Is It Easy to Replace a Prius Battery
How to Change a 12V Prius Battery: 12V Battery Replacement
Dan has always done his own auto repairs whether on motorcycles, boats, cars, or even motorhomes.
How to install a new 12-volt battery in a Toyota Prius
Wilderness
Changing a Prius 12-Volt Bombardment
The Toyota Prius has 2 batteries in it: a large 200-volt battery that is used to drive the car in the electrical mode and a modest 12-volt battery that is used to operate the accessories such every bit lights, radio, etc. This article is written to show how to change the smaller, 12-volt battery.
Dissimilar most cars, this battery is not a very uncomplicated affair to modify or install. It is buried in the body, not under the hood, and there are many items in the mode of getting the work done. Nevertheless, it is not particularly difficult every bit long as yous understand where it is and what needs to be done to give admission to information technology. The chore is well within the capabilities of the ordinary homeowner and should not require too much time to accomplish. The changeover shown in the photos was done in about a one-half hr by someone fairly experienced in working on cars but that had never done a Prius battery change.
Like every auto battery, the 1 in the Prius will vesture out—it is normally proficient for around 5 to six years but can last longer. Unfortunately, information technology loses its strength when left in place as well long and will go dead much quicker if the auto isn't driven daily. An overage battery tin can also negatively affect the gas mileage your Prius will get as the car will continually attempt to charge it back to total status merely the battery simply won't accept a total charge anymore. That takes gas; gas that could exist going into moving the car but is instead going into a futile endeavour to charge a bombardment that is partially expressionless.
Finding a Replacement Battery for the Prius
The Prius battery is an unusual 1—it is smaller than normal cars carry and has a glass mat construction rather than the normal lead-acid blazon. Information technology tin can be purchased from a Toyota dealer, of form, but there is too one other option.
Just one company makes a battery that is a directly replacement for the Prius battery and it is considerably superior to the one from Toyota at about the same toll. That company is Optima, a well-known battery manufacturer that produces superlative-quality batteries, and the model number as of the fourth dimension of this article is the Optima DS46B24R. This battery is a direct replacement for the 2004 and newer model Prius that is equipped with a smart central system, as nearly cars in that range are.
It is slightly besides large for cars that are not equipped with the smart key; it fits into a depression in the trunk that in other models is just a bit too modest. There is another Optima that is described as fitting into earlier models or cars without the smart primal system, just this author cannot guarantee that it will fit properly. That bombardment also requires some modification to the battery terminals to be used, and installation kits are available for that.
Make sure, then, that if you are purchasing ane of the Optima batteries (highly recommended over the stock Prius battery from Toyota) that the correct model number of DS46B24R is purchased; while other models may fit without a special installation kit, they may not.
Update: Since the writing of this article, ACDelco, a part of General Motors, has begun offering these batteries equally well. Amazon carries the ACDelco ACDB24R battery too, and it, too, is an exact fit for the Prius in the years discussed, at a considerably lower price.
There aren't a lot of tools necessary for this task; it only isn't that major. Brand sure yous have the following on hand, though:
- Either a 1/4" or 3/viii" drive ratchet
- An extension for the ratchet, about five" long. A 3" is as well brusque; an 8" probably too long.
- 10 mm socket, preferable a deep socket
- 12 mm socket, shallow or deep
- Large flat screwdriver or small crowbar. Information technology volition be used to spread the battery terminal for easy removal.
- An old glove, rag or some other method to cover the battery last and so that it doesn't short out on surrounding metal.
Removing the Prius Battery
Before starting the work you will demand to decide whether yous want to keep power to the vehicle at all times. Failure to practise so is not a major problem but you lot will lose such data as the radio presets and power window limits if you don't maintain power. Neither is a big thing to correct—input the radio information again and run the windows upward and down a few times.
If you want to avoid this small trouble, you will need another battery (maybe in another auto) and jumper cables or a bombardment charger. Instructions are in the department below, and in one case the power source is connected you can proceed. Do take detect of the circumspection given at that place.
- Open the hatchback and if you have a flooring mat in that location, remove it. Remove the rug and the comprehend over the hidden storage space.
- Remove the plastic storage bin, exposing the spare tire.
- The battery is located under a plastic molding on the far right, in the rear of the body. Unsnap the molding and remove information technology. This volition expose the battery to view.
- Crossing the top of the battery is a squarish air duct used to cool the primary drive battery. It is far also close to the battery to let removal and must exist removed earlier the battery tin be taken out. There is a 10 mm bolt on the side of the car, backside the carpeting on the side, and another nearer the heart of the car. Pull the carpeting upwardly plenty to accomplish the commodities and remove it besides equally the 2d bolt; the duct tin then be worked out and set aside.
- It volition exist far easier if the restriction controller, just to the inside of the car from the battery, is moved bated. There are three 12 mm bolts holding information technology; remove those bolts and carefully swing it aside and out of the manner. There volition still exist wires fastened to it, so take intendance non to tug hard on those wires.
