How to Jump Start Your Toyota Hybrid Battery!, by Fred Anderson Toyota on YouTube. 4 min 15 s.
- Video length
- 4 min 15 s
- Time to do it
- 10 minutes
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Steps
- 7
What you need
Steps
Open the hood and find the fuse box near the front. Pop off the lid to reach the positive jump start terminal marked with a plus sign.
Connect the red clamp of your jumper cable or booster pack to that positive terminal. Make sure the clamp bites metal, not plastic.
Find a solid unpainted metal bolt or bracket on the engine block for the negative clamp. Connect the black clamp there, not to the battery.
If you are using a second car, start its engine and let it run for a minute or two. Then press the power button on your Toyota with the brake pedal held down.
Once the dashboard lights up and the READY indicator comes on, let the hybrid run for a few minutes. Then remove the black clamp first, then the red clamp.
Close the fuse box lid and the hood. Drive the car for at least 20 to 30 minutes so the 12V battery can recharge.
If the car still will not start after two attempts, stop and call a jump start service or your dealer. Do not keep cranking.
Tips and common mistakes
Never clamp the negative cable to the negative post of the small 12V battery on a hybrid, as a spark near battery gases can be dangerous.
Keep the clamps from touching each other or any metal while the cables are live.
A portable lithium jump pack is easier and safer than a second car for most hybrid owners.
If the car needs a jump every week, have the 12V battery tested before replacing anything else.
Questions
Can I jump start a Toyota hybrid with a normal car?
Yes. Use the under-hood positive terminal and a metal ground point, and keep the donor car engine running only while you start the hybrid. Do not connect to the hybrid battery itself.
Why does my Toyota hybrid not start even with a good hybrid battery?
The hybrid system still uses a small 12V battery to power the computers and relays. If that battery is flat, the car will not go into READY mode even when the big battery is charged.
Where is the jump start terminal on a Toyota hybrid?
It is in the fuse box under the hood, marked with a plus sign. The exact spot varies by model, so check the owner's manual for your car.
This guide was drafted from the video's details and general task knowledge. It has not been checked against the full video. Check the video and relevant product instructions before following a procedure. Report a correction.
