible. :wink:
     
    #7 maxvok, Jun 7, 2004
  8. rockluvr

    rockluvr New Member

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    Are you saying that if you unlock the driver's side door with your key and then press the unlock all doors button on the driver's side door, that it will not unlock the doors and hatch so that you can open it manually?

    Sorry for my simplistic question - just not that car savvy.
     
    #8 rockluvr, Jun 8, 2004
  9. HTMLSpinnr

    HTMLSpinnr Super Moderator
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    The power locks depend on the 12V battery, so no, it would not unlock.

    Also, the rear hatch release is entirely electronic. Lifting the handle is only activating a switch which triggers a solenoid at the base of the hatch floor (not in the door). This also depends on the 12V battery.

    If the 12V battery is dead, you're left using the methods mentioned above.

    I think the owner's manual mentions how to get it opened manually - probably in the "in case of emergency" section.
     
    #9 HTMLSpinnr, Jun 8, 2004
  10. aarons12

    aarons12 New Member

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    i second (third?) the portable battery jumper/air compressor/light units. i got mine at costco a couple of years ago and it has saved us a number of times. we have 5 total cars and over the course of the year i have probably used it at least 8 times (mostly on my classic avanti, which sits for long periods. though i finally got a computerized trickle charger that solved that issue)
     
    #10 aarons12, Jun 8, 2004
  11. mdacmeis

    mdacmeis Member

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    OOPS!! I forgot about this "minor" detail. Good catch. An unfortunate reality, but I'm glad I didn't find this out at the wrong time. See, aren't we good at helping each other?
     
    #11 mdacmeis, Jun 10, 2004
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