Help! - Flat Battery

[bells0]

Doh!! Seems i left the headlights on when leaving the car in the garage yesterday [last car had auto lights!]

Came to open it now, central locking is dead. Got in the passenger side using the manual key, but what next??

Cant get into the boot as i see it as no manual lock on it.

Getting married tomorrow so desperate to get the car going to get bits and pieces to the venue.

Seems i have to charge the Battery - but haven't a clue how to.

Please help, fairly desperate.....................

[Burma Sauce]

The charging point is under the bonnet - I think there's a page about it in the manual. Under a little plastic cover with a '+' on it, around the right hand side as you look at it, if memory serves.

[Burma Sauce]

The charging point is under the bonnet - I think there's a page about it in the manual. Under a little plastic cover with a '+' on it, around the right hand side as you look at it, if memory serves.

[edit] Congratulations, hope the wedding goes well!

[ian rooke]

Hi you can get into the boot from inside by climbing into the boot from the back seat removing a plastic cover and manually pulling the release (as shown in owners manual )

[Grumpy Cabbie]

When you get the car going make sure you either take it on a long (2 hours or more) run to charge the 12v as it takes longer for it to charge 'in car' than on a traditional car. Or if you're charging the Battery with a charger make sure you don't short it on the car body.

The Prius/hybrid 12v is weak in the traditional sense so once it has failed it will likely need replacing or prepared to be let down again - soon. I just hope it doesn't let you down when needed for the wedding.

And on that note: Good Luck and Best Wishes for the wedding :)

[bells0]

2 hours? - %$(!! Little bro who loves car fiddling came to the rescue. Got into the boot and wired it to the soon to be Mrs Bells0's Nissan Note.

Alarm went off and all systems go straight away. Best get out for a pootle then!! Thanks for the help chaps.

[kithmo]

Doh!! Seems i left the headlights on when leaving the car in the garage yesterday [last car had auto lights!]

Came to open it now, central locking is dead. Got in the passenger side using the manual key, but what next??

Cant get into the boot as i see it as no manual lock on it.

Getting married tomorrow so desperate to get the car going to get bits and pieces to the venue.

Seems i have to charge the battery - but haven't a clue how to.

Please help, fairly desperate.....................

According to your sig. you have a 2007 Prius which means, if it is the original Battery, it's 5 years old, a pretty good age for a Prius Battery. I would say that your 12v Battery is weak and probably due for renewal.

The headlights should go off when you turn off the ignition, so unless you left it in ready mode, all that was on were the parking lights.

The front parking lights are 5W bulbs and the rears are LEDs, so (theoretically) it shouldn't flatten the battery that much in one day.

I would connect a booster battery through the connection at the bonnet, to get the hatch open, then replace the battery or it will probably let you down again.

[ian rooke]

Hi if you leave the side lights on the Battery will go flat in less than 7 hours (got the T shirt) and that was on a car less than 1 year old. The lights which stay on are the front lights,rear lights,interior light, boot light, dash lights so it can have quite a large current drain.

[timberwolf]

I'm not sure 2 hours driving around is going to be enough.

After mine got down to 10V, near dead, I connected a CTEK charger to the Battery and charged it for 24 hours.

[kithmo]

Hi if you leave the side lights on the battery will go flat in less than 7 hours (got the T shirt) and that was on a car less than 1 year old. The lights which stay on are the front lights,rear lights,interior light, boot light, dash lights so it can have quite a large current drain.

I stand corrected, I've just checked on SWBO's Gen 2 and although the dash lights, boot light and interior lights don't stay on, the rear lights are 5W x 4 bulbs on the Gen2 and the Battery is only 42Ah so adding the front 5W x 2 bulbs on, it is possible to completely flatten it in around 16 hours. But a completely flat 5 year old Battery is difficult to recover, I'd still buy a new one anyway.

[bells0]

Well, i drove it about for about an hour on Friday. Worked fine since - maybe the previous owner changed the Battery, or it could happen again anytime soon - shall wait and see!!!

[johalareewi]

Why are people driving a prius around to charge the 12v Battery?

The12V Battery is charged up from the big HV Battery while in ready mode.

If the HV battery needs topping up, the prius will fire up the ICE.

So why not just leave the prius in ready mode until the 12V is topped up?

[Grumpy Cabbie]

So why not just leave the prius in ready mode until the 12V is topped up?

I don't recommend you do this but could you also lock the car with the metal key (manually - the old fashioned way) whilst it is in Ready mode? That way it's charging and shouldn't get nicked? Not sure on the legalities of leaving a car 'running' whilst unattended though. Maybe you could if you have a secure drive with locking gates etc?

Your risk though :) (that's my cop out)

[kithmo]

It's not illegal to leave it running on a private drive, although the Insurance company won't pay out if it's nicked, but it is illegal to leave it running on the road.

[kithmo]

It's not illegal to leave it running on a private drive, although the Insurance company won't pay out if it's nicked, but it is illegal to leave it running unattended on the road.

[bells0]

Good to know on the 'ready' mode to charge tip! Been fine since, so am kinda hoping it means it's a had a new one recently.............

[Grumpy Cabbie]

The trouble with the Prius 12v is that there are no symptoms it's failing. On a normal car you start to notice a failing 12v everytime you start the car - the starter motor will be slower and slower. In the Prius it just boots a computer and will work right with no symptoms down to the point where it just can't get enough power and will fail.

I fear the 12v you have has probably been damaged and could let you down again soon. Easy way check other than with a volt meter is leave the car overnight and then the next morning put it in ACC mode (NOT Ready) and then wind down all 4 windows and then wind them all up again at once. If they're dreadfully slow both ways then the 12v is on its way. You could also do this again and then when they're on the way up quicky put the car in Ready and if they suddenly speed up then that's a sign too.

I guess it's your choice but if you start to get weird warning lights, odd error messages and the like, then get the 12v checked/changed sharpish.