Hi all, The situation: Plugging a portable DVD player into the socket inside the storage console/armrest while having an active cell-phone charger in the socket under the glove box has blown a fuse. I found in the manual (after the fact, of course), that doing so is a no-no. I don't have the book with me, but I need to quickly determine which fuse has blown, which box that fuse is located, and whether a replacement is something I can get an Auto Zone, Pep Boys, etc. This is a 2006 model. Thank you!
I just posted fuse info in another thread. http://priuschat.com/forums/care-maintenance-troubleshooting/51042-fuse-types.html#post673116 Pop the hood and look in the fuse box. The fuse box is on the driver's side near the headlight. You can find out which fuse blew under the fuse box cover. It has two spare fuses if I remember correctly, 7.5 Amps and 15 Amps. Most likely, it will have a spare that you'll need. The box has a tool to pull out these tiny fuses. I found out the hard way... I found the tool after I was done.
Update: I got the handy fuse tool out of the case in the fuse box in the engine compartment, determined which fuses could be blown, and found one that was toast. I replaced it with a spare from the engine compartment's fuse box -- same amperage rating -- plugged in a charger, connected a cell phone, and found power was still cut off. Went back into the fuse panel and found the replacement fuse immediately blown. If I'm to follow instructions in the 2006 owner's manual (p. 417), then a trip to the dealer for work on the electrical system is in order. The fuse panel in question is under the instrument panel, and the fuse in question, according to the numbering/layout guide on page 430 of the 2006 owner's manual is number 19. It's labeled PWR OUTLET 15 A: power outlet. Note that the other power outlet fuse, number 21, labeled PWR OUTLET FR 15 A: Power outlet is not blown.
Hi Ben, My first suggestion is that you buy several replacement 15A fuses of the correct physical size, so that you can replenish the spare and have extras to work with. My second suggestion is that you replace the failed fuse, then see if you can measure 12VDC coming from both power outlets using a digital voltmeter. If both outlets are providing correct voltage, can you plug just one of your accessories into one outlet (keeping the other outlet empty) to see if that accessory will power up? If you can power one accessory successfully; but two accessories cause the fuse to blow, then I would conclude that the current required by both accessories is excessive. What is the DVD player's current requirement?
I agree with Patrick's advise above. Sounds like you either have a problem somewhere in your 12V system, or perhaps something is wrong with the cell phone charger. I'd agree that some troubleshooting is advisable before bringing it into the dealer since you don't want to go that route if it's the charger that's causing the problem. FWIW, we have had no problems on trips with our Sirius reciever plugged into the center console outlet and a portable DVD player plugged into the under-dash outlet at the same time for several hours. It's hard to imagine that your cell phone charger (if opperating properly) is using as much current as our Sirius reciever does, as it throws off quite a bit of heat (I swear the thing acts a mini space heater). I don't know the aperage of either unit off hand though.
last time i went shopping for prius fuses, they seem really hard to find theres like a regular size fuse, a mini fuse, and the weird fuses that the prius use (mini low profile). will a regular mini fuse fit in the prius's low profile mini fuse slot?
I recommend only using fuses with the correct physical size. If you can't find them at your discount auto parts store, then I am sure that your local Toyota dealer will have them in stock ...
