Which Toyota Prius battery needs replacement? (And cost?)?

[esimonds03]

I have a 2001 Toyota Prius which had trouble starting (as in no lights on dashboard, electronic locks don't work, etc.) after a month or so of non-use, and now needs a jump to start every time, even if I leave it on and idle to charge and drive around for a while, it still won't start and requires another jump.

I am jumping the battery located in the trunk, that looks like a car battery you'd find in other cars - the reason I'm concerned is I read around all these questions and there is another Prius battery that costs thousands of dollars to replace and then there's a standard 12v battery - the one I need to replace is the standard 12v battery, correct? And the cost of that would only be around $100-$150? Do I need to go to a Toyota dealership to get a special replacement battery or any standard one works?

Also, there aren't any lights or warnings on the dashboard indicating any errors or malfunctions of any sort, just that the car won't turn on.

Thanks!

 

[peter m]

The same thing happened to me with my 2005 Prius. I left it idle and didn't drive it for three weeks and the 12 volt battery went dead. I have an auto battery charger and charged it and now it works. Were you to have the original battery that came with the car, you have gotten good service out of it as most batteries last for about five years before they need to be replaced. You will only need to replace the 12 volt battery now and you can get one at most auto parts places and the price is anywhere from the $100 to $150 range. A dealer will sell you one, but their overhead is higher than a parts place and they will charge you more for it. I suggest getting a battery with large cold cranking amps of so it will start up easier on cold days. It may cost a little more but it is worth it. I also suggest you think about selling your Prius soon because the other batteries may need to be replaced sometime, and I don't think it is worth paying the price for replacing them when you could buy a newer Prius and get better performance and longer battery life. The 2010 Prius is outstanding and I will soon be replacing mine with a 2010. Were you to replace the battery yourself, you will need to open the door using your key as the electronics aren't working, and climb into the back and open the rear door by using the manual opener that is located on the inside of the back door on the bottom toward the middle of the door. It is inside the door and is not visually apparent, so you will have to find it with your finger. Once you have the back door opened you will be able to have an easier process to remove the old battery. Make sure you remove the positive terminal first and when you install the new battery, install the negative terminal first, but before you do, reattach the ground wire to the car that is located just above the battery in the back. Also make sure you don't touch any positive connections to the battery until all negative connections are secure. When you install the positive connections make sure you don't touch any part of the car, including the negative contacts, with any tools you use while installing it or you will get a spark and possibly a jolt that may knock you on your butt or scare the heck out of you. You will have lost all of your radio and clock settings and will need to reset them after the battery is installed. The battery is heavy so be careful. Good luck.