How to Jumpstart a Prius Safely in 2024: Easy Jump Starting Steps

Jumpstart a Prius Safely

Gotten yourself a dead or drained battery and wondering how to jumpstart a Prius? No worries, as you can jumpstart a Prius in a few simple steps like other vehicles.

Having a dead battery while driving on an important day can be a dreadful experience. Therefore, it is necessary to learn the process of jumpstarting a Prius.

We have got a step-by-step guide for jumpstarting a Prius. The guide is simple, well-explained, and actually works. So, let’s teach you everything about jumpstarting a Prius!

Everything You Need to Know Before Jump Starting a Prius

What Does it Mean by Jumpstart?

Jumpstarting or boosting a vehicle means to start it when the vehicle’s battery has died. All you have to do for this is connect a jumper cable with your car and another car’s well-working battery.

You can also use a portable jump starter for this purpose.

It might sound simple, but there are some precisions to remember while jumpstarting a Prius. So, read further to learn about them!

Why Do You Need to Jumpstart Your Prius?

Jumpstart a Prius

The battery in the Prius helps it to start and run the car. But if the battery dies, how will the vehicle work?

Here’s the thing:

The Prius needs a jumpstart when the battery dies or depletes.

When the battery dies, no chemical reactions are occurring inside the battery. Unfortunately, no chemical reactions mean it can’t provide the required power to the Prius to start.

In this case, you need another source of electrical power. That’s when jumpstarting comes in handy.

Which Things are Required for Jumpstarting a Prius?

There are some simple things that you need to jumpstart a Prius. These things are:

  • A pair of jumper cable or portable jump starter
  • Another car with a good battery

What Kind of Battery Do do You Need for Jumpstarting?

You can jumpstart your Prius and other Toyota Hybrid models from any car’s battery. The battery of the assisting car should be well-charged and well-working so that you don’t drain that battery as well.

How to Jumpstart A Prius: Step-by-Step Guide

How to Jumpstart A Prius

Now that you know the basics of jumpstarting a Prius let’s learn how to execute the process of jumpstarting.

Step 1: Preparation

To jumpstart a Prius, you need to have jumper cables. Jumper cables are available at gas stations or car part stores.

You can also jumpstart a Prius through a portable jump starter. We will discuss that process later.

Moreover, you need to find another car with a good battery for this purpose. Park the helping car near your Prius. It should be close enough so that the jump leads can easily reach the battery of the assisting car.

A good way to park the cars is to park both of the cars parallel to each other.

Step 2: Learn the Jumper Cables

There are two sets of cables included in the jump leads. One set is for the positive terminal of the fuse box, and the other is for the negative terminal of the fuse box.

Never connect the positive wire with the battery’s negative terminal, as it can cause technical difficulties.

Usually, the red part of the jumper cables is positive, whereas the black part of the cables is negative.

Step 3: Prepare the Cars

Now, you should switch off both of the cars. Never do this process with a turned-on car, as it can be dangerous.

After turning the cars off, open the hoods of both cars.

Step 4: Locate the Fuse Box

For the Prius, the fuse box is located on the driver’s side under a cover. The fuse box cover is usually black in color and big enough to locate it. It has a vaguely rectangular shape and a plastic material.

Locate-the-Fuse-Box-How-to-Jumpstart-A-Prius

Step 5: Fuse Box Operation

Remove the lid of the fuse box by pushing on little tabs and open the fuse box.

Now, you have to locate the positive and negative terminals of your battery. The positive terminal is usually on the top side of the fuse box and covered with a red lid.

It is easy to locate as it has a “plus sign” on it which means positive. This terminal is to connect the positive jumper cable. (the red one)

The battery of the Prius is located in the interior. However, you have these ports for the sole purpose of jump-starting the car easily.

You have to lift the red lid, and a metal piece comes through. So that’s where the positive jump lead will go.

But where is the negative side of the jumper cable? Well, the thing is:

You connect it to a metal stud which is located away from the fuse box. It is on the left side of the Prius.

Step 6: Jumper Cable Connections

Now that you know where to connect which part of the jumper cable, it is easy.

Take the jumper cable and connect the positive (red) lead to the positive part of your car’s battery inside the fuse box. The other part of the positive jumper cables connects to the helping car’s positive battery terminal.

The black (negative) lead of the jumper cable connects to the negative terminal of the helping car’s battery. Its other part attaches to the metal piece located at the left, away from the moving parts.

Step 7: Jumpstart the Prius

First, you should turn on the engine of the other car. Wait for at least 5 minutes before turning on your car. This will allow the depleted battery to gain enough power from the external source to start the vehicle.

After 5 minutes, turn on the power switch on the Prius. When the car is ready to operate, a ready sign will blink. Please do not start the car before this sign, or it simply won’t work.

When the ready notification appears, start the car.

Step 8: Disconnect the Cables

Disconnecting the cables should be done in a reverse manner. For example, you connected the negative jump lead to the metal stud in the end. Therefore, you should do this step first.

After that, remove the jump lead from the other car’s negative battery terminal.

The next step should be to remove the jump lead from the positive terminal of the assisting car. Lastly, remove the jumper cables from your Prius fuse box.

Make sure you secure the fuse box lid cover tightly.

If you need an easy video tutorial on how to jumpstart a Prius, Check out below.

How to Jump Start a Prius Using Portable Jumpstarter

You can jumpstart your Prius using a portable jump starter with 12 volts. Portable jump starters are like batteries that don’t need to be sitting inside another car. It means you can jumpstart the Hybrid without any assisting vehicle.

Recharge the Jumpstarter

Jumpstarters store battery and that battery can die as well. So you need to recharge the battery of the Jumpstarter after every use.

