How to Jump-Start a Hybrid Car Battery
Just like traditional gas-powered vehicles, a hybrid car battery can be jump started when the battery is discharged. Jump-starting your hybrid shouldn’t stray too far from the process of their gas engine counterpart, though the same amount of caution should be taken.
Please note your jumper cable connectors should not be touching unless they are fully disconnected.
- Park your vehicle on a flat and dry surface
- Turn the vehicle off alongside all electrical components including the headlights and radio
- Place the positive jumper cable clamp (+) colored red on the positive battery terminal of your discharged hybrid battery or positive jump post
- Place the positive clamp on the positive terminal of the functioning car battery
- Place the negative battery (-) colored black on the negative terminal of the functioning car battery
- Place the negative clamp on the negative battery terminal of the dead battery or negative jump post
- Start the engine of the vehicle with the functioning battery and lightly press the accelerate for about five minutes
- Start the engine of your hybrid with the discharged battery
- Remove the negative clamp from the previously-dead battery
- Remove the negative clamp from the functioning battery
- Remove the positive clamp from the functioning battery
- Remove the positive clamp from the previously-dead battery
What Causes a Hybrid Battery to Die?
While it may be difficult to narrow down the exact cause of your hybrid battery dying, there are a few main culprits that tend to pop up:
- Loose battery terminals can cause a discharged battery in both gas and hybrid vehicles. In order to avoid this, inspect your battery terminals when your Toyota is turned off.
- Extremely cold temperatures can negatively affect the 12-volt battery by slowing down battery chemistry
- Parasitic draw happens when something electric, like a cabin light being left or a door not being closed all the way, drains your car battery.
If you’re having constant issues with your Toyota hybrid battery, schedule a service appointment with us at our Toyota service center in Madison. If you have any questions or need more information about caring for your hybrid car battery, contact us online at Smart Toyota.
About Smart Motors
Founded in 1908 by O.D. Smart, Smart Motors is one of the nation’s oldest automotive dealerships, the Midwest’s largest hybrid dealer, Wisconsin’s Largest Toyota Certified Used Vehicle dealer and one of Wisconsin’s largest volume new Toyota dealers. Located in Madison, Smart Motors is Wisconsin’s only two-time President’s Cabinet Award recipient from Toyota Motor Sales for superior customer service & sales volume.
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