[mangobits]

Hello! I'm a brand new member here - just this month I purchased a 2007 Prius Touring with about 180,000 miles on it. It seemed to be in excellent condition and was running fine until last week.

It was very cold here in Minnesota and when I went out in the morning (after not driving for 3 days, probably a mistake) it turned on okay but wouldn't go into drive. I turned it off and on a few times, as did a neighbor who was trying to help, and we must have killed the battery. A friend came and jumped it and the radio and heat came right back on, but none of the dash lights lit up. I was parked in a snow emergency lane so I needed to move it, and I was able to no problem, though still no dash lights. I let it idle for about 30 minutes then turned it off and on again, and the dash lit up and seemed normal. I drove around the block a few times then parked it. The next day I went out and it wouldn't start.

Any idea what might be going on? I haven't had a car for about 6 years and I've never had a hybrid so I'm probably making some embarrassing rookie mistakes here.

 

[Easy Rider]

Any idea what might be going on? I haven't had a car for about 6 years and I've never had a hybrid so I'm probably making some embarrassing rookie mistakes here.

While the symptoms are a bit different with a hybrid, your experience likely is a classic case of a failed battery.
Weak batteries often are pushed "over the edge" in really cold weather.

When you can, get the 12 V battery and charging voltage tested.

Note: When you first tried to start it and everything appeared to be "normal"......until you tried to put it in gear.......IF you had waited a few minutes, the engine likely would have eventually started......maybe. The engine starts from the hybrid battery, not the 12 V.
With a 15 year old car and that kind of mileage, your hybrid battery might be getting weak too.

 

[mangobits]

Thank you! I'll be sure to take it in and in the future I'll let it run longer if it turns on but isn't fully operable - I was kicking myself that day for not just waiting it out!

One thing to note, the hybrid battery and 12V battery were both replaced a few months before I purchased the car. I have the maintenance records for the hybrid battery replacement but not for the 12V...

Is there anything else you'd suggest I do to prevent future issues with this?

 

[Easy Rider]

Is there anything else you'd suggest I do to prevent future issues with this?

No. The 12 V battery needs to be kept charged up.
Either by driving regularly or with a tender or with a few hours on a bigger charger once a week or so.

Was the hybrid battery replaced with a NEW one......or a rebuild or refurbished ??.

It is also possible that the new 12 V never was fully charged.......which is not good.

 

[mangobits]

The receipt doesn't indicate that it was a rebuild or refurbished hybrid battery. The service was completed at a Toyota dealership and it looks like the parts cost was $1950.

 

[Easy Rider]

The receipt doesn't indicate that it was a rebuild or refurbished hybrid battery. The service was completed at a Toyota dealership and it looks like the parts cost was $1950.

Should be new then.
But don't automatically assume that it can NOT be defective.......because it can be.
And it might not have been installed exactly right either.
Let's hope that it is fine.

 

[mangobits]

I'll definitely take it in and see what's up! Thank you so much for your help with this. I don't know a lot about cars so it's really wonderful to be able to build my knowledge here!

 

[Easy Rider]

I'll definitely take it in and see what's up! Thank you so much for your help with this. I don't know a lot about cars so it's really wonderful to be able to build my knowledge here!

Assuming you go back to the shop that did the battery, you might want to ask them if your hybrid battery is new or a refirb.