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Troubleshooting a prius 2001 stall (12v dead battery or dead inverter?)

Discussion in 'Generation 1 Prius Discussion' started by tivollix, Oct 6, 2009.

  1. tivollix

    tivollix New Member

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    Vehicle:
    2002 Prius
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    Hello,

    I am looking at buying a 2001 Prius with 100K miles, I am willing to take a chance on the battery, but I am not sure about the inverter. Would it make sens with these symptoms described below:

    "When the car was brought from Kingston to Burlington it kept on stalling and needed to be boosted. The driver of the car said that the alternator was shot. But I never thought about the car not having a alternator. We had to boost the car to get it to the tow truck to take to you guy's. So I would think that the 12volt battery that should be replaced."

    = do you think that only the 12V battery replacement can fix this?
    = Could it be the inverter?

    thanks for sharing your experience!
     
    #1 tivollix, Oct 6, 2009
    1 person likes this.
  2. hobbit

    hobbit Senior Member

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    Location:
    Bahstahn
    Vehicle:
    2004 Prius
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    N/A
    If you have the opportunity to test the 12V side of the physical
    car, do so; it should jump up closer to 13.8 - 14 once the car
    comes into READY mode. If it doesn't, then the DC/DC converter
    [which is part of the inverter] isn't working. Before blaming
    the inverter, though, check the fuses carefully including any
    fusible links you can find [often just look like little bits
    of metal stretched across gaps]. I don't remember offhand what
    the links look like in a 2001, maybe someone else can point
    you specifically at the points to check..
    .
    _H*
     
    #2 hobbit, Oct 6, 2009
    2 people like this.
  3. adric22

    adric22 Ev and Hybrid Enthusiast

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    But aren't those 12V batteries notorious for failures anyway? Unless it has recently been replaced, that would be my first guess.
     
    #3 adric22, Dec 20, 2009
  4. tochatihu

    tochatihu Senior Member

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    Greetings tivollix new poster. You should learn how to visually confirm correct function of the electricals coolant loop pump. Put the car in 'ready', 'park', and parking brake set. Open the hood and locate the coolant reservoir - center, high near the firewall. The liquid inside should be obviously moving, and more than 1 cm higher in the front part of the reservoir. If it is not so, we will need to explore the situation further.
     
    #4 tochatihu, Dec 20, 2009
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