A dead battery is the most common reason a car won’t start. Don’t try and be a hero until you’ve read this article first. I will familiarise you with some tips ‘n tricks to make your jump start a great success!
Is it Possible?
Yes, you can jump-start a dead Toyota Prius. Despite being a hybrid, the fundamentals of a conventional ICE vehicle are all still present. There are a few things to consider:
- Suitable jump leads
- Find the positive terminal for both vehicles (this might not be the battery)
- Safely connect and disconnect the jump leads
- Ensure the drive battery’s plug-in charge lead is disconnected (applicable to plugin hybrids)
Can I use a Toyota Prius to Jump Start another Vehicle?
Yes! Some manufactures don’t allow using a hybrid to jump other vehicles, this is not the case for the Prius. The owner’s manual makes no mention of any warning so I believe it is OK to use a Prius to rescue another vehicle.
Where is the Prius Battery Located?
There are two batteries found in any hybrid vehicle.
- High voltage traction battery (typically ~300v powers the drive motors)
- Low voltage conventional battery (12v powers the radio, opens/closes big relays etc.)
For a jump start we need to feed the traditional 12 volt battery. Toyota have gone down the traditional route and located the battery at the front under the bonnet.
For a Prius, it is easy to access the positive of the battery (step 1) and the negative grounding point under the bonnet (step 4) below.
When setting up for a jump start, give consideration to the location of the battery positive in your rescue vehicle and arrange both vehicles such that the leads will easily reach!
Jump Start Guide
A set of jump leads is an essential item for the task. Pick up a set here for a great price.
- Park your rescue vehicle next to the stranded vehicle, with easy access to the positive terminals on both vehicles
- Switch off the ignition for both vehicles, apply handbrakes
- Connect the red cable to the rescue vehicle’s positive terminal
- Connect the other end of the red cable to the dead vehicle’s positive terminal, I’m assuming this is the Toyota Prius in this case.
- Connect the black cable to the negative terminal of the rescue vehicle’s battery.
- Connect the other end of the black cable to the chassis ground terminal on the Prius hybrid. See #4 labelled on the image below.
- Wait a few seconds, then crank the rescue vehicle to keep the engine on – don’t get your clothes hair etc. caught on rotating belts!
- Attempt to power on the Prius- if you are in luck you will get the green ‘ready’ light. Leave like this for a few minutes, for some charging to take effect.
- I would advise switching off the rescue vehicle and then proceed to remove the cables in reverse order, i.e. steps 6,5,4,3.
Considerations
Short jump leads should be preferred. Whilst longer leads might be more convenient, they suffer more of a voltage drop. These 3m jump leads are an excellent combination of value for money and performance.
Lead acid batteries can explode. They can release hydrogen gas which is flammable. Any sparks created during connection should be well away from the battery, if you connect the negative terminal to exposed metal work rather than the battery terminal – minimising the chance of an explosion.
If you have a Plug-in Prius (PHEV) Don’t ever jump-start whilst your Prius’ drive battery is being charged, this could damage the charging equipment or your Toyota.
Jump Starting Without a Rescue Vehicle
Using a jump pack is a convenient and efficient alternative to jump starting a car with a rescue vehicle. A jump pack is a portable battery pack that is specifically designed to jump-start a dead battery. It is a great solution when a rescue vehicle is not available or when you do not want to rely on another vehicle to provide the jump-start. Jump packs are easy to use and provide a quick solution to getting your car started. They are also lightweight and compact, making them easy to store in your car for emergencies.
In fact, if I were you I would get a jump pack like this excellent bit of kit for a birthday or Christmas present and keep it on hand for emergencies.
FAQs
Can I Jump Start in the Rain?
Yes you can, it is completely safe to jump start in the rain. The 12v battery has a sufficiently low voltage that it finds it impossible to cause you any kind of electrical shock.
Do you Have to Use the Battery Terminals?
When jump starting a Toyota Prius, use the terminals under the bonnet. If the Prius is the rescue vehicle, again you should use the terminals found under the bonnet.
Will a Banana Jump Start a Car
No, OF COURSE IT CAN’T, this is just internet clickbait!
You can start a car with AA batteries though, electroBOOM did it!
There are now products on the market that will essentially facilitate what you see in the video above. Around this point I would recommend you buy a mini jump pack, like this one, which will help avoid you being stranded.
What Voltage for Jump Start
The 12 volt system is used for a jump start. However, when the alternator is charging the battery, (when the engine is running), expect the voltage to be higher, ~14.5 volts.
What’s a Bump Start?
A bump start is when someone pushes you along and engages the clutch whilst in gear to start the engine. This will allow the wheels to turn the engine over instead of the starter motor.
The energy of someone pushing the car is transferred into the rotation of the engine. Pushing energy replaces the electrical energy required from the battery to start the engine using the starter motor. This technique is impossible with an automatic transmission.
Do not pull or push the Toyota Prius to try and start it, always use the jump start procedure instead. The complexities of the hybrid drivetrain render this technique impossible. And can damage the automatic transmission
Before you go…
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