Real Newbie question: Jumpstarting?

If the Prius' 12V battery is dead, the car can be "jumped" from another car or 12V power source. The + terminal is under a red cap in the fuse box on the driver's side under the hood, in LH drive cars.

You can not assist other conventional cars with dead batteries since the puny 12V battery in the Prius is only used to boot the computers and close the HV relay, not crank the cold engine. You might be able to give another Prius a "jump".

It's detailed in your owner's manual.

 

from my understanding of the manual, the only way a prius can jump start another car
is to :

1) keep the other guys car off
2) connect both vehicles
3) turn on prius
4) take the other guys car keys*
5)wait 5 minutes or more
6) disconnect jumper cables
7) give the keys back and try to start the other car

* - if the other person tries to actually start his car, this can seriously fry your prius.

 

<_< I'm with rigormortis... in a sense... HOWEVER,

If someone needed a jump start, I would offer them the use of my cellphone to call for assistance. The chances of serious damage to the Prius is too great to convenience a driver in need. The Prius' 12-volt auxiliary battery is about the size of a motorcycle battery, not nearly large enough for a jump.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(GoEco @ May 29 2007, 01:40 PM) [snapback]451578[/snapback]</div>

IMO you are better off with a portable jump start battery. The Prius will pretty much send a trickle charge to the other car.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Charles Suitt @ May 29 2007, 10:11 AM) [snapback]451510[/snapback]</div>

This is what I do! I tell them, this car is different, It has no alternator and cannot jump another car. And I offer to make a call for them, or perhaos to let them use my phone.

Of course, now that I almost never drive my Prius anymore, if someone asked for a jump from my Xebra, I'd be able to tell them, This car runs on 84 volts. It would fry yours. And then I'd offer the phone.