Dead 12v battery

[Dizzo]

My 12v Battery died earlier this week, just like that! No warning, no tell-tale signs, I pushed the button on the key fob and nothing happened. Ok so it's 11 years and 227,000 miles old but I'm a teensy bit gutted old faithful let me down for the 1st time. Why aren't 12v Battery checks part of the service schedules? The hybrid Battery gets checked, and the key fob battery is routinely replaced, but nothing at all on the 12v battery!

Anyway I got a like-for-like replacement from GSF, quite easy to remove and replace the dud one.

In fact there might have been a clue, because for a few months now I've noticed that the red triangle warning light and buzzer briefly come on on starting up on occasions. I put it down to the car getting cranky in its old age. Anyway it hasn't done it since I replaced the battery.

I understand there are checks that can be done on the 12v batteries, but these aren't routinely done.

So mind how you go, if your 12v battery is a few years old, have it regularly tested! I think!

By the way, I tried to see if this issue had come up before on the Prius forum, but apart from "manually" searching through 150 pages it doesn't seem there is a search facility in a particular forum.

[FROSTYBALLS]

52 minutes ago, Dizzo said:

By the way, I tried to see if this issue had come up before on the Prius forum, but apart from "manually" searching through 150 pages it doesn't seem there is a search facility in a particular forum.

If one is already in a specific forum (eg. Prius club), by clicking on the word 'Search' in the search box, it gives you a choice of where to search including everywhere, topics, this forum, this topic, more options, etc. 

[booke02]

Original Battery? 11 years and 227,000 miles is very impressive!

[furtula]

You should be able to easily check it with a simple multi meter, if you have easy access to the terminals.

[Notoyboy]

2 hours ago, booke02 said:

Original battery? 11 years and 227,000 miles is very impressive!

Yes, certainly done well.  I'm pleased to get more than 6 years!

 

@ OP, the likes of Halfords, and no doubt some other motor factors, can do a test on the Battery, which basically is testing the Cold Cranking Amps.  Halfords say the Battery is goosed when the CCA figure they get is less than 50 or 66% (I forget which) of the original Battery specification.  I continue to use my batteries beyond when Halfords advise replacement, but in the knowledge that the battery is near the end of it's useful life.

[Joseph D]

11 hours ago, Dizzo said:

...   I've noticed that the red triangle warning light and buzzer briefly come on on starting up on occasions.

Yes, this is exactly what these indications mean.  Time for a new Battery, or at least get it checked.

[QuantumFireball]

On 10/2/2018 at 11:43 PM, Dizzo said:

Why aren't 12v battery checks part of the service schedules?

They probably are part of the diagnostics checks, but the car can only see the voltage of the Battery which may not be the most accurate way of showing the battery's health.