This morning, I noticed my battery is only 60% charged. It has never been this low and is probably due to the cold weather in CO lately (4-14 degrees). Is this a cause for concern? How can I charge up the battery?

TIA

infael

Do you normally drive with the display showing the battery state of charge? How many "bars" were showing in your display when you turned it on this morning?

60 per cent doesn't sound like anything to be too concerned with... in a few months with an '04, and most of a year with an '01, I saw the battery change dramatically, depending on what kind of driving I was doing, etc.

I'd say if it's not regularly dipping into the pink, you have nothing to worry about at all. It's usual for the car to get down to, or even one bar below, the midway point if you're doing a lot of driving in stealth mode, or even if you spend 10 or 15 minutes waiting with the car on, but the engine not running.

As for charging the battery, don't worry about it! Your car is constantly keeping an eye on that battery, and will do what's best for it... aiming to keep it near the top, but not at the top of the range represented by the battery meter on your display. Remember that that display does not show the FULL capacity of the battery, just the usable part. Your car goes out of its way to keep it in that optimal range, where there's still lots of juice available for stealthing, but it's not getting too charged up, or too depleted, both of which impact the ability of the batter to take a charge.

If anything, I've noticed that my battery is more topped up in these cold weather days (between 5 above freezing and -25, C) because the engine is running to provide heat more of the time that the car is running in what would otherwise be stealth mode.

Hope that helps... don't be too concerned... it sounds like the world is unfolding for your Prius much as expected.

Over the months I've heard from a few Prius owners who were concerned about their battery charge. Don't worry... ever! It's normal to occasionally be in the green or pink. Anything blue/purple is definitely normal. Heck, unless your hybrid system completely dies and warning signs light up your vehicle like a Christmas spectacular, you have nothing to worry about ;)

On the Civic Hybrid, it charges pretty fast. (I know this is the Prius board, but battery discharges are an issue for all Hybrid owners)

Last night I was at Ikea and when leaving I noticed my battery was down to two small bars, proably less than 10%. To get it charged, I just took the freeway home at 60-65 MPH and in about 7 miles it charged the battery up to about 93%.

So fear not - discharges happen and they are reversible !!! :D

Haha, yes. Definitely apples and oranges, though. That little Civic battery is like a raisin sitting next to the Prius'. That's full vs. mild hybrid.

Hi Jason:

___Your Prius bias is showing again ... and your Full hybrid’s FE is what by comparison ;)

___Good Luck

___Wayne R. Gerdes
___Hunt Club Farms Landscaping Ltd.
___Waynegerdes@earthlink.net

Go suck an ice cube =)

Thanks all! I typically leave in screen at the consumption mode. :)

infael

When it is all said and done, if the car is working correctly your battery will never be an issue. Plus, if you are stopped and "idiling" the battery will draw down with the use of accessories. As I understand it, cabin accessories are all 12v, so power will come from the traction battery and be reduced to 12v and then pass through the 12v battery and onto the rest of the 12v accessories. That 12v aux batter doesn't have a lot of life in it compared to a regular automotive 12v. It is charged while driving from the main traction batter, of coruse after voltage has been reduced down. That is one of the reaons that it is highly advised that the car be drive at least once every 2 weeks. Also, if you are storing the vehicle or don't know when you will drive it again you can turn off the smark key function and some of the draw from the 12v will be reduced becasue the car isn't trying to "listen" for the key.