- Remove the positive cable from the bombardment, including the plastic housing over the terminal. Loosen the ten mm bolt and, with a screwdriver or small pry bar, open up the last a small amount. Lift the terminal straight up, being very careful not to let information technology to touch whatever role of the car. Cover it with an sometime glove or wrap a rag around it to foreclose shorting to the motorcar body and set it out of the way.
- Remove the bombardment agree down, a bar across the top of the battery. There is a ten mm bolt on i side and a 10 mm nut on the other; take them both out and remove the hold downwardly.
- Information technology will be easier to remove the negative terminal from the car body rather than from the battery. There is a 10 mm bolt property information technology to the car, and that bolt is much easier to reach than the bolt on the concluding itself. Remove that bolt and fold the wire over the battery.
- There is a vent tube on the forward side of the battery. Pull the tube straight out of the bombardment and, without pulling it from the machine, set information technology out of the way.
- Lift the battery out of the car and remove the negative battery terminal and wire from the bombardment. Take find of how it is pointed before removing.
You are ready to install the new 12-volt Prius battery.
Gyre to Go on
Read More from AxleAddict
Keeping Power to the Automobile
While not absolutely necessary, it will exist advantageous to continue some power to the car during the bombardment change in club to keep the settings on the radio and windows.
To do this, open up the hood. On the far commuter's side is the fuse box; pop the lid open. Within is a large red plastic embrace over the positive jump beginning terminal. Remove the plastic encompass.
Connect either a battery charger or jumper cables from another battery or car. The positive wire goes to the bolt terminal under the plastic cap, and the negative (black) wire can exist clamped to a nearby bolt caput on the body near the windshield.
Caution! Connecting the wires backwards may cause several thousand (yes, thousand) dollars worth of damage to the electronics of the car. Make absolutely sure that you know which wire goes where earlier making any connections! Your Prius manual has further directions; the wires are to be connected exactly as if you were going to jump-start the car.
Installing the New Prius 12-Volt Bombardment
Installation of the new battery is a reversal of the steps already taken.
- Install the negative terminal wire onto the new bombardment, making sure it is pointed in the same direction as it was on the former bombardment.
- Set the battery into the floor crenel, with the positive final towards the front of the car.
- Bolt the negative terminal to the motorcar torso.
- Gear up the hold downwards bar into identify and commodities it down. Just snug the commodities and nut; excessive tightening volition do nothing but bend the bar and could, if grossly over-tightened, crack the battery.
- Attach the positive terminal associates, existence careful not to twist the wires from the position they were in originally.
- Supervene upon the vent tube past pressing it into the hole in the side of the bombardment.
- Replace and bolt the cooling vent for the principal battery pack.
- Replace restriction controller, bolting information technology all iii locations.
At present is a good fourth dimension to remove the jumper bombardment or bombardment charger, if used, and test commencement the car. If it does not start, carefully cheque that the positive and negative wires are in the right location on the bombardment and, if necessary, provide a jump start. Once you lot have started the car, turn it back off and the rest of the installation can continue.
- Replace the plastic molding covering the battery associates.
- Supercede the subconscious storage over the spare tire.
- Replace the flooring over the storage area.
- Replace both carpeting and whatever floor mats.
- Disconnect the jumper battery or battery charger, if used, in the engine compartment.
Almost batteries will come with sufficient charge in them to start upwardly the electronics of the Prius, but volition need boosted charging before long. You will need to have the car for a short drive, a few miles, every bit soon as convenient.
If you lot're satisfied with the results of the quiz, information technology's time to starting time the project. Return to the offset and carefully follow each step. You will save yourself effectually $100 past doing the work yourself.
The new battery. The negative wire is attached and it is ready to prepare into place.
Wilderness
This article is accurate and true to the best of the writer's knowledge. Content is for informational or amusement purposes only and does non substitute for personal counsel or professional advice in business, financial, legal, or technical matters.
Questions & Answers
Question: Will a Prius starting time with a dead 12-volt battery?
Reply: Just with a jumper bombardment or automobile attached. It requires that 23V supply to start.
Question: How do I reprogram a 2012 Toyota Prius?
Reply: If all you need is new radio presets and window controls, put them into the radio and run the windows up and down a few times. There should exist zippo more than that from simply changing a battery.
Question: Tin a 12V battery overnight charger be used to recharge a Prius?
Answer: A normal automotive bombardment charger tin be used to recharge the 12V battery in a Prius. It cannot be used to recharge the large high voltage battery that moves the machine.
Question: Does a 2009 Prius need to exist reprogrammed afterwards a new battery is replaced?
Answer: If you disconnect all sources of 12V ability to the car a few things will need re-programmed, such as the windows and radio settings. They are all very elementary (run the windows up and downwards, input the desired radio stations, etc.) and there is nothing that will keep the car from operating fine. (I'm assuming you lot refer to the small 12V battery, not the ane that moves the machine.)
Question: How do I check my 12v battery voltage?
Answer: Using a volt meter, cheque between the "jumper" connexion nether the hood and a good ground. With the engine off plough on the headlights for x minutes and re-check. Both times it should be 12V or a footling more.
© 2013 Dan Harmon
Related Articles
Source: https://axleaddict.com/auto-repair/How-to-Change-A-Prius-Battery-12V-Battery-Replacement