2005 Prius Ran Out of Gas Now Car Wont Start :(

1. Turn on your car's headlights. Are they bright?

If no, then your 12V battery is dead and you either need to jumpstart the car (but you need to be careful to observe the correct battery polarity) or install a new battery. If you allow the jumpstart to be botched, that can easily cause a failed inverter which is a four-digit repair bill.

2. If your 12V battery is OK (based upon your headlights working properly), and "all is dead" then you'll need to tow your car to your local Toyota dealer for help. Good luck.

 

That "P LOCK....." message is one of the normal indications of a failed 12V battery that has been reported here. All you need to do to jump the car is to make sure the positive (Red) goes to the positive. The negative (Black) goes to the negative. You can jump it from the battery in the back, or under the hood in the relay box under the windshield. If you feel unsure about it, have someone do it who knows. It is easy. As your model is 2005, if your battery is original, it is overdue for replacement.

 

Original battery?

 

see attached pdf....jump from the fuse box under the hood...

 

It is not easy to replace the Prius 12V battery. Please do a search so that you can see what is involved.

Don't be surprised if the dealer parts counter cost is ~$200 - $250 for the battery. Assuming that you must buy a battery on Monday, the dealer is really the only alternative.

If you still have jumpstart help available to you now, try fully disconnecting the 12V battery first by removing the battery's negative cable where it connects to the body. Wait 5 minutes to allow all ECUs to reset.

Then reconnect the negative cable to the body, hook up the jumpstart cables once more, and see if there is any improvement.

 

You should try again before the dealer sets you back big bucks. This battery has special ends but otherwise can be bought online much cheaper. Also you can buy adapter connectors to allow a "normal" small battery to work. I think this forum has a shop with the parts.

But the key right now is to get the "Ready" on your dash to come up. Remember the engine may not start immediately, all you want is the "Ready". The high voltage battery will then charge your 12 v battery as long as "Ready" is there. Try from the front again. You might have to leave the jumper cables on for 5 minutes to allow some charge to the rear 12 v battery. The jumper "can" be attached to the tab or the bolt (see pic) or just hold it on. Or find some cheap jumper cables with smaller ends, usually available for $15 dollars at Walmart or even a grocery.

 

A few links:
Battery from Advance Auto (link in referenced PriusChat post)
Great Deal on Optima Battery - $125 + Tax | PriusChat

Adapter cable that would allow several conventional small batteries
(I bought one ahead of time and keep it in my 08 Prius along with a cheap jumper cable)
Installation Kit for Optima battery in Prius

Instructions on replacing battery:
Prius 2004 to 2009:
Open trunk.
Remove floor and plastic panels.

The mounting bracket is a little harder as it requires a socket extender because there is plastic box in front of this.
You also have to disconnect and reconnect the ventilation hose that connects to the battery but that is not a huge challenge.

You also have to remove and reinstall a ventilation duct. (two bolts and a little finesse [explained in the instructions])
So it is more work than a traditional car but very doable if you have the tools!

Minimum tools needed:
10 mm wrench or 10mm deep socket
10mm socket
socket extender 5 inches or longer (you can put two together)
tape
straight edge screw driver
small battery or jump start battery to maintain the 12 volts in the Prius so you do not loose any presets. (Optional but recommended!)

 

The Prius battery is a Japanese form factor. Three years ago when I needed one NOBODY else had an exact replacement. More options are now available. I don't know how plentiful they are.

Look at your situation from the Service Writer's point of view. He is told a car is out of gas & completely dead. Did you expect him to tell you to fill the tank and shop around for a 12v battery? So after calling a parts store or two & maybe a battery warehouse everyone tells you they don't have a battery. So now you're taking the car to the dealer to buy their battery.

Make sure the battery is fully charged before installation. You can check the voltages through the MFD.

 

Very good. Now you know more about jump starting a Prius than most of the mechanics out there. It is very likely that the back hatch was not closed 100% allowing the "trunk" light to stay on. It will not turn itself off. It has a switch next to the light to turn it "off" permanently, which is a good idea unless you really need it. Your battery could still be good but a new one is likely warranted.

If you wish to take the graduate exam in Prius battery studies use the car display to check the 12v battery:

Prius Battery Check

Do this test after you have driven the car for at least 30 minutes. This will give the battery a chance to be fully charged.

• Put the transmission in Park.
• Engage the parking brake
• Push in the power button. (if not already on)
• Press and hold the "Info" button on the MFD while turning the headlights on and off 4 times.

• Push on Menu in upper right of display screen.
• Push on Display Check
• Push on Vehicle Signal Check
• You will see the 12 volt voltage displayed. In accessory mode the voltage should be 12.6 vdc

• With no electrical accessories on including lights the voltage should be fluctuate between 12.6 and 11.9. The lower the voltage, the less of a charge your battery currently has. If the voltage is very (10v) low do not proceed as the load test might totally discharge your battery. (If you see a voltage around 13.8 you are seeing voltage from the high voltage battery being converted to around 13.8 in an attempt to recharge your battery. This normally does not occur till after you start the engine but might occur earlier if the battery is very drained.)

• You can also test the battery by turning on the headlights, rear window heater and the heater fan. For a new battery the voltage would be around 11.3. If the voltage drops below 10.2 it should definitely be replaced. For voltages in between the lower the voltage, the lower current charge of your battery.

• Push on the brake pedal and push start. You should see Ready in the Speed display. The voltage should now read between 13.8 to 14.2 and higher in winter. This is the charging voltage!

Note: If in doubt disconnect the 12 volt battery completely (start with the negative post to avoid shorting the battery) and hook it up to a battery tester at an auto parts store.

 

Put a note on your dashboard: when the gas gauge gets low, buy gas.