What I thought of in no particular order. 1. Did the turtle light come on? 2. Did you check your oil level? 3. Have you changed the cooling fluid in the inverter? (lasts about 50,000 miles). 4. The 12V battery can give odd behaviour when weak. There are usually no symptoms until the car just won't start. 5. Have you changed the transaxle fluid (a drain and fill only). 6. How about spark plugs? they last 100,000 miles. 7. Bad gas (summer blend) could do that too. There really isn't all that much difference between a Prius and other cars. I'd say change out the 12V battery first, and if that doesn't solve the problem, start with the others. There is sometimes a problem with starting the 2001-2003 Prius that requires a different chip which gives the engine more time to start--this doesn't sound much like your problem, but it's something to be aware of.
To theneelster, the Prius and other Toyota hybrids do have a 12v battery but do not have a 12V starter motor or alternator. The 12v is roughly the size of the one for a Miata or a lawn/garden tractor (riding mower) to reduce the weight and the amount of lead needed and as such it is easy to run it dead by leaving a door or the trunk ajar or leaving a map light on.
The HV battery is kept between 40 and 80 percent of full at all times, give or take 2 percent so you have to really try to run it dead. The only known ways are to run the car out of gas, drive it on electric till it stops, then power it off and back on repeatedly until the HV bat becomes discharged from trying to start the engine. Even after this it isn't completely dead but the car will refuse to try again until the 12v is unhooked for a few minutes to reset the HV battery ECU's SOC reading.
The other way is to just let the car sit untouched for sufficient time to allow the HV battery to self-discharge. Since this is usually about 10% a month you have a bare minimum of a 4 month wait here, and it is usually 6 months or more.
The 12V can be charged just like any other small lead acid battery via a battery charger on the 2 amp setting and the car can be jump started also. The 12V on the asker's NHW11 is behind a trim panel on the left (driver's) side of the trunk. This is the side with the vent on the outside of the car.
If the HV is truly discharged there is a special charger that the regional Toyota rep can loan to the dealer to charge it back up again.
FWIW the Honda "assist" hybrids (or at least the original insight) do have a 12v starter motor but they are also easier to discharge the HV battery so it is a wash.
You need to jump start the 12V battery. It's in the trunk by one of the wheel wells. You jump start it like any other car (be careful to get the polarity correct).
That should normally get you started. Then replace the 12V battery ASAP because once it's been drained for awhile, it's toast.
If by chance you need to charge the traction battery you'll have to have it charged by the dealer with the Toyota hybrid charger (not every dealer has one of these). Note however that the traction battery is totally disconnected until the 12V battery throws the relay and puts the Prius into READY mode--you will see READY on the dash by the PRNDB indicator--so you have to get the 12V battery working first.
Well do you mean the hybrid battery or the starting battery. I've never dealt with a hybrid but I have to assume there is a traditional battery in the thing to start the gas powered engine when there's no charge on the hybrid battery. If you're getting lights in your cabin and it still won't start then you have a major problem; because the traditional battery has charge and should start the gas motor. You charge the hybrid battery by driving the "car" around. If the hybrid battery doesn't hold charge then it would need to be replaced.
This might be completely wrong. A hybrid has to be able to start with the gas motor...I would at least hope it can.
I have a question for answerers that know hybrids...when the hybrid battery fails can you drive it around on the gas motor? I would think that would be the case (as a failsafe) but then again who knows with these things.
Unfortunately, to the best of my hybrid knowledge, there is no way to manually recharge the batteries.. and even if you could, there is a reason why it lost it's charge in the first place. There are so many possibilities as to why your batteries are not taking or holding a charge. Could be a "dead cell", or, a bad ground connection, or a whole laundry list of other issues. My advice is take it to the Toyota dealer. Guaranteed, it's going to be an expensive diagnosis and fix, bit if you love your car, it may be worth it to you. Secondary advice would be to apply the money you have "saved" in fuel over the time of owning your hybrid, trade the Prius in, and consider one of the many newer "fuel-efficient" cars that boast great m.p.g. or even a turbo-diesel car. Both of those options are much cheaper to own and repair in the long run versus a hybrid anyway... Not knocking your choice to own a hybrid, just giving other options for you.