It is better to recharge it before going on a long trip. Moreover, the jump starter has a light indicator that tells you when it needs a recharge. When the battery is fully recharged, the light indicator tells that as well.

Jumpstarting Process

Just like jumpstarting through another vehicle, jumpstarting through a jump starter is the same.

The positive terminal of the jumpstarter is red, while the negative terminal is black. Connect the terminals with the car’s fuse box and metal stud and repeat the process explained above.

Note: if the car doesn’t start after trying to jump-start it, it might need a new battery.

Prius Jump

Do’s and Don’ts of Prius Jump Starting Jumpstarting

There are some safety precautions to take while jumpstarting a Prius. These will save you and your engine from damage.

Do’s

  • Choose a metal stud that is unpainted and immovable. Better to use the exact stud recommended by the Toyota manual.
  • Make sure the battery of the other car should have the same voltage as the Prius.
  • Turn off the engine while jumpstarting the Prius.
  • If there are any accessories connected to the car, unplug them while jump-starting.
  • Keep the jumper cables secured tightly on the terminals, so they don’t shake loose.

Don’ts

  • If your battery is leaking or cracked, do not jump-start the car.
  • Both the cars should not be touching each other.

Prius Battery Related Problems

Prius Battery Related Problems

There are a few common problems with Prius batteries. Let’s discuss them!

01. Replacement of Prius Battery

Replacing a Hybrid battery is costly. Therefore, it is better to maintain the battery and your car. Moreover, get your battery checked by a professional after a jump start to making sure the battery is doing well.

02. Keep the Battery Charged

If you don’t use your Hybrid for a long time, it is better to keep the battery charged.

For this, turn the Prius on and keep it on ready mode for an hour. This will charge both batteries of the Prius.

Signs You Need a Battery Replacement

What if your Prius battery needs to be replaced? How can you identify such a situation?

You need a battery replacement in the following cases:

  • Jumpstarting the battery doesn’t work
  • The MPG of the car has become lower
  • Dim light functions
  • Engine starts slower than before
  • The battery has reached its lifespan

Moreover, it is important to check the battery health of Prius. You can learn it here!

Maintenance Tips for Toyota Prius

Here are some tips and tricks for maintaining Toyota Prius:

  • Always use one type of engine oil for the Prius. Don’t change the engine oil type frequently.
  • Check the tire pressure of the Prius regularly. Maintaining the tires is safe for your car and you as well.
  • Invest in tire insurance for Prius. It will keep you on the safe side.
  • Keep the Prius covered when not using it. It will keep the car clean, fresh looking and save it from scratches as well.
  • Learn all the warning lights of your Prius, and never ignore any warning.
  • Keep all the fluids of Prius full such as power steering fluid, washer fluid, motor oil, transmission fuel, etc.

FAQs

Let’s answer FAQs regarding Prius to increase your knowledge and assist you further!

How Long Do Prius Batteries Last?

The Prius battery comes with a warranty of 10 years. It can work for 150,000 miles. Of course, this is for the states with California emission laws.

For other states, the warranty is for 8 years and 100,000 miles.

The battery life depends upon how much you drive and how you drive. If you maintain your car, it can last you for 200,000 miles as well.

How Long Does it Take to Charge a Battery After a Jump?

The time it takes to charge a battery after a jump can vary depending on the type of battery, its age, and its condition.

In general, it can take several hours to fully recharge a battery using a battery charger, but you may be able to get enough charge to start the engine after just a few minutes of driving.

It’s important to monitor the battery’s charge level and have it tested if it repeatedly fails to hold a charge.

Can You Drive a Prius with a Dead Hybrid Battery?

You can certainly drive a Prius with a dead hybrid battery. However, there are some disadvantages to it. The sole purpose of parallel Hybrid is to keep going even when one component fails to operate until it is repaired.

The car will be sluggish, and the fuel economy will drop a lot. It will provide you with a rougher drive.

However, you can drive it to a mechanic with a dead battery if there are no options left.

Do You Need to Replace the Battery After Jump Starting?

The answer to this question varies for different situations. If your battery died due to an unknown reason, you should get it checked to know why you needed a jumpstart in the first place.

The mechanic will let you know if it needs to be replaced.

Another way to test it is to recharge the battery for about 30 minutes after jump starting. If the battery keeps charging, it means it is well enough to operate further. Otherwise, get the vehicle checked.

How Long Does Jumpstart a Prius Take?

Jumpstarting a Prius can take anywhere from 30-60 minutes. However, the preparation process and jumpstarting process don’t take as long.

It can take you about 10-15 minutes. However, you should run the vehicle for a good 30 minutes up to 2 hours to recharge the battery.

How Can You Jumpstart a Prius from the Back?

Jumpstarting a Prius from the back is similar to jumpstarting any other car. You will need a donor car with a 12-volt battery and jumper cables. Connect the red positive cable to the positive terminal of the donor car’s battery and then connect the other end to the positive terminal of the Prius’ auxiliary battery, located in the rear cargo area.

Connect the black negative cable to the negative terminal of the donor car’s battery and then connect the other end to a metal grounding point on the Prius, away from the battery.

Start the donor car and let it run for a few minutes to charge the Prius’ battery. Start the Prius and let it run for a few minutes before disconnecting the cables in reverse order.

Conclusion

Learning how to jumpstart a Prius is important as it can save you when your battery dies. If the car doesn’t start, you can try jump-starting again after 2-3 minutes.

Always follow all the safety precautions to avoid damaging your car as well as yourself. Following the recommended instructions for jumpstarting will save you from many dangers.

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