Dead battery? - GreenHybrid

Jason · #1 (**permalink**) 12-21-2005, 05:10 PM

I realized a few days ago that I forgot to disable the Smart Entry system when I left Houston during Christmas Break. The car will be sitting in a lot for almost a month. You think the battery will die? After all, the manual says to disable the system if you're gone for more than 2 weeks!

singingtiger · #2 (**permalink**) 12-21-2005, 07:43 PM

Several times I have not driven my Prius for a month and have only normal driving starts when I resumed.

Most recently I did not drive for five weeks with many below zero temperature nights, car parked outside, and all functions normal upon first drive after this delay.

JeromeP · #3 (**permalink**) 12-22-2005, 01:01 AM

Jason,

I'm really inclined to believe that you are going to be ok. I can't see that the draw of teh antitheft light and the smart key will do that much. Anyway, the Smart key system on the vehicle will stop broadcasting a signal if it doesn't recieve any good responses from fobs. I believe that is a 14 day period and after that the smart key goes dormant. That means, that when you get back into Houston and go to reach out to the door handle, it will not respond. Use the unlock button on the remote and the car should unlock. Once that is done Smartkey turns back on again and you should be able to start without putting the key in the slot.

Enjoy the time off from College, Jason. I know I tried ot make the most of any vacation time I got when I was in college. Merry Christmas.

AndyTiedye · #4 (**permalink**) 12-29-2005, 07:19 PM

Even if it does, it's only the aux battery. You can jump that like any other car.
It's the HV battery that you really don't want to run down (and it would
take more than a month of sitting to do that).

Schwa · #5 (**permalink**) 12-30-2005, 12:49 AM

The 12v may croak... My friend's died after just 3 days of sitting, but he had other stuff hooked up to it using power, plus it's been dead a couple times already so it's capacity is stunted. It would be really nice if they could include an option that you can turn on for long-term storage that would start the car as soon as it gets down to a certain level (like 11 volts) and top off the 12v battery and to maintain the HV charge if necessary.