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That's it. It is toast. You must buy a new car or battery for $30k.
What I thought of in no particular order. 1. Did the turtle light come on? 2. Did you check your oil level? 3. Have you changed the cooling fluid in the inverter? (lasts about 50,000 miles). 4. The 12V battery can give odd behaviour when weak. There are usually no symptoms until the car just won't start. 5. Have you changed the transaxle fluid (a drain and fill only). 6. How about spark plugs? they last 100,000 miles. 7. Bad gas (summer blend) could do that too. There really isn't all that much difference between a Prius and other cars. I'd say change out the 12V battery first, and if that doesn't solve the problem, start with the others. There is sometimes a problem with starting the 2001-2003 Prius that requires a different chip which gives the engine more time to start--this doesn't sound much like your problem, but it's something to be aware of.
To theneelster, the Prius and other Toyota hybrids do have a 12v battery but do not have a 12V starter motor or alternator. The 12v is roughly the size of the one for a Miata or a lawn/garden tractor (riding mower) to reduce the weight and the amount of lead needed and as such it is easy to run it dead by leaving a door or the trunk ajar or leaving a map light on.
The HV battery is kept between 40 and 80 percent of full at all times, give or take 2 percent so you have to really try to run it dead. The only known ways are to run the car out of gas, drive it on electric till it stops, then power it off and back on repeatedly until the HV bat becomes discharged from trying to start the engine. Even after this it isn't completely dead but the car will refuse to try again until the 12v is unhooked for a few minutes to reset the HV battery ECU's SOC reading.
The other way is to just let the car sit untouched for sufficient time to allow the HV battery to self-discharge. Since this is usually about 10% a month you have a bare minimum of a 4 month wait here, and it is usually 6 months or more.
The 12V can be charged just like any other small lead acid battery via a battery charger on the 2 amp setting and the car can be jump started also. The 12V on the asker's NHW11 is behind a trim panel on the left (driver's) side of the trunk. This is the side with the vent on the outside of the car.
If the HV is truly discharged there is a special charger that the regional Toyota rep can loan to the dealer to charge it back up again.
FWIW the Honda "assist" hybrids (or at least the original insight) do have a 12v starter motor but they are also easier to discharge the HV battery so it is a wash.
You need to jump start the 12V battery. It's in the trunk by one of the wheel wells. You jump start it like any other car (be careful to get the polarity correct).
That should normally get you started. Then replace the 12V battery ASAP because once it's been drained for awhile, it's toast.
If by chance you need to charge the traction battery you'll have to have it charged by the dealer with the Toyota hybrid charger (not every dealer has one of these). Note however that the traction battery is totally disconnected until the 12V battery throws the relay and puts the Prius into READY mode--you will see READY on the dash by the PRNDB indicator--so you have to get the 12V battery working first.
Well do you mean the hybrid battery or the starting battery. I've never dealt with a hybrid but I have to assume there is a traditional battery in the thing to start the gas powered engine when there's no charge on the hybrid battery. If you're getting lights in your cabin and it still won't start then you have a major problem; because the traditional battery has charge and should start the gas motor. You charge the hybrid battery by driving the "car" around. If the hybrid battery doesn't hold charge then it would need to be replaced.
This might be completely wrong. A hybrid has to be able to start with the gas motor...I would at least hope it can.
I have a question for answerers that know hybrids...when the hybrid battery fails can you drive it around on the gas motor? I would think that would be the case (as a failsafe) but then again who knows with these things.
Unfortunately, to the best of my hybrid knowledge, there is no way to manually recharge the batteries.. and even if you could, there is a reason why it lost it's charge in the first place. There are so many possibilities as to why your batteries are not taking or holding a charge. Could be a "dead cell", or, a bad ground connection, or a whole laundry list of other issues. My advice is take it to the Toyota dealer. Guaranteed, it's going to be an expensive diagnosis and fix, bit if you love your car, it may be worth it to you. Secondary advice would be to apply the money you have "saved" in fuel over the time of owning your hybrid, trade the Prius in, and consider one of the many newer "fuel-efficient" cars that boast great m.p.g. or even a turbo-diesel car. Both of those options are much cheaper to own and repair in the long run versus a hybrid anyway... Not knocking your choice to own a hybrid, just giving other options for you.
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