NA Prius battery boost quickguide

Let'sgoflying!

Let'sgoflying!

Touchdown! Greaser!
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Dave Taylor
I could pull out the manual but I know someone here has done it.
It won't crank. Has not been driven in a couple of weeks so I think it is the starter battery (is there not a larger, um-engine power battery as well?)

In a nutshell, is it
-just like most other 12v battery cars, get another vehicle or a booster/charger and jump away
-No, Stop, you need the dilithium crystal pack for this complicated vehicle
 
I don't think it would suit this particular owner but thanks for the idea.
I found several yt's and also some descriptions. Seems like it is a standard 12v L-A battery.
I might charge it for a few hours @ <2A first, then drive it. If I can figure out how to get inside first!
 
There's a positive post in the fuse box on the newer ones. Not sure about the old models.
 
Yes, I have owned 5 of them in my company. There is a smaller starter battery. You can actually jump start it.
 
You jump it from under the hood. Remove the fuse box cover to expose the positive terminal. Mine is red. Ground to the chassis. The smaller battery can be replaced. Not difficult, just hard to get to. Ask me how I know. :D
 
N659HB said:
The smaller battery can be replaced. Not difficult, just hard to get to. Ask me how I know. :D
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Must depend on model year. My 2012 battery is pretty easy to access under the side of the floor in the back.
 
N659HB said:
Anyone know how much the main battery costs these days? I was told $3500 in 2009.
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From Green Car Reports - Add 2-3 hours labor (Prius). Many YouTube videos on how to replace it yourself. [Note core credit.] You can find some cheaper with a little Google-fu.

Below is a list of MSRP battery cost details for the various hybrid Toyota models offered since 2001.

  • 2001-2003 Toyota Prius (1st generation) - $3,649
  • 2004-2009 Toyota Prius (2nd generation) - $3,939
  • 2010-2011 Toyota Prius (3rd generation) - $4.080
  • 2012-2015 Toyota Prius Liftback - $3,939
  • 2012-2016 Toyota Prius V - $3,939
  • 2012-2016 Toyota Prius C - $3,807
  • 2007-2011 Toyota Camry Hybrid - $4,892
  • 2012-2015 Toyota Camry Hybrid - $4,892
  • 2013-2015 Toyota Avalon Hybrid - $4,892
  • 2006-2010 Toyota Highlander Hybrid - $6,198
  • 2011-2015 Toyota Highlander Hybrid - $6,353
Each of these prices will be reduced by a $1,350 "core credit" for the old battery pack being replaced, which the dealer then recycles through a long-established Toyota program.
 
I have had 5 of them. One of them has 180,000 miles on it and another over 150,000. I have never had to replace a main battery. I did replace a small battery once. They have been very low maintenance.
 
I'm on my third Prius. Only had to replace the small 12 volt battery after 9 years on one of them.
 
Just do NOT run those Prius' out of gas!!! Believe it or not, that is an automatic trip to the dealer.
This was my biggest complaint when I had a Prius C, because the Prius C also has a very small digital fuel gauge that was easy to ignore.
 
upstateny said:
I'm on my third Prius. Only had to replace the small 12 volt battery after 9 years on one of them.
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Thanks for the pricing. My '08 has 164k miles so far. The accessory battery crapped out at 140k miles. Pretty good, IMHO. The replacement was just under $200 from the dealer.
 
Just do NOT run those Prius' out of gas!!!
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I have a few trips in this one and can state emphatically it is not possible to run out of gas.
They just don't use enough to ever run dry!
Seriously, I drove for hours and then had to beg it to take a few gallons!
 
Dumb question: Why even have an "accessory battery" with a monster high quality battery plant on board? Couldn't they have just planned to stash some amps properly in the charge/discharge cycle code?
 
Our friend Mr. Google says -

"In a Toyota Hybrid the 12 volt battery keeps all the electrical system running while your car is parked. This includes the security system, the key fob sensors, the clock, and the memory in many of the computer systems. This is a fairly small drain but it adds up 24 hours a day 7 days a week. The 12 volt battery also has to have enough power to start up the computers and everything else that was left on before the high voltage battery system is turned on.

The reason the high voltage battery is not used for this load when the car is park is that it could easily drain the high voltage battery enough to shorten its life. So if you leave you car parked too long the 12 volt battery gets sacrificed and it is far cheaper to replace than the high voltage battery.

Once the high voltage battery system is turned on a high voltage to 12 volt converter turns on that produces about 14 volts. At this voltage the sealed 12 volt battery charges and will not over charge but it is a slower charge rate than you might be used to."
 
My Volt is the same way. The 12V battery runs the electronics and most of the other traditional automotive stuff (lights, etc...) and starts the engine if needed. The big battery only is used for propulsion.
 
denverpilot said:
Dumb question: Why even have an "accessory battery" with a monster high quality battery plant on board? Couldn't they have just planned to stash some amps properly in the charge/discharge cycle code?
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I believe the Toyota Synergy drives with the epicyclic gear set use the transmission drive motors to start the engine (which operate off the HV battery pack.) They still have a 12V accessory battery for all the LV devices. I suppose that's cheaper than using stepdown transformers and rectifiers for the LV system.

Plus, a complete power loss caused by a catastrophic failure of the HV system could have other undesirable consequences.
 
John221us said:
I have had 5 of them. One of them has 180,000 miles on it and another over 150,000. I have never had to replace a main battery. I did replace a small battery once. They have been very low maintenance.
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Yeah, those nickel metal-hydride packs seem to go forever...a very rare case where they'd ever need to be replaced. The key to longevity to is neither fully charge nor fully discharge them. IIRC, a "full" charge as indicated by the instrumentation, is about 80 percent.
 
Still not getting the purpose of the smaller battery. If the voltage drops low enough off of the big one to threaten the battery or the ability to start, just kill the electronics onboard other than maybe the key reader. LOL. Or make the thing throw a hissy fit and honk the horn or something to tell someone to come start it for a while.

Dunno. Seems a problem not well suited and not going to happen often enough to just "sacrifice" a battery to it that you have to purchase when it could be handled a bunch of other ways. Maybe I'm missing something like a catastrophic drive power failure at speed where something (instruments) operate off of the small battery? Doesn't help much if the brakes/regen is toast...
 
N659HB said:
Anyone know how much the main battery costs these days? I was told $3500 in 2009.
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My "average" price for the used Hybrid Car batteries is about $500... Plus core charge.
 
Got my first Kia Optima Hybrid last week.... Pretty nice looking on outside, and well appointed on inside.
 
I must admit the toyota hybrid drive train is an electro-mechanical wonder. Pretty amazing they have been around for almost 20 years now.
This is the coolest site ever. You can play with the speed of the engine, motor 1 and Motor 2 to see how the software keeps the car stopped or moving depending on the conditions.
http://eahart.com/prius/psd/

I'm tell you, if I was at the meeting 20 years ago when the designers proposed this system, I would have raided their desks for the crack pipes. Still amazed it works so well.
 
denverpilot said:
Still not getting the purpose of the smaller battery. If the voltage drops low enough off of the big one to threaten the battery or the ability to start, just kill the electronics onboard other than maybe the key reader. LOL. Or make the thing throw a hissy fit and honk the horn or something to tell someone to come start it for a while.

Dunno. Seems a problem not well suited and not going to happen often enough to just "sacrifice" a battery to it that you have to purchase when it could be handled a bunch of other ways. Maybe I'm missing something like a catastrophic drive power failure at speed where something (instruments) operate off of the small battery? Doesn't help much if the brakes/regen is toast...
Click to expand...

The brakes aren't lost if the regen is toast. They still have discs for hard braking and slow braking, plus you still have your anti-lock.
 
Unless a light was left on I am figuring its time for a new battery.
Wow, only two options for batteries on this model (2007 Prius) - factory version ($300) or an Optima ($220).

Looks like the battery is fairly inaccessible (in a locked trunk which....needs electricity to open - so I have to go through the back seats).

Also, all sorts of Toyota forums or Toyota dealer sites with disagreeing info on if it is safe to charge it through the under hood terminals (if it is safe to boost: ie +++amps, why would it be unsafe to charge: ie +amps)
(I am talking about damage to the electronics, not talking about gas production and battery explosion here)
 
I haven't tried it, but can't you connect a charger (or another battery) under the hood to get enough electricity to unlock the trunk and change the battery?
 
In fact, you'll want to leave the "jumped" battery in place while you remove the installed 12V battery (unless you really wanted to cold boot the car again).
 
flyingron said:
My Volt is the same way. The 12V battery runs the electronics and most of the other traditional automotive stuff (lights, etc...) and starts the engine if needed. The big battery only is used for propulsion.
Click to expand...

Isn't it used for the HVAC system as well? My Fusion Energi uses the drive battery to run the A/C compressor and the resistance heater, if needed.
 
It might drive the fans but I think the heat/cooling comes off the main battery in the Volt. You don't get climate preheat without turning the car on (at least remotely).
 
Disconnected the (friggingly inaccessible) battery and charged at <2A for 4 hrs. Still stone-dead. Will charge overnight but not hopeful for battery now.
 
Fixed.
Charged all night. 100% operational...on 2nd day of trials. Did find a light left on.
 
same thing happened to my fathers Camry hybrid. Had to take the small battery out of the car or disconnect to charge it or else it would not take a charge. If you don't use the car for a while, put it on a battery tender! I put a pig tail in their car, so when they leave for a month or two, it gets charged.
 
Big hybrid batteries are not as expensive as they used to be. I replace several a year. I have the 2005-2008 Prius down to an hour complete. Aftermarket companies are making them as well now. I can buy a remanufactured one with 3 yr warranty for about $1500-1700 depending on Camry or Prius. Camry takes about 15 minutes longer. Hybrid batteries weight around 80-100 lbs.
 
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