Hello guys I need some help/advise! Our 2005 prius didn't want to start a couple times leaving the wife stranded for a few minuts until she tried again and started it. Then sometimes not even the locks popped up with the fob or the tiny light on the fob came on so I replaced the cr2032 battery and it worked fine again,at least for a couple times because it's still doing it. I just checked the battery readings thru the display and it seems fine 13.4V while stopped, and 14.1 while running at 10mph. I also used a volt meter directly at the battery and it gave me 13.2V . It has done it 3 or 4 more times and it will start as son as I jump the battery. Any ideas or suggestions? Thanks!
welcome! i don't think you're measuring the battery properly. how old is it? pop the hood and let the car sit for a few hours. then, without turning the car on or opening a door, put your meter on the jump point in the fuse box, and check the reading.
Since the car will start when the battery is jumped, then there are only two possibilities: 1. The 12V battery is bad despite your measurements 2. The battery cables are loose. Check both cables at the battery, and the negative cable where it bolts to the body.
I do not know how old it is, i'll have to check if there is a date stamped on it. We just bought the car. So I just checked the battery this morning at the jumping port, without bringing the fob close to the car and it read 12.50V/12.49V. And then I went to get the fob and it started normal. The wife just left to run some errands so I'll see what it did to her when she gets back (if it gets back lol). I just did this morning 12.50V/12.49V. And the car started fine. The bad battery theory is my first thought. I worked on the Hybrid battery a month ago but I remember tightening the negative bolt really good but since I did not lossened the positive and negative on the battery itself i did not checked them at all. I'll look into that when the vehicle gets back and let you know. I just checked voltage but had to oped the door to pop the hood open. I'll try later leaving the hood unlatched. I'll post results when I try.
some shoppes have a machine that puts a load on the battery to see if it's in good health, as opposed to standing voltage which can sometimes be deceiving. i think you can do something similar with headlights, power windows and etc, but the machine tests the battery separate from the wiring, which as patrick says, might be the problem.
I see. The car made it back fine, so I'll have to keep an eye on synthoms,meanwhile I'll find out who can perform a load test around here and take it if it keeps doing it. Thanks !
keep in mind, prius batteries are very small. they don't like to be drained, and can become finicky. if you decide to look at the date, and it's more than 5 or 6 years old, you may want to replace it. it's not worth getting stranded somewhere.
OK Guys, I did not had a chance to mess with this until this afternoon and looks like and I hope Patrick Wong was right. The battery cable on the positive side was a little loose, just enough to spin it with your hand so I'll keep my fingers crossed so that was my problem and it will be solved. Now i just have to watch it doesn't do it again, so far it's been fine. So Thank you Patrick Wong, Bisco and Jim Porta for the help! Very much appreciated!! I'll keep you posted if it does it again(hope not) and what was the solution (if I find it).
