Tailgate

Herbie · November 24, 2018

Our car is used daily so I can't really see a problem with the 12V Battery going flat due to lack of use unless (being as I'm the only driver) it's something medical that prevents me from using it.

I'm assuming that the mechanical key would still open the driver's door but what about the tailgate? Can that be opened manually or is there an electrical latch that has to have power on it to allow it to open?

My question arises because it seems to me that Sod's Law would come into play if the Battery was ever to let me down, so instead of a nice summer day it's almost guaranteed to be a cold, wet and windy winter night. My wife's mobility scooter lives in the boot so it would be a major undertaking to get to the Battery terminals to jump start the car. I know that there's a dedicated 'jumper terminal' in the fusebox in the engine bay but that's almost as bad for access because I'd have to deal with half a dozen little plastic clips that I would either break or drop somewhere never to be seen again, before I could remove the engine cover and get to it.

My idea is to make up a permanent jump lead using eyelet terminals at one end that will be permanently connected to the Battery, the other end of said lead would terminate in a socket located in a more accessible position in the car somewhere. If the tailgate can be lifted and the boot accessed without power, there's a cigarette lighter-type socket on the left side (next to the light) that I could remove and replace with something more suitable. If the tailgate can't be lifted without power, I'll have to look at mounting a socket somewhere else in the cabin, maybe even somewhere towards the front and wiring to the jumper terminal in the engine bay instead of the Battery.

Passerby · November 25, 2018

My understanding was that jump starting a 450h was not recommended, just trickle charging

Herbie · November 25, 2018

1 hour ago, Passerby said:

My understanding was that jump starting a 450h was not recommended, just trickle charging

No, it's perfectly ok to jump start.

Like I said above, there's even a dedicated jump start terminal in the engine bay fusebox and all you're doing is providing another 12V source, just like the one that's already there but with more 'oomph' in it. Have a read of this topic:

Britprius · November 25, 2018

I fitted an easy access jump start terminal to my Prius.
To make the system safe from reverse polarity connection, and accidental short circuit of the jump point to ground I fitted a 50 amp stud diode in series with the jump point. This stops current flow from the jump point if accidentally grounded, and prevents reverse current flow if the jump leads are wrongly connected.

John.