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My battery is dead. How to re-charge?

5.1K views 4 replies 5 participants last post by  Skinny guy  
#1 ·
My first hybrid is this car is a bit foreign to me.

My car's battery is completely dead. I charged it for 5 minutes with my truck, and it turns on; so I drove it around for another 5 minutes around the neighborhood. But I feel the car was driving on electricity; not gas. So I wasn't sure if the alternator is turning and charging the battery. Then after parking the car for an hour, the car's battery is gone again.

How can I bring a hybrid car's battery back to life? Can I force the gas engine to run?
 
#2 ·
The hybrid batt (high voltage) only drives the electric traction motor (also used to start engine) and a/c, the rest is operated by the 12V battery (meaning the ECU which runs everything), so if this batt is dead there is no start to the vehicle.

If its 3-4 yrs old its probably going bad/or has bad cells. You can jump it (or try charging it with a battery charger of your choice) and try to make it to an autozone or like place for further testing. If you have a voltage tester check it, s/b at least 12.6, otherwise go get another one. Luck.
 
#3 ·
Ok, you have 2 batteries.
1. traction, aka hybrid battery. You should be able to see its state of charge on the display. Anything above the bottom 2 marks is Ok.
2. 12V battery. Presuming, that is the one you charged off the truck.
Start with replacing 12V.


Read through the last about 2 pages, for the latest on batteries.
 
#4 ·
it needs a load test.. take it to a shop that sells and installs AGM 12v car batteries (not many have the particular 12v agm battery you will need in stock, but they can get usually them), ask them to do tests to see if has issues taking and keeping a charge. Get a smart charger that charges your battery at home, often they have an AGM mode. I also have a jump starter I keep charged and ready to use, just in case (Gooloo).