Jump Starting a Hybrid

[Jimota]

As the Yaris Cross has 2 batteries, has anyone experienced having to jump start their car.  Is it much the same as starting a non hybrid or is there a different way to connect cables etc.

cheers

[Trewithy]

I believe you can connect the 12v Battery in a hybrid to the 12v Battery in another car using the normal procedure.

You can use another car to jump start a hybrid but you can't use a hybrid to jump start another car.

[IT Troll]

Both batteries are located under the back seat and so you connect to the fuse box in the engine bay. There is a section on the procedure in the manual. An alternative option is buy one of those small lithium Battery boosters. There was some more chat about these in one of the Battery threads.

[Cyker]

So you don't technically jump-start a hybrid - The 'starter motor' (aka. MG1) needs a lot more than 12v to even turn, but that's why there is a honking great traction Battery in the back.

If the 12v Battery dies, it means the computers don't work so it can't turn on the traction Battery, and in that case you kinda jump-start it like a normal car but it's better to do it with a lower power starter as a really powerful one might blow the fuses.

In some of the hybrids, the 12v battery is in the engine bay as normal, but a lot of them have it in the back and is a right PITA to get to.

Instead, there is a positive terminal in the engine bay fuse box which you can use to give the car 12 volts, enough to power the computer, then just get in the car and turn it on as normal, then get back out and disconnect the jump starter. No need to leave it connected for ages to 'charge' the 12v battery first before trying to start it like you sometimes to with normal cars.

 

 

[Jimota]

Ah, the things you learn on these forums.  I wasn’t aware that you can’t use a hybrid car to jump start another car and that you could connect to a fuse box.  Thanks

[Cyker]

The fusebox terminal is much more convenient than trying to get to the back seats when the electronic door locks aren't working! In the fusebox there's a red tab with a + on it that's about the footprint of a zippo lighter, and flips open like one to reveal the positive terminal for the red jump lead.

The reason you can't use it to jumpstart is because the hybrid 12v batteries are a lot smaller and don't have the massive 'cold cranking amps' rating for starting a car, plus there are a lot of delicate electronics that can get fried by the other car trying to pull so many amps, so it's just safer to not